Residents and Resorts
1902 Plat Maps with General Store location circled, undated. Photo courtesy of University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library
Forever Changing
The movement of white settlers into the area after 1875 altered the environment and affected the ability of the Odawa to maintain their traditional livelihood. Lodging, commercial fishing, farming, and tourism emerged as important industries. A 1902 Plat Map of Good Hart and Middle Village shows a general store, post office, warehouse, mill, and blacksmith shop. Turn of the century pictures also show a dock for shipping logs, fish, and produce.
Many Odawa continued to live from the land as their ancestors did. Maple sugar was still being produced, fishing for commercial and personal use fed families, and the Odawa maintained family gardens. Gathering wild berries and hunting supplemented the people’s needs. The land still took care of the Odawa, and, by the end of the 19th century, Waganakising had one of the largest native populations in the state.
(above) The Lamkin Hotel, 1924.
(below) Good Hart General Store and Post Office, 1980s.
The Lamkin Hotel and Lodge
Gideon Noel opened the first general store and post office in Good Hart in 1884, selling it to Lowell Lamkin in 1892. After a fire in 1894, Lamkin moved into the old school building abandoned when Holy Childhood opened in Harbor Springs, and the county opened a school on Robinson Road. The store took its first paying guests in 1909, opening an Indian Art Store on the bluff in 1910, and adding a kitchen, dining room and rental cottages to the Lamkin Hotel by 1912. When the Hotel burned in 1933, it was rebuilt as the Lamkin Lodge in 1934.
Local Odawa worked as wage labor in area lodges and as skilled craftsmen building resort cottages. Several, including members of the King family, were known for the quality of their quilts, baskets, and quill boxes.
Joseph Okenotego (Francis)
The family of Joe and Sara Okenotego were well known residents of Middle Village during the 20th century. They were part of a large, vibrant Odawa community that called Middle Village home for many years.
On November 6, 1908, during one of those infamous November storms on the Great Lakes, a fishing boat with three men was caught off the shores of Middle Village. The boat was stranded, its engines dead and was taking water. After two days, the storm did not let up, and the mens lives were in danger. Joe Okenotego and another Odawa man Joe Kijigobinessi took their small boat and went to the fishermen. After a great struggle against the storm, the fishermen were rescued and brought to shore but one after a large wave toppled the men as they approached shore.
In recognition of their deeds, both Joe Okenotego and Joe Kijigobinessi were awarded Carnegie medals in 1914. They received medals, $500 and recognition by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for putting their lives at risk to save others.
Sara Agosa, Joseph O. Francis and their family in Middle Village , undated. Photo courtesy of LTBB Archives
From Farm to Cottage
The Bliss family came to northern Michigan in the 1880’s, established a farm on Wormwood Lane and sold produce and trade goods to tourists. They opened the Wigwam Inn resturant in 1915 and the Krude Kraft Lodge, later Blisswood Lodge, in 1924. Chauncey and Monnie Bliss and local Odawa carpenders developed and built more than 30 signature arts-and-crafts style “Bliss cottages,” throughout the area, 10 in Middle Village/Good Hart.
1929 First Bliss cottage built in Middle Village/Good Hart. Photo courtesy of Bonnie Bliss Weitzel
1874
US Post Office established, named “Good Hart” for “he who is good-hearted” (uncle of Andrew Blackbird who was the Harbor Springs postmaster) in the old school building
1880
House on Lot 8 is inherited by King family
1886
Holy Childhood of Jesus Indian Boarding School opens in Harbor Springs as a federal Indian school
1889
St. Ignatius Church burns and is rebuilt
1900
Odawa at Burt Lake are burned out of their homes by land speculator and sheriff; many Odawa walk to family living at Cross Village and Middle Village
1913
Old Trail Inn opens followed by other area resorts: Chippewa Cove, 1916; Krude Kraft Lodge, 1924; Sunset Lodge, 1939.
1918
Carlisle Indian School closes; Odawa from Waganakising attended this school
1918
Odawa serve in World War I (note military crosses in cemetary)
1902
Waganakising Odawa sue federal government for monies owed to them from 1855 treaty
Did you know…
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