Clifford Lake Inn - Stanton, Michigan
Enjoy a delicious meal on our lakeside deck. www.cliffordlakeinn.net
History
states that ever since the days when buggies visited the
Inn, bringing resorters to enjoy the charm of the area, the
Inn has been in continuous operation. The first
telegraph line was stretched from Stanton to Clifford Lake
resort on October 1, 1880, but instead of a telegraph
instrument as intended, a telephone was put into operation.
It took, however, until February 22, 1881, for the first
conversation to pass over the wire.
When the U.S. Post Office opened in 1881, the town was known as Richard's Point. Clifford Lake Inn was constructed and opened for business. A horse drawn bus line transported passengers from Stanton to Clifford Lake. The cost of a round trip fare was a whopping five cents! A steamboat also was launched at the lake that same year.
The Inn has gone through many transformations since 1881. In 1930, a fire destroyed 80% of the building. It was rebuilt in 1931. The Inn saw success in the following years; however, in the mid-sixties the Inn changed owners numerous times. The building was neglected and by 1975, in dire need of repairs, the structure was condemned and the Inn closed. In 1976, Dy and Norm Eipper began to restore the old Inn to its former first class condition, eventually recreating the style of 50 years ago, with furnishings in the dining area and bedrooms to match the comfort and cheerfulness of that early period, In 1986, the State of Michigan designated the Clifford Lake Inn a State of Michigan Historic Site.
Today, new owners continue the tradition of delicious meals in a gorgeous lakeside setting just a few miles west of Stanton. The kitchen uses locally grown vegetables, locally produced cheeses and Michigan ingredients wherever possible.
A Haunting? Some of the visitors to the Inn report lights turning on and off and a little girl. No one seems to know who she was.