Port Hope, Michigan
Port Hope is a village located less than 10 miles north of Harbor Beach and roughly 70 miles up M-25 from Port Huron. It’s a quaint oasis on the rough shores of Lake Huron, although, at one time, it was one of the Thumb’s lumbering hubs. The Potawatomi Indigenous Peoples initially inhabited the area until it was taken by the white man in the Detroit Treaty of 1807 and the Saginaw Treaty of 1819.
William R. Stafford and a group of investors purchased a large lakeside property in the 1850s to harvest its lumber. The group did just that, eventually clearcutting enough land to farm, too. Port Hope survived the 1871 fire, but the 1881 fire wiped out most of the remaining timber in the area. Port Hope transitioned from logging to farming, and the town hasn’t changed much since then. In addition to his timber business, W. R. Stafford also made a pretty penny on his farm, salt, and milling endeavors.
Compared to other small towns in the Thumb and across Michigan, Port Hope is remarkable because of the sheer number of historic buildings that remain intact. With a population of 293 at the 2020 census, Port Hope is the second smallest incorporated community in Huron County, with 18 more residents than Owendale. With more than its fair share of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a large portion of them still in use today–Port Hope is a great pit stop for anyone who loves history.
If the past isn’t your thing, Port Hope’s main attraction is Lake Huron. Stafford County Park leads the charge, but there are access points to the lake around the surrounding communities.
After the positive feedback we got from our deep dive into Calumet, we decided to take things a step further.
Below is a map we created to pinpoint historic structures within the community of Port Hope. If you click on any of the markers on the map, the location's name will pop up. If you want to learn more about that particular building, click the title, and you’ll be directed further down the page to learn more about that place in particular.
Or, scroll down past the map and video to see a list of locations, photos, and their history.
Map:
We also made a video while we were in Port Hope—complete with a POV-style walk-through of the village and dozens more photographs. You can watch it using the YouTube link below! Be sure to subscribe for more highlights from towns across Michigan.
Video:
Here are all of the buildings in Port Hope that we’ve documented and researched so far:
Herman House (Port Hope Hotel)
Richard Herman set to build an opulent hotel in the heart of Port Hope at the turn of the century. In 1902 work began to upgrade it, and it was one of the fancier hotels in town. It was initially called Herman House, after its owner, but it would be renamed the Lakeview Hotel in 1906 when John DeLisle purchased it. It would change hands numerous times over the years, but eventually, the hotel would close.
Today, it's called the Port Hope Hotel and operates as a restaurant. It's the home of the Leroy Burger, an 18-ounce hamburger. When we visited, I tried to eat the whole thing, but I was defeated. I'll conquer the Leroy someday, but today isn't that day.
Masonic Temple (Rubicon Township Hall)
The building to house Port Hope Masonic Lodge No. 138 was built in 1867. It was the first chapter in Huron County. It was a two-story structure with space for Mason activities and meetings on the upper floor and the bottom floor available as a location for local events. The building didn't change much until 1911 when it was renovated—which included moving it closer to the street and constructing a stage on the main floor. In 1919, there was a fire, but just the back portion of the building was damaged and later repaired. It was used for various things throughout the years, including a grocery store, but today, it's used as the Rubicon Township Hall.
Melligan Store (Agriculture Hall)
In 1884, John Melligan built a commercial property to sell farming products. It was called the Melligan Store, but folks in town called it the Agriculture Hall at the time. Several fortifications, renovations, and additions were completed over the years by Melligan and his son. Eventually, they would sell the property, which would be used as a few different kinds of stores—finally landing as an antique shop, although it doesn't appear open anymore.
Ogilvie Building
Way back when, most small towns had one doctor to handle the town's sick and injured. Port Hope had Dr. R.C. Ogilvie. In 1875, he built a simple building at School and Main Streets to house his enterprise—which at the time was as basic as the building it was housed within. A few years later, he would start selling everyday products in addition to his operation as a doctor and pharmacist. Business was good, so he moved the wood-framed building down a few parcels south and built a new structure for his operation. It was completed in 1885 and would eventually become a hardware store before becoming an antique shop. Today, it’s run by Ray Dillabough and his wife as Port Hope Antiques. It’s an excellent shop and is worth a visit!
Frank Schlicting, a harness maker, built a structure of similar scope between Ogilvie's two buildings in 1903. Although Ogilvie's wood-framed structure is long gone, the two brick buildings still stand side by side in Port Hope today.
William R. Stafford House
William R. Stafford moved from Lexington to Port Hope in 1857 to start a lumbering business. Less than a decade later, he had made enough money to build himself and his family a large home on a hill above the lake. Construction would begin in 1866 and be completed within two years.
Even considering its opulence, the most unique thing about the William R. Stafford House is that it survived both the great fires of 1871 and 1881 unphased, a feat that most historic buildings in Michigan's Thumb didn't accomplish.
Today, the home remains a staple of Port Hope and reminds us of the great wealth that was once gained from the natural beauty we often take for granted.
Frederick H. and Elizabeth Stafford House
Frederick H. Stafford moved to Port Hope in 1874 to work alongside his distant cousin William in one of his many businesses on the shores of Lake Huron. Eventually, he would marry William's daughter, Elizabeth. I must admit, that part's a little weird, but it wasn't all that uncommon for the period.
In 1886, they decided to build a home next door to the William R. Stafford House, which remains a staple of Port Hope.
Isaac Leuty House
Isaac Leuty was William R. Stafford's father-in-law. He was a bookkeeper for his son-in-law and operated a mercantile in town. The home was built in 1874 and, when compared to the homes of William R. and Frederick H. Stafford, is much more modest in scope.
Port Hope Mercantile
William Henry Leuty, William R. Stafford's brother-in-law and Isaac Leuty's son, built a store at the corner of North and State in the mid-1870s. It would be called the Leuty Store and carry a wide variety of goods for the locals in Port Hope. It would be sold to Henry Frank and then the Mihlethaler Company around the turn of the century. Some decade and a half later, it would be sold again to Charles Engle, and Port Hope Mercantile would open shortly after.
In 1918, the store burned to the ground in an arson fire. It was never determined who set it on fire. It would be rebuilt within a year and named the Engle Mercantile Company. Over the years, it has been used for various things.
William Henry Leuty's son-in-law's great-great-grandaughter, Leslie, and her husband, John, reopened the store as Port Hope Mercantile in 2017. If you didn't follow the lineage, Leslie is a descendant of William R. Stafford, continuing the family's legacy within the village of Port Hope.
St. John Lutheran Church
The original St. John Lutheran Church was built shortly after the 1871 fire that ravaged Huron County and the Thumb. This church would survive the 1881 fire and be used as a place of refuge for those who lost everything.
Even after the fire, German immigrants were still arriving in heavy numbers, necessitating the need for a larger Lutheran Church. In 1899, the current building was completed, with a capacity of nearly 900. It remains in use today, still serving the same congregation that first built a church in the 1870s.
St. John had a Lutheran school, first built in 1883 using leftover funds from the 1881 fire relief money. This caused anger for some parishioners, but the school building would remain in use until a new building was completed in 1952. The school would remain open until 2016 when it closed its doors for good. Before closing, the school had just ten students. The building is still used for community events.
First Methodist Episcopal Church
The first church built in Port Hope was the First Methodist Episcopal Church, which broke ground in 1880 and was completed within two years. By 1936, the Methodist and Presbyterian churches would combine, and services would be held at the latter, leaving the Methodist, or Red Church as it is affectionately known today, vacant.
Over the years, the property would be used for gym and shop classes, community meetings, weddings, and social events. Eventually, the church outgrew its need for the property, which has since fallen into disrepair and abandonment.
I fell in love with the Red Church when I spotted it while walking around Port Hope, and I genuinely hope that someone can save this beautiful building.
W. R. Stafford Worker's House (Blue Town House)
William R. Stafford built several homes for the employees of his lumbering, salt, and agriculture businesses in the 1800s. The William R. Stafford Worker's House, or Blue Town House, was built between 1860 and 1880 and was most likely meant to be used by a worker with a wife and children.
Port Hope Depot
Although Port Hope was settled and became a bustling timber village just after the midpoint of the 19th century, a rail line into town wouldn't be completed until decades later. Before its construction, all goods into and out of town had to be transported via ship or horse-drawn cart.
Starting in the late 1800s, local businessmen called for the railroad to come to town. There were several thriving industries in town, so it made sense that the line that ended in Harbor Beach be extended further north to accommodate Port Hope.
In 1903, the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad extended the line to the village, and a year later, the Port Hope Depot opened. It would serve the line's end for decades and still stands today. The tracks were eventually abandoned and torn up, leaving the depot in disarray after many years of private ownership.
One hundred eight years after the depot first opened, the Friends of the Port Hope Depot formed to secure, move, and redevelop the building. The building is well maintained, and in 2018, a 1904 New York Central Standard Caboose was added to the backside of the building. It, too, has been rehabbed and is quite the sight to behold.
Muhlenthaler Elevator
After the 1871 and 1881 fires, most of the timber in Michigan's Thumb that made a select few men rich was cut or burnt down. With a clean slate to work with, the area's landscape transformed into farmland. The soil here is primarily a mixture of clay, sand, and gravel, which can be adapted to various crops.
With the new rail line into town, local farmers needed a way to send their products to larger markets like Port Huron. The Stafford Elevator was completed in 1886—connected to William R. Stafford's Flour Mill. In 1906, the Muhlenthaler Elevator was completed. Although it would never land a spot on the National Register of Historic Places like Stafford Mill would in 1987, it still stands today, while the former was demolished in the early 2000s.
Over the years, both elevators would be updated and improved, but after removing the tracks, they began to deteriorate. In 1971, Harold John McTaggart purchased the Muhlenthaler Elevator complex and operated it as Thumb Farm Service, but that has since closed. Harold passed away in 2016, but his family retained the property.
Today, most of the area surrounding the elevator feels like a ghost town—although the concrete silos appear to be used occasionally. It's overgrown in many places, pieces of siding hang on by threads, and semi-trailers sit half-open around the campus.
Early in 2024, preparations to demolish the Muhlenthaler Elevator were underway.
Stafford County Park
William R. Stafford passed away in 1916 at nearly 90 years old, having amassed great wealth from his lumbering, salt, agriculture, and milling businesses. His heirs donated 6 acres of his land to become a park, and in 1919, Stafford County Park was born.
One of the most prominent structures in the park is the William R. Stafford Saw Mill Chimney—the only remnants of the mill that stood here before the fires of 1871 and 1881. The mill was initially built in 1858, rebuilt in 1872, and again around 1882. All three mills used the chimney, and still stands today. After the timber industry died down, the buildings sat in disarray until they were torn down sometime before 1950.
Over the years, it has been upgraded, and new amenities have been added, including a campground and ball fields. However, the park's highlight has always been and always will be Lake Huron. Read more about the park here.
For more information on Port Hope, check out the Port Hope Historical Society and the book Portrait of a Village: Port Hope by Dean Smith, Jim Hunter, and Deborah Roberti.
If you have a suggestion for a town for us to cover, contact us here. Until next time, enjoy the trip!
