Marshall’s Historic Gem: National House Inn, Michigan’s Oldest Hotel
Discover Marshall's historic jewel, the National House Inn, a key Underground Railroad stop offering modern comforts with a touch of nostalgia. This famous Marshall Hotel is 52 years older than the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.
Many people in the Midwest just assume the oldest operating hotel in Michigan would be the historic Grand Hotel. Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel is over 130 years old. However, the Insider shines the light on a hotel in Marshall that is rich in history,
The National House Inn bed and breakfast is the oldest operating hotel in Michigan. Built in 1835 by Colonel Andrew Mann, the inn is believed to have served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
The city of Marshall and its residents were very anti-slavery and were proud to be a part of the Underground Railroad in the mid-1800s. Read more on the part they played in the Underground Railroad, on the National House Inn's website by clicking here.
The National House Inn in Marshall also holds the distinction of being the oldest brick building in Calhoun County. This almost 200-year-old bed and breakfast has 15 guest rooms with the "luxuries of today" while also keeping one foot in history. People would travel a couple of days on horse-drawn stagecoaches from Detroit back in the day. Later, business boomed for the hotel as the railroad came to town.
The second oldest operating hotel in Michigan is likely the Old Mission Inn which was called the Hedden Hall when it first opened in 1869 in Traverse City.