The Building on the Corner of the Park

Built between late 1870 and early 1880, and renovated in 2012, 410Lake has existed longer than Petoskey itself.

In the Beginning

Before the first Bell Telephone wires were setup, before the first breakwater, and even before the town of ‘Petoskey’ itself, the building that is 410Lake has existed on Lake Street at the corner of the Park.

For perspective, Petoskey’s first house was built in 1873, on the bluff in what was known then by local traders and trappers as ‘Bear River.’ That same year, the first train entered the town. This is just eight years after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination and the American Civil War.

There where three stores in the building those days along Lake Street: dry goods, boots and shoes, a the smallest of them along the park was a ticket office (presumedly for ferry rides to Mackinac Island).

Downsized in 1890

For the first 15 or so years of its existence, the building at 410Lake was more than twice its current size (it’s addresses then were 728 and 729).

Facing the building from Lake Street today, it extended another 30-35 feet to the west. The upper floor had three more windows across, and a large dry goods storefront was on the main floor. This portion was 728 Lake St.

In 1890, the entirety of the 728 portion was demolished. This would have left the 729 portion of the building (the portion that exists today) an island unto itself with no adjoining buildings on any side (the park is to its east) – at least for the moment.

In 1891, a new large building was constructed in this spot and included the parcel to its west (727 Lake St) where a small and all wood building had stood before it, too, was taken down.

Why was our building split in two? Only the ghosts know for sure, but in a photograph from that time, the store directly across the street shows a large sign reading “GREAT SACRIFICE! Dick Rosenthal Closing Out Sale.” This is interesting considering that the new building was built by and housed S. Rothenthal & Sons. The dry goods business must have been booming in Petoskey during that time.

A New Lease on Life

One morning in 2012, a local couple received a chance message from a friend at a real estate office in town: a building they had long thought about bringing back to life had just gone up for sale.

Within a few days, an agreement was reached and the building purchased shortly thereafter.

Over the next several months and finishing in early Spring 2013, the building was completely gutted on the interior (there was nothing worth saving), and the exterior was opened up. The building was finally reestablishing as the anchor point at the vibrant corner of Lake and the Park.