%20(edited).png)
Summering at Spring Lake: A Resort History
The banks of Spring Lake have delighted vacationers since the 1870s, when the first resorts and hotels were established in the area. From "taking the waters" to "setting sail," a multitude of activities offered by Spring Lake have attracted visitors from across the state and around the world. This exhibit explores the history of one of Spring Lake's most popular resorts, Prospect Point.
Prospect Point was built sometime in the late 1800s. It typically opened for the season in May or June and closed in September or October. The resort spanned 9 acres, located in a pine and
hardwood grove. Prospect Point had 925 feet of frontage on Spring Lake. There was a hotel
building and, later, cabins. The grounds also included facilities for various activities, including
tennis courts, croquet grounds, and a ballfield. The resort operated through the 1968 season,
permanently closing that fall. After nearly three years of vacancy, the hotel building burned
down in June 1971. The remaining structures were torn down in August 1971.
Prospect Point is one of the only resorts that the Museum has three-dimensional artifacts documenting, thanks to a donation made in 1968 by the last owner of the resort, Andrew “Andy” Forster, shortly following its permanent closure.
An exciting interactive component of Summering at Spring Lake will be the inclusion of a discovery library. This library will be a collection of books and other materials related to topics discussed in the exhibit that visitors can peruse. This collection of books and other materials related to the exhibit’s topics is tucked into a cozy corner of Centennial Hall among the displays and invites visitors to ‘pull up a story and stay a while’.