Located beside the North Branch of the AuSable River, halfway between Grayling and Lewiston, lies the small town of Lovells. Just a fishing cast away from the riverbank stands a brown lodge accented with yellow trim, a historic landmark originally known as the Douglas House. Around 1898, Thomas E. Douglas, a key figure in the logging community, established a sawmill and general store in Lovells. Following a fire that destroyed his initial store, he built a new one in 1903. By 1916, he expanded his enterprise with the addition of a hotel, which he fittingly named the Douglas House. This impressive structure boasted twenty guest rooms and elegant common areas, all illuminated by electricity generated from Douglas’s own mill. From its inception, the Douglas House served as the headquarters for the prestigious North Branch Outing Club, a magnet for prominent sportsmen such as Henry and Edsel Ford, John and Horace Dodge, and Charles Nash. Douglas’s daughter, Margaret, capably managed the hotel until 1971 and continued to reside there until 1991.
In 1996, the historic property was revitalized as a bed and breakfast, maintaining its tradition of welcoming those drawn to the area’s hunting and fishing opportunities. The Douglas House achieved significant recognition in 2001 when the state of Michigan designated it a state historic site, followed by its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. Notably, the North Branch Outing Club remains active, offering the expertise of world-class fly fishing guides to this day.
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