Datus and Sara Kelley built their home here
in 1843, known as
the Island House. It was located up the hill from the
steamboat landing and
across
the street from the island store (the Lodge,
1854). In 1873, Jacob Rush bought the property and built a 102-room hotel.
This "pleasure resort" was 224 feet wide and three stories
tall. It featured many amenities, including a bowling alley, billiard
parlor, bath houses, laundry,
barber shop,
livery stable,
and a
dancing pavilion (the Casino) overlooking the lake. A fire destroyed
the structure in November 1877.
Later owners
of the property where the hotel stood were
Clara Fann and George Schardt in
1892,
Frank Stang in 1895,
Jacob Kuebler in 1899,
and John
Himmeline in 1905. Himmeline sold the property to the Village for
use as a park in 1925.
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