Which historic hotel was the first summer hotel on Mackinac Island?

If you guessed Island House Hotel (1852) you guessed correctly! Initially constructed for Charles O'Malley in 1852 as a beachfront resort, the Island House was one of the first summer hotels on Mackinac Island. In 1865 Captain Henry Van Allen, a Great Lakes skipper, purchased the resort, thus beginning a family tradition that would last nearly 75 years. During this time, he moved the hotel about 300 feet off the shore to its present location to allow for future expansion. Under Captain Van Allen's direction, visitors deemed the Island House the "best family hotel" as Mackinac Island becomes the most popular summer destination in America. Island House Hotel recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation. The hotel is still run by the second and third generations of the Callerwaert family.