Located off M-22 on N. Manitou Trail is Jolli-Lodge — A hidden gem and classic Lake Michigan resort that charms anyone who visits.
With access and views of Lake Michigan and numerous lodging options available, the property and its many amenities make it not only an idyllic place to stay, but also a surreal and peaceful location to experience the beauty of Leelanau County.
The history of how Jolli-Lodge came to be the iconic site that it is today dates back more than a half century ago. Ruth and Keith Jolliffe, as well as Keith’s parents’ Grace and Evered, purchased the property in 1956. Both Keith and Ruth had other jobs during the off-season. Keith taught school in Glen Arbor for 10 years and Ruth was a secretary for years at Leland Public School.
“My husband (Keith) and I came up from Akron,” Ruth, 98, recalled, who still lives in her own home on the property to this day. “We stayed in a little cottage out there and the windows froze because there was hardly any heat. Then we built a house on the hill (Hilltop House). We lived there and then my mother-in-law came and stayed about seven years.”
Ruth remembers how Jolli-Lodge used to function, specifically recalling how they cooked three meals a day for years in the main lodge for their guests. There weren’t many restaurants open at the time, so those that stayed at Jolli-Lodge took advantage of the home-cooked meals made on site.
“I remember I cooked my first turkey here. I had never done a turkey before…” Ruth said. “We asked for a reservation when they (guests) called, and instead of serving one meal, we had about three or four meals to do.”
Ruth also vividly remembers using their 1947 Willys Jeep in the winter season to push people up the steep driveway/hill leading to and from Jolli-Lodge. When Sugar Loaf ski resort was operating, people who would make a trip to visit would often stay at Jolli-Lodge. The Jeep spent its whole life in Leland, said Greg, Ruth’s son, noting how the late Mr. VanRaalte remembered when the vehicle first came off the trailer in 1947.
“My dad taught me how to drive it when I was 12 so I could push people up the hill… We would get families that came up in the summer that would then come up in the winter to go skiing,” Greg said. “Back in the day, we had skiers in the winter and they had rear-wheel drive cars and it was hard to get up the hill. So my mom used to push people up it.”
The buildings on the property formerly served as a private residence and retreat and were originally built in 1924. There were three owners before the Jolliffe’s moved and made it into their own in 1956, however, they would end up being the family to reside there the longest.
“I found an old, little advertisement that said ‘a room for the night with a meal was $8,’” Greg said. “In the beginning, they didn’t have much to rent and they didn’t have a clientele.”
Ruth said when her family first acquired the property in the 1950s, the only buildings that existed were the main lodge, the stable, and the garage, which is now known as the Carriage House. Additions were made to the overall property as years passed and as the lodge attracted more people. The original stable and carriage house, for example, was converted to rentals, and a building was constructed to house summer staff as well until it was ultimately decided to use the space for more customer lodging. It’s even noted that Grandma Grace, Keith’s mother, had built a house with three guest units, and eventually had to camp out on the porch to rent out her own apartment. Today, there are about 15 cottages, cabins, and condos for guests to rent and choose from, including six rooms in the main lodge area.
There are six rooms available to rent in the main lodge, with several rooms having great views of Lake Michigan. Enterprise photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu
Greg said he grew up working and doing maintenance at Jolli-Lodge, but in 1989, he officially took over, raising his own family there and continuing in the business.
“What was nice then is we had the clientele built up, families that had been coming for decades and generations, and that’s who we rely on, people that come back year after year. That’s what it’s always been,” he said. “It was a great place to grow up. Then with our kids growing up, I think they really enjoyed it here, too.”
Greg’s wife, Lisa Psenka, said she thinks one of the biggest appeals of the lodge is how unique and unchanged the property itself is, even after all these years.
“I think people are really looking for something that’s not the same as everything else,” Lisa said. “It’s really unique, it’s super traditional, nothing has changed… It’s a classic. A lot of the families have been coming up the same week year after year, and they’re friends with the other families that have been coming here, so there’s like these little communities each week, and they all feel like it’s their place. We have some people that have been coming for over 40 years now.”
That classic beauty is another reason why many artists and creatives are drawn to Jolli-Lodge, too. In fact, Michigan author and celebrated writer Jim Harrison wrote the popular trilogy, “Legends of the Fall,” in one of the rooms at the main lodge.
“He (Harrison) brought his bottles of booze and his typewriter here and it took him like 10 days to write ‘Legends of the Fall’ in the late 70s,” Greg said.
Since last year, Jolli-Lodge has also been the host of an annual songwriters retreat, where dozens of songwriters come up in the fall to collaborate, work together, and put on a concert. It’s another testament to how the property continues to inspire creativity and artistic expression.
On Feb 1, 2021, Michigan House Rep. Jack O’Malley signed a special tribute honoring the 65th anniversary of the founding of Jolli-Lodge and the role that it played in contributing to “both the economic wellbeing of the area and the lives of countless citizens from all over.”
“In looking back over 65 years of Jolli-Lodge’s history, it is clear that this name has set its course with a continuing look to the future,” the special tribute states. “While the changes of the marketplace dictate many of the decisions for any good company, Jolli-Lodge has also demonstrated the importance of looking beyond the balance sheet alone to include the ideas of its people and the role of the company in community life in making choices. Whether its repeat guests or new, the Jolli-Lodge has always been there with excellent hospitality and service.”
Jolli-Lodge is open year-round, with the exception of April this year to complete exterior projects. For more information about lodging, go to www.jollilodger. com or call 231-256-9291.
The original buildings constructed on the property in the 1920s formerly served as a private residence and retreat. Today, there are about 15 cottages, cabins, and condos for guests to rent and choose from, including six rooms in the main lodge area. Enterprise photo by Meakalia Previch-Liu
