On South Shore Drive (Michigan Route 75) near State Street and North Shore Drive, on the left when traveling south.
In 1899 the Hemingways of Oak Park,
Illinois, built a summer cottage
called Windemere some six miles
northwest of here on Walloon Lake.
Young Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)
spent his days at the lake reading,
fishing, hunting, and . . . — — Map (db m233985) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the right when traveling south.
Clarence (Ed) and Grace Hemingway of Oak Park, Illinois, first made their way to Walloon Lake (then known as Talcott) in 1898 and instantly fell in love with the area. They went in search of lakefront property and eventually spent $400 to have a . . . — — Map (db m298480) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the right when traveling south.
Once visitors arrived at Bear Lake (later Talcott and eventually Walloon Lake) after long steamer rides on the Great Lakes, followed by several legs via the railroad, they needed to be transported to their summer cottages or one of the hotels, . . . — — Map (db m298502) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the left when traveling north.
In 1873 the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railway completed its line of tracks that ran between Grand Rapids and Petoskey. This first served those working in the logging industry harvesting the pine forest which covered the area.
Around 1880, a . . . — — Map (db m298486) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the right when traveling south.
Nearly a dozen resorts, hotels, and boarding houses operated on Walloon Lake in its early history.
One notable property was the Fern Cottage (above), which opened in 1891 on the north side of the village. It served as a docking point for . . . — — Map (db m298509) HM
On Michigan Route 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the right when traveling south.
Throughout Ernest Hemingway's life, Walloon Lake remained a passionate memory. Six weeks old when first brought to the lake in 1899, Hemingway spent twenty-three summers visiting the family's Windemere cottage. His experiences hunting, fishing, . . . — — Map (db m298100) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131 when traveling south.
Since the last ice age, Northern Lower Michigan was a rich land of lakes and streams. For thousands of years, its forests and wildlife were much different than today. Elk was the dominant game animal and the gray wolf and panther were its . . . — — Map (db m298517) HM
On State Highway 75 0.5 miles west of U.S. 131, on the right when traveling south.
By the turn of the 20th century, Walloon Lake which was first called Bear Lake, and later Talcott (or Tolcott) was transitioning from a lumbering community to a thriving summer resort destination.
Fresh air, home cooking, fishing, and . . . — — Map (db m298511) HM
