The following is an excerpt from the Suttons Bay Sesquicentennial Celebration publication.
The village was well supplied with hotel accommodations. At the turn of the 20th Century, it support four hostelries: the Union House built in 19871 by F.J. Jelch, who operated it for several years before selling out to J.C. Anderson; the Bay House, built in 1874 by George Steimel who ran it for many years; the Seiber House, originally built by George Walter Sr. as a saloon but later converted to a hotel, which David Seiber operated throughout the gay 1890s; and the imposing Park Hotel with its wide double-decked verandas. John Deuster built the Park Hotel around an old saloon about 1890. It became the show place of the town and attained considerable popularity.
Because it was more or less centrally located in the county, Suttons Bay became a favorite stopover for salesmen and others who had business in the “Little Finger” of Michigan. Livery stables flourished in the horse and buggy days.
Each of the hotels had a stable. In 1897, there are these items regarding the hotels:
• George Steimel has prepared his hotel for summer trade. A new feed and livery stabled has been constructed in connection with the hotel so that guest may have accommodations for their transportation.
• J.C. Anderson of the Union House is looking forward to a fine summer season. The Union House is situated on the Bay where the cool breezes off the bay continually wash it.
And later these items from the Suttons Bay Courier:
• June 18, 1890 — A call at the Bay House will convince one that that is the place to go, the interior of the house has been enlarged and very much improved and everything got up in the best of style. Mr. and Mrs. Steimel know how to please guests.
• June 26, 1890 — Steimel House of Suttons Bay. Summer tourists can find at the place excellent accommodations for any length of time, at reasonable rates. Mr. Steimel also has a feed and livery stable in connection with the hotel.
• April 5, 1894 — Joe Steimel, formerly of Steimel House, will be behind the counters of the company store to wait on customers.
And from The Leelanau Enterprise, Sept. 5, 1895: Ground was broken on Broadway in Suttons Bay last Monday for the erection of a grand new hotel and summer resort. George Walter Sr., an old respected citizen, will be the owners and his sin-in-law C. Simmersbach is the proprietor-elect. This hotel is no “dream,”” George has the money, and when he commences anything it will be completed as soon as possible.
The Union Hotel (now the VI Grill) still stands.
The Seiber House remains intact and with some alterations is not the Williams Law Office and O’Non Surveying.
Communications/Mail Native Americans carried the early mail on footpaths between Suttons Bay and Traverse City and other points within the area.
The post office was opened on Aug. 27, 1861. For a timee mail was delivered once in two weeks, then every week.
The post office progressed to the point of having a daily stage carry the mail. Then rural free delivery was begun on Route No. 1 on Feb. 15, 1905, and was served for over 30 years by Lars P. Bolme.
The following year rural free delivery was instituted on Route No. 2 to Keswick and the adjacent territory, and served for 30 years by Paul Mork.
The first, free-standing post office was located at the present location of The Hive.
