Epworth Heights
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Epworth Heights is a summer resort located in Ludington, Michigan, in the United States.
[edit] History
Epworth Heights was founded in 1894, it began as a Methodist Chautauqua-style family camping experience on the shores of Lake Michigan. There was to be a two-week program of entertainment and spiritual teaching to benefit the Ludington area residents. The agreement between the Citizen's Development Company of Ludington and the Epworth League Assembly of Big Rapids was signed on May 6 of that year. By mid-July, a mere ten weeks later, the Hotel, Auditorium and classrooms that had been hastily built were ready for the first two-week session. Families camped in tents on the sandy beaches and enjoyed the programming as well as the beautiful lakeside vistas.
It was decided that leasing plots of land to allow for the building of cottages would be a good way to raise money and assure a future for the venture. For five dollars a year, a member of the assembly could purchase the right to build a cottage on his leasehold. Several cottages were built in 1895; by 1909, there were close to 100. These were not year-round cottages, but simple wooden structures built along walks that lined the Lake Michigan shore.
The Chautauqua programs continued until 1924, but were replaced with other speakers of a spiritual or cultural nature. Over the years, the number of cottages has grown to over two hundred,each with a specific name chosen by the family holding the lease. Cottages are also available for rent, but there are many requirements for renting including three letters of reference from lease-holders.
[edit] Present day
Cottagers do much to add beauty to the already spectacular landscape. Gardens and planting areas abound in the private as well as public areas. The Epworth Hotel no longer has rooms but serves as a meeting place for the residents to pick up mail, grab some coffee at The Hotel Joe, purchase some trendy resort wear and cottage knick-knacks at The Puttering Place, get their hair and nails done, or take advantage of the small lending library. Upstairs, the Historical Museum houses pictures and household items from the early days. There is also a small apartment on the second floor, known as the Upper Room, which is occupied by the visiting ministers and their families who come weekly during the summer season. Each minister, which now include those outside of the Methodist faith, is invited to spend a week in the apartment after his or her Sunday service in the Auditorium and evening vespers in the Marine Dining Room or the Vespers Pit. The visiting minister also provides daily scripture readings and Monday Musings.
Like other summer resorts Epworth Heights offers residents tennis courts, a restaurant and a nine-hole golf course. However, in keeping with the resort's religious origins, alcoholic beverages are not allowed outside the four walls of a cottage and Epworthians are only allowed to participate in activities and go to the beach between the hours of noon and 7 P.M. on Sundays to respect church-goers.
A series of daily activities for children was organized. Today, there are Pixies, Peanuts, and Boys' and Girls' Club that meet for two hours in the morning on weekdays during the eight week season, which runs from mid-June to mid-August. The Subteen and Teen groups also have regularly scheduled events and activities in the evenings, including bonfires at the local dune, known as Bluebell, and outings to the movies on Tuesdays.
Large contingents of families, often several generations, summer at Epworth. As in the old days, women may stay for extended periods while husbands come and go. Little Rock, Chicago, St. Louis are notable for large numbers at Epworth.
Cottage owners lease land from the Assembly for long periods and own the improvements/cottages. Often passed from one generation to the next, cottages may be sold only with the approval of the Assembly. As with many resort properties, values have skyrocketed in recent years with a doubling and tripling of values.
