When History Disappears
A city icon since 1864, the House of Ludington tragically caught fire, destroying one of Escanaba’s most beautiful and recognizable landmarks.
12/6/20252 min read
The House of Ludington stood as one of Escanaba’s most enduring and storied buildings. For more than a century, this grand hotel anchored Ludington Street and helped define the character of our downtown. I hope you enjoy this collection of photographs I’ve taken over the years, along with a brief history of a building that will be deeply missed by our community.
The House of Ludington standing proudly lit up a nighttime.
First built in 1864 by lumber baron Nelson Gaynor, the hotel was originally named the Gaynor House. In 1871, a large addition was completed and the hotel was renamed the Ludington House in honor of influential lumberman Nelson Ludington. It quickly became one of the largest and finest hotels in the Upper Peninsula.
In 1883, after being purchased by the Christie family, the building was rebuilt and renamed the New Ludington Hotel. A significant west wing was added in 1903, ultimately giving the hotel more than 100 rooms and creating the distinctive appearance many of us recognize today.
A reflection photo taken after a recent rain two weeks before the tragic fire
As someone who grew up in Escanaba, this building has always been one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Standing tall at the end of Ludington Street and overlooking the waters of Lake Michigan, it became a symbol of home to many of us. My hope is that enough of the original structure remains that this beautiful building can one day be rebuilt. Notre Dame suffered devastating damage in 2019 and was restored — perhaps the same can one day be done for the House of Ludington.
Smoke engulfs the House of Ludington as fire fighters work to save the building
Local fire fighters work in frigid temperatures to put out the fire of a beautiful landmark
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📷 — Scott Peterson