The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island is one of Michigan most Iconic and historic locations, but do you know the amazing story of how a young desk clerk became the owner of one of the most famous hotels in the world. W. Stewart Woodfill began working at the Grand Hotel in 1919 as a desk clerk welcoming guests into the luxurious hotel on Mackinac Island. A hardworking and young Woodfall took over managing the hotel at the age of 27 after the current manager had died in 1923. Getting a chance to purchase the magnificent hotel he formed a partnership with a few other men. After the banks refused to loan the group money he pitched a proposal to James Kraft, yes that James Kraft of Kraft Foods, the food magnate supposedly fell asleep during the presentation but then woke up and told Mr. Woodfill that he and his wife stayed at the hotel on their honeymoon. He said it was the most beautiful place in America and helped finance the hotel in 1925 with Woodfill as the managing partner. The hotel struggled to make ends meet and after a few years without paying dividends to its owners W. Stewart Woodfill sold his portion of the hotel in 1927. Without knowing it at the time, he made the smartest decision of his life. A few years later the stock market crashed and the American economy was in shambles in 1929. The hotel fell on hard times and went up for auction in 1930. W. Stewart Woodfill, a one-time desk clerk, was the only bidder purchasing the stately hotel with the money he received from selling his share of the hotel a few years earlier. He owned the historic hotel until he sold it to his nephew in 1979.
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