Following the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) the beneficial effects of the industrial revolution , advances in science, medicine, transportation and technology combined to enable Americans to live longer healthier lives. People had time for leisure, recreation and travel. The railroads were in the midst of a period of unprecedented growth and expansion. Besides connecting small and large cities together and providing a cheap fast way to bring goods to market, the railroads would create destinations and attractions to encourage the leisurely middle class to travel. This is exactly how Ottawa Beach came into being.
Located five miles west of Holland Michigan, Ottawa Beach is bound by Lake Macatawa (Black Lake), Lake Michigan, and Mt. Pisgah. This resort community was platted and development began in 1886. Ottawa Beach is a unique combination of forested dunes, Lake Macatawa shorelines and fine sand beaches. Victorian cottages shelter a vibrant community where residents and visitors can relax with friends or explore the walks, dunes and waterways.
The people who initially enjoyed Ottawa beach were the members of the Ottawa, Chippewa and Pottawatomi tribes. In 1821, their chiefs ceded the land south of the Grand River to the US government thereby opening the land to non-Native American settlers. The land was surveyed in 1832 by government surveyor Calvin Brittan, who was sufficiently impressed with the Lake Macatawa area to purchase the beach front lands later developed as the Macatawa and Ottawa Beach cottage and resort areas.
The West Michigan Park Association built the Hotel Ottawa in June of 1886 at a cost of over $20,000 (about a half million dollars in today’s value). The two story hotel with 36 guest rooms was built atop a bluff facing Lake Macatawa, and Lake Michigan could clearly be seen to the west. Note the windmill visible at the right behind the hotel which supplied water for the hotel and the cottages. Half of the cost of building the hotel came from the sale of the cottage lots, with the rest of the money raised through the sale of bonds. Within a year of the opening of the new Hotel Ottawa, 20 summer cottages were built in the West Michigan Park Plat. The majority of the historic cottages standing today at Ottawa Beach were built between 1887 and 1900. All building materials – the lumber, bricks, window glass and furnishings – were transported to Ottawa Beach by boat from Holland until completion of the railway line. There were no roads from Holland to the lake shore and the only way of reaching the two resort hotels was by one of the two excursion steamers.
To learn more about the history around Ottawa Beach check out the link in the related web page.
At the posted coords you will find a historical marker. To locate the next stage you must collect some information from the sign.
Stage 2 is located at N42 46.ABC W86 12.DEF
A= Number of letters in the surveyor's last name.
B= Second digit in the number of cottage lots
C= Last digit of registered local site NO.
D= Number of times the word railway appears on the sign.
E= last digit in the year President ford was quoted
F= Last digit in the year the hotel burned
Check sum of ABCDEF = 22
At Stage 2 you will find an informational sign. You will need to read it and collect some additional information to locate Stage 3
Stage 3 is located at N42 46.GHI W86 12.JKL
G= Number of letters in the second word of the title.
H= Last digit in the year the building ceased operation.
I= Second digit in the total value of the investment account.
J= Third digit in the year cottagers were given the opportunity to purchase electricity
K= Third digit in the year a film was shot here.
L= Number of dynamos multiplied by 3
Check sum of GHIJKL = 34
Stage 3 You are looking for Coords to the Final