An early photo of the Mather Inn in the city of Ishpeming is seen. (Photo, from a postcard, is courtesy of the private collection of Seth J. Johnson)

ISHPEMING — There are two sides to the story of the building of the Mather Inn. The public side, documented in numerous newspaper articles, and the private side, found in letters exchanged between Warren Manning, William Mather, S.R. Elliott, and others.

In a letter sent in June to S.R. Elliott, then general manager of CCI’s Marquette District, Manning included a sketch. “To indicate my first thought and study for the addition to the C.C.I. house (located in the northeast corner of the lot) that may provide a fifty-room hotel to cost about $50,000.” Manning, a landscape designer, had worked with CCI on several projects.

Elliott sent a copy on to William Mather. In July, planning began in earnest with Elliott’s letter, dated July 16, to the H.L. Stevens Company. “About two years ago I met with you in Ishpeming and discussed our hotel project with you. This matter is crystallizing rapidly and I think it quite probably that if the cost is not too excessive that the funds can be provided for the construction of a hotel of about fifty rooms in Ishpeming.” At that time H.L. Stevens designed small city hotels across the Midwest and had recently completed the Northland Hotel in Marquette.

Elliott also sent a letter to William G. Mather on July 16. “I discussed this subject with you, emphasizing the fact that the city of Ishpeming should have a hotel and that on account of the close, friendly relationship between our company and the people of Ishpeming that I was strongly of the opinion that the company should take an active part in this hotel project and try to bring it to a successful conclusion. You agreed with me and said you were entirely in sympathy with this matter.”

On July 22, Elliott wrote to the H.L. Stevens Company. “Ishpeming is a comparatively small place with practically no people of means and if the hotel is to be built it must be financed almost entirely by our company and some other mining companies. With the situation as it stands now I am not at liberty to take it up with the people of Ishpeming as I first must sell the idea to those who are going to put up the money.”

On the July 28, Elliott sent a letter to William Mather, enclosing the plans that the H.L. Stevens Company had sent. “…if this hotel was to be constructed the financing would largely have to be done by the mining companies. You said you were entirely sympathetic with the plan and intimated that the company would do its part and probably you personally would help. It is my opinion that $45,000 would be an outside figure for the people of Ishpeming to raise. I know that everyone in Ishpeming is exceedingly interested in this hotel and will be willing to do their part, but with two or three exceptions there are no individuals who can contribute more than $5,000 at the outside….What I would like to do right now is to ask the Mayor to call a general meeting of all the business men and prominent citizens in Ishpeming, set the problem clearly before them and find out definitely whether we have their cooperation.”

Mather was not happy with those plans and wrote on the 31st to S.R. Elliott, “I think the elevation looks too citified. Ishpeming is really a country town and the hotel would look more appropriate and more attractive if designed in a less formal manner.” He was also not impressed with the Northland Hotel, particularly the interior design. “I do not think the new Marquette hotel is designed or furnished in good taste.” (Aug. 4)

A meeting with the prominent men of Ishpeming was scheduled for the Aug. 13. It went well and on Sept. 6, Elliott wrote to Wm. Mather,” I am delighted to tell you that the proposition to have a new hotel in Ishpeming has met with very enthusiastic reception. It is proposed to organize a corporation with shares of stock of a par value of $50.00.” Elliott was the middleman in this and at times he felt the pressure. “As previously stated I was not definitely authorized by you to tell the citizens that if they raised $40,000 the balance to the money would be forthcoming from other sources, but I did announce that it was my opinion that this would occur. The citizens generally have accepted this as a fact and if I am not sustained in this by you, the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company and other companies I will be discredited with the people of Ishpeming not only in this project but my influence in other local matters will be nil.”

Towards the end of September, a decision was made to hire Boston architect James Ritchie, on the recommendation of Warren Manning. Mather wrote a letter to Elliott and also stated: “We both think that our Ishpeming hotel should be of the type which might be called an “Inn“, rather than a “Hotel“, the idea being that a “Hotel” is more pretentious than an “Inn.” (Sept. 19)

As the plans for the new Inn progressed, the people of Ishpeming grew eager for construction to start. However, the real sticking point was the Oliver Mining Company. In 1930, they worked almost as many mines as did CCI and it was hoped to get at least $25,000 from them. In a letter written to LeRoy Salsich, President of the Oliver Mining Company, Elliott said this: “You undoubtedly, from your own experience, must realize that these people who live here are quite different from the people in any other mining town in the entire Lake Superior Region. They have been accustomed for many years to good government; they realize that they have to carry their fair share of the burden and there in no tendency towards radicalism or extravagance in city expenditures.” (Nov. 26)

Elliott, in a letter to Mather, said, “I am awfully afraid that the Oliver who are invariably so terribly slow about everything will keep us waiting quite a while.” (Dec. 18) It was not until the 11th of March that the Oliver Mining Company came through with a donation of $10,000.

With that final contribution, the fundraising was done. There would be more letters as construction progressed. CCI looked at every detail and especially in the matter of the iron and steel used in the building. Times were tough and every effort was made to use products from companies that used iron ore either from CCI or one of the other contributors. “The American Radiator Co. do buy a good deal of iron from both the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Co. and from The Corrigan, McKinney Steel Co., and in fact buy rather more iron than other boiler and heating companies.” (letter to SR Elliott, March 23, 1931)

“With reference to our conversation last week concerning the contract for material for the new hotel that is to be constructed at Ishpeming. I wonder if arrangements could not be made so that the contractor would be required to ship the materials over our line with the understanding, of course, that the rates are the same as via the Northwestern or DSS&A. We need all the business we can get.” (letter to SR Elliott, from LS &I, April 24, 1931.)

In January 1932, the Mather Inn opened to much fanfare.

Editor’s note: The letters used in writing this article are housed at the Central Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan University Archives and are available to the public, although at this time, all requests must be made via email.