A BRIEF HISTORY OF SLEEPY HOLLOW RESORT

The land that now houses the Sleepy Hollow Resort was farmed and purchased by R. H. Jones. Mr. Jones peach farm encompassed 12 acres and he named it Island Home perhaps because it was bordered by a lovely ravine.

In 1888 Joshua Smith,a professional photographer from Chicago, bought the property for $2,800 and set about creating a new house with the barn and a 7,000 fish trout pond. Smith had stone brought over from Chicago and built a lovely bridge to the estate. Smith and his wife Louisa had many sumptuous parties featuring an orchestra plus poetry readings. The Island House Estate was extremely serene and Smith decided to name the grounds Sleepy Hollow and create a large hotel to accommodate 300 guests.

The hotel cost $30,000 and incorporated the most modern accoutrements: running water, toilets, electric lighting and interior walls from a new material called compoboard. The estate was 30 acres and now on the outer boundaries of the property people began to build small cottages.

Guests from Chicago came by pleasure craft and were transported from town by a colourful omnibus covered with a canopy top. The ads indicated that in this miniature canyon one could enjoy the beach, fishing, golf and concerts on a special automatic organ brought from the Windy City.

The Smiths tried to make a go of the hotel and even had as many as 400 guests a week but for some reason the enterprise began to falter and a now ailing Smith sold the Hotel in 1909. The new leasees were a couple who split the duties of the hotel. Frank Winter took care of the daily operations and his partner Eleanor Paradis organized the social activities. They renamed Sleepy Hollow, Brighton Beach Hotel, and advertised enthusiastically. Their plans were short lived when a suspicious fire raged through the building just prior to the summer opening in May 1910. Sleepy Hollow now became desolate and deserted.

Smiths Island Home was all that was left and Smiths widow ,Louisa lived there until she died in 1927. A number of owners and tenants are listed in the archives and now in the era of the bombastic 1920s new cottages and swell homes began to appear along the South Haven shore. Al Capone was purported to have invested in Sleepy Hollow but perhaps these were myths instead of hard facts. With the depression of 1929 vandals denuded the once proud home and the desolation of Sleepy Hollow became a reality.

The next owners were the Chicago residents the F. S. Demeters but their stay was short lived and they sold to Edward Gray , president of a concrete and salvage company in 1937.

Mr. Gray was a foresighted man who was influenced by the art deco architecture used in the Chicago Exposition of 1933. The geometric simple lines from the art deco 1926 style were evident in some of the small buildings at the Worlds Fair. It is said that Mr. Gray arranged to purchase the salvage rights for some of these cottages , had them disassembled and brought across the lake to Sleepy Hollow.

Mr. Grays construction started in the orchard and cornfield on the property perimeter. He provided stainless steel sinks, modern electric kitchens, full baths with showers and inner spring mattresses of a new design. He was now ready to open a first class resort and advertise it as The Aristocrat of Michigan.

In addition to shuffleboard, tennis and handball courts and his love of beauty integrated with flower beds, indeed made Sleepy Hollow a 30 acre estate of quiet aristocracy.

Mr. Gray was an amateur violinist and because of his love for classical music, he created a music tower that emitted daily afternoon concerts. The original barn was moved and renovated and named the Village Theatre. In the early 1950s he added an Olympic- size heated swimming pool which was received with great enthusiasm. Mr. Edward Gray died in 1962 and the property passed to his son Richard who proceeded to add his own touches.

In the 1960s and 70s Sleepy Hollow was now one of the premier family vacationing spots.

Ichabods Restaurant opened on the grounds and the barn theatre became The Legend Theatre. Richard Gray had initiated an arts festival, stocked a library, created an art studio and made all types of music an active part of the guests visit.

In the late 70s the Gray family relinquished their complete ownership and the resort became a condominium association with all of the units now privately owned. The restaurant and theatre leased their operations and reported to Association Management.

As the Association moves into the 21st century it will consider new enhancements

to this legendary setting and honour the past history of this 100 year old land called SLEEPY HOLLOW.