The House of Ludington, a historical hotel on Ludington Street in Escanaba, caught fire, according to the City of Escanaba on Friday, Dec. 5
The hotel was first built in 1864 and moved to its current location in 1868. It’s was said to be the largest hotel in the Upper Peninsula and one of the first to have electric, steam heat and baths for $2 a day, according to the House of Ludington website.
“It is with profound sadness, as we all watch The House Of Ludington, a place we all love, full of over 160 years of Escanaba’s history go up in smoke,” according to a Facebook post from House of Ludington. “It’s a tragic day.”
Utility interruptions caused by the fire may leave residents in the surrounding area with power fluctuations or outages, as well as discolored water as systems stabilize, according to a Facebook post by the city on Dec. 5. The disruptions are expected to be short-term, and the city encourages residents to run water until it clears if discoloration occurs, according to the post.
The Christmas parade scheduled for downtown Escanaba on Friday at 6 p.m. is still on, Downtown Escanaba confirmed in a Facebook post Friday afternoon.
On Friday afternoon, the House of Ludington said it started an account at First Bank — House of Ludington Employees and Residents Relief Fund — to support the employees and tenants who are now without homes. Donations can be made directly to the bank or sent through Venmo to @HOLfirerelief, according to the House of Ludington Facebook Page.
Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Escanaba’s House of Ludington, built in 1864, is burning
Reporting by Natalie Davies, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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