Latest news with #HotelCasaBlanca
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
National Trust says one-time Michigan hotel is among 'most endangered' sites. Here's why
A one-time northern Michigan oasis that attracted Black performers and vacationers alike, the Hotel Casa Blanca in Idlewild has been named one of America's Most Endangered Historic Places. The long-vacant Hotel Casa Blanca hasn't been used since it housed a day care center 30 years ago, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 1979, the hotel was designated as part of the historical district of Idlewild by the Michigan State Preservation Historic Office and the National Register for its significance during the Civil Rights era, 1st Neighbor said on its website. In 2024, it was acknowledged as an African American Civil Rights Network location by the United States Park Service. It's the oldest structure where African Americans could stay and exercise their rights, marking its importance in American history, the National Trust said. During its heyday in the 1950s and '60s, the hotel attracted Black musicians, including African American artists like Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Aretha Franklin. Designed and built by Black architect Woolsey Coombs in 1949, Hotel Casa Blanca served as a premier lodging site for African American travelers, entertainers, entrepreneurs and thought leaders during segregation, and was included in The Negro Motorist Green Book, the Trust said. After integration, like many formerly segregated Black resorts, Idlewild experienced lower visitation and economic disinvestment. Today, the historic resort community off U.S. 10 near Baldwin has a population of about 700 residents, and Hotel Casa Blanca has been vacant and deteriorating for more than 30 years. What to know about Hotel Casa Blanca and the list. Now in its 38th year, the National Trust's annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has "proven to be a highly effective tool for shining a light on the threats facing our nation's greatest treasures." The Trust and its supporters, have "galvanized public support behind more than 350 sites to date with only a handful lost." This year's list "exemplifies how preservation is about creating something new, spotlighting efforts to repurpose historic buildings and activate them to serve their communities in new ways." The collection of places on this list also helps illustrate how resilience and recovery are intertwined with preservation and emphasizes the economic benefits that come with revitalization." The current owner of the building needs to raise money to move ahead with rehabilitation efforts. The previous owner of Hotel Casa Blanca sold it to 1st Neighbor LLC, a Black woman-led nonprofit. 1st Neighbor hopes to rehabilitate the hotel into a bed-and-breakfast including overnight suites, meeting spaces, and a heritage and learning center, and has taken crucial steps towards restoration, including removal of hazardous material and developing architectural plans for reuse, the National Trust said. Grants from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust and others have provided seed funding, but an additional $5 million is needed to complete the $6.3 million rehabilitation. 'It's history — musical history, African American history, American history," Roni McGregory, project manager for 1st Neighbor, a nonprofit working to restore the hotel, told USA TODAY. 'There's a lot of stories in that building that need to be preserved.' The windows of the brick building are boarded up. Asbestos was recently removed and electricity restored. 'That building holds a lot of history and for it to be demolished or not be able to be rehabbed would be a shame,'' McGregory said. 'It's got good bones. (But) there's a lot of work that needs to be done to bring it back.'' The National Trust, chartered by Congress in 1949, spends about a year selecting sites to include on its endangered list, considering factors such as its importance to the community, whether there's a strong partnership to support preservation and what impact the site might have once it's protected. The latest list comes as President Donald Trump has led an effort to shift the national conversation on U.S. history. 'In a time of division and polarization, I think preservation is more important than ever,'' said Carol Quillen, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization. 'These projects bring together unlikely coalitions across the country, which form specifically around a meaningful place.'' The listings began in 1988. The recognition doesn't come with funding, but often garners attention and support for the sites. Over the years of compiling the list, the National Trust has highlighted several Michigan locations, including: 1992 - Tiger Stadium 1996 - Petoskey, Michigan 1998 - Historic lighthouses, including DeTour Reef 2004 - Madison-Lenox Hotel, Detroit 2005 - Historic downtown Detroit buildings 2010 - Saugutuck Dunes 2021 - Sarah E. Ray House, Detroit The National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2025 list of endangered historic places also includes: Virginia, : The Pamunkey Indian Reservation in the Tidewater region of Virginia has been hard hit by climate issues, including sinking land, flooding and erosion along the Pamunkey River, Spivey said. Los Angeles, California: Two buildings of a Japanese American fishing village that boosted the tuna industry there more than 80 years ago. The project known as the Terminal Island Japanese American Tuna Street Buildings aims to preserve the vacant buildings and possibly use them for a cultural center or a general store as there was in the 1940s. Another part of Terminal Island was included on the National Trust's 2012 list. Cedar Key, Florida, a cluster of small islands off the west coast of Florida that is representative of 'Old Florida," but increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and severe storms. French Broad and Swannanoa River Corridors, Western North Carolina, including the city of Asheville and other communities damaged by Hurricane Helene in late September 2024. May Hicks Curtis House, Flagstaff, Arizona, which commemorates May Hicks Curtis, who sewed the first Arizona state flag in 1911. The house where she lived and worked for decades must be relocated and the City of Flagstaff is working to restore it for community use. Mystery Castle, Phoenix, Arizona, constructed between 1934 and 1945 by Boyce Luther Gulley, who built the complex by hand for his daughter Mary Lou without plans, permits, or formal architectural or engineering training. Mary Lou and her mother Frances transformed the castle into a nationally known tourist attraction from the 1950s-2000s, but it is now in a state of disrepair. Oregon Caves Chateau, Caves Junction, Oregon, closed in 2018 because of its need for extensive repairs, served an important economic role in its rural region for 91 years and could again if revitalized. San Juan Hotel, San Juan, Texas, built in 1920, has long been one of the area's most recognizable landmarks. The Turtle, Niagara Falls, New York, completed in 1981 by Arapaho architect Dennis Sun Rhodes, the building, which has been vacant for three decades, stands as a powerful symbol of Indigenous heritage. The Wellington, Pine Hill, New York, one of few surviving large-scale wood-frame resorts built in the Catskills in the late 1800s. Community members have purchased the building to serve as a food market, cafe, and affordable housing, but needs additional funding to bring it to reality. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Idlewild's Hotel Casa Blance is among 'most endangered' sites. What's planned
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Former Idlewild hotel listed as one of country's most ‘endangered' historic places
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released its annual list of the country's 'most endangered historic places.' The 2025 list includes a hotel from Michigan's 'Black Eden.' The Hotel Casa Blanca, in Idlewild, was included in the famous 'Negro Motorist Green Book,' written by Victor Green to help African Americans find safe places to stay during their travels. Now, it's on the NTHP's list. Which Green Book sites are still standing in Michigan? Idlewild, often referred to as 'Black Eden,' became one of the region's premier resorts for black families across the Midwest. The town outside of Baldwin served as a go-to vacation destination at a time when Jim Crow laws and racial animosity limited those options. Founded in 1912, Idlewild quickly became a home away from home for prominent Black families. Vacationers would spend the day swimming, boating and horseback riding and spend the nights dancing and listening to the country's top African American performers. Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and Aretha Franklin all performed at Hotel Casa Blanca. Since the end of the Jim Crow era, many formerly segregated Black resorts experienced 'lower visitation and economic disinvestment,' Idlewild included. 'Today, (Idlewild) has a population of around 700 residents, and Hotel Casa Blanca has been vacant and deteriorating for over 30 years,' the NTHP said. Hotel Casa Blanca, a one-time draw to Idlewild, Michigan, has been named one of the 11 'most endangered historic places' in the United States. (Courtesy Roni McGregory/1st Neighbor) Hotel Casa Blanca, a one-time draw to Idlewild, Michigan, has been named one of the 11 'most endangered historic places' in the United States. (Courtesy Roni McGregory/1st Neighbor) The hotel was designed and built by Woolsey Coombs in 1949. It was identified in a 2015 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Agency as a 'viable development project' despite the costs. According to the NTHP, the building was sold to a nonprofit, 1st Neighbor LLC, which had plans to renovate the hotel into a bed-and-breakfast. But the facility needs an additional $5 million in funding to complete the rehabilitation. 2 resorts recognized for historical relevance to Black community 'The project will protect the history inside the walls of the hotel,' 1st Neighbor Project Manager Roni McGregory said in a statement. 'To know that some of the greatest African American musicians, entertainers and thought leaders of the 50s, 60s and 70s stayed and played here is to be honored and supported.' Some of the other locations on the list include Cedar Key, Florida and the Swannanoa River Corridor in North Carolina, which were decimated by Hurricane Helene, and the San Juan Hotel in Texas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
These Are America's 11 Most Endangered Places for 2025, According to the National Trust
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has published its list of the most endangered places in America for 2025, highlighting historic and significant sites across the country in danger of being lost forever. For 38 years now, the National Trust has been issuing the list in effort to build awareness, successfully gaining support for more than 350 sites through community-led preservation. Thanks to their efforts, only a handful have been lost to date. This year's list features a wide range of sites including towns in the southern region of the nation that were hit by Hurricane Helene and other tropical storms last fall, as well as significant Indigenous heritage landmarks and noteworthy lodges and hotels throughout the country. Here, a closer look at every site on the National Trust's list of America's 11 most endangered historic places for 2025. Cedar Key, Florida Photo credit: Photo by Pat Bonish - Bonish Studio, Cedar Key The small archipelago located in Florida's Gulf Coast is at risk due to rising sea levels and increased severe storm events. Many of the historic wood frame homes, the waterfront area, the post office, and city hall were damaged during Hurricane Helene in September of 2024. Community leaders are working to create preservation-sensitive resilience plans that could help save the historic structures and landmarks. Additional support will help ensure that Cedar Key continues to recover and thrive in the future. French Broad and Swannanoa River Corridors, Western North Carolina Photo credit: Drew Wallace Asheville and countless other towns along the French Broad and Swannanoa River corridors have transformed the region into an arts and culture mecca over the last few decades. The area was devastated after Hurricane Helene when the rivers reached record-breaking levels and flooded the communities. While recovery efforts are underway, much of the River Arts District, Biltmore Village in Asheville, and other surrounding towns are still reeling from the damage and need support to rebuild. Hotel Casa Blanca, Idlewild, Michigan Photo credit: Ronella McGregory The Hotel Casa Blanca, located in Idlewild, Michigan, was the go-to lodging destination for Black travelers and leaders during segregation. The historic African American resort community attracted thousands of visitors during the 1950s, with major performers like Louis Armstrong and Aretha Franklin hosting shows at the hotel. However, after integration, the town's popularity declined, and the hotel has been abandoned for over 30 years. Local leaders believe support and funding could usher in a new chapter for Hotel Casa Blanca and the community. May Hicks Curtis House, Flagstaff, Arizona Photo credit: Photo courtesy NTHP May Hicks Curtis sewed the first Arizona state flag in 1911, earning her the nickname 'Betsy Ross' of Arizona. Curtis devoted her life to improving her community by getting involved in countless organizations, including Flagstaff's Women's Club and the Arizona Historical Society. Her home, which serves as a historic landmark, is at risk as a new development is being built on the lot, and the house needs to be moved to prevent demolition. The City of Flagstaff is looking for support to save, relocate, and renovate the house for the community. Mystery Castle, Phoenix, Arizona Photo credit: Robert Graham Boyce Luther Gulley spent over 10 years building the Mystery Castle for his daughter Mary Lou. After its completion, Mary Lou and her mother preserved the property and operated it as a tourist attraction for decades. After their deaths, a small local foundation was entrusted to preserve the structure, but a lack of funds and break-ins have resulted in the deterioration of the landmark. Local preservationists and leaders are starting a grassroots movement to save the castle and are looking to raise funds to restore it. Oregon Caves Chateau, Cave Junction, Oregon Photo credit: Harley Cowan The Oregon Caves Chateau is a architectural marvel within the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, complete with the most extensive public collection of historic Monterey furniture in the United States and a stream running through the dining room. Once a popular lodging and resting spot, the Chateau now is looking to raise funds to provide structural upgrades that will allow it to reopen for guests in the future. Oregon Caves Chateau, Cave Junction, Oregon Photo credit: Harley Cowan The Oregon Caves Chateau is a architectural marvel within the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, complete with the most extensive public collection of historic Monterey furniture in the United States and a stream running through the dining room. Once a popular lodging and resting spot, the Chateau now is looking to raise funds to provide structural upgrades that will allow it to reopen for guests in the future. Pamunkey Indian Reservation, King William County, Virginia Photo credit: Ronaldo Lopez, VCU Rice Rivers Center The Pamunkey people have lived in Tsennacommacah (now known as the Pamunkey Indian Reservation) for at least 15,000 years. The sovereign tribal nation has never ceded its peninsula on the Pamunkey River, but the tribal lands are now at risk with rising sea levels and storms causing major flooding. The tribe is looking for funding to conduct archaeological research, preserve historic resources, expand relief efforts, and prepare for possible relocation in the future. San Juan Hotel, San Juan, Texas Photo credit: Gabriel Ozuna The San Juan Hotel has a complicated history in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, but it stands as one of the most recognized landmarks—and one of the last remaining historic buildings in the community. Local leaders are looking to rehabilitate the San Juan Hotel to become a site of truth-telling and reconciliation for the Mexican American community. Terminal Island Japanese American Tuna Street Buildings, Los Angeles, California Photo credit: Tim Yuji Yamamoto Only two buildings remain on Terminal Island's Tuna Street, which was once the bustling main street and cultural hub of the Japanese American fishing community that lived there. Much of the community was forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Today, many of their descendants and survivors are fighting to save the buildings from demolition. The community is advocating for the buildings to be preserved and used in a way that honors their ancestors. Terminal Island Japanese American Tuna Street Buildings, Los Angeles, California Photo credit: Tim Yuji Yamamoto Only two buildings remain on Terminal Island's Tuna Street, which was once the bustling main street and cultural hub of the Japanese American fishing community that lived there. Much of the community was forcibly removed and incarcerated during World War II. Today, many of their descendants and survivors are fighting to save the buildings from demolition. The community is advocating for the buildings to be preserved and used in a way that honors their ancestors. The Turtle, Niagara Falls, New York Photo credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries Designed by Arapaho architect Dennis Sun Rhode in 1981, the Turtle, known as the Native American Center for the Living Arts, stands as a symbol of cultural reclamation and celebration of Native American arts, culture, and languages. The center closed in 1996 due to financial challenges before being bought by a developer nearly 30 years ago, who shared plans to demolish the structure. The Friends of the Niagara Turtle coalition is working to reopen the cultural center, and they are looking for partnerships and funding. The Wellington, Pine Hill, New York Photo credit: Paul Warchol Dating back to the late 1800s, The Wellington is one of the last surviving examples of large-scale wood-frame resorts in the Catskill region of New York. Years of deterioration have put the structure at risk of collapse. Community members have banded together to purchase the building, with plans to renovate it and turn it into a food market, cafe, and affordable housing. You Might Also Like
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pamunkey Indian Reservation named among America's most endangered historic places
Climate change is threatening the Pamunkey Indian Reservation, and now the National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the area as one of the most endangered historic sites in the country. Settled on a 1,600-acre peninsula in King William County, the Pamunkey Indian Reservation is surrounded by the Pamunkey River on three sides. Kendall Stevens, cultural resources director for the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, said like other coastal communities, the reservation is not spared from the struggle of erosion, rising sea levels, sinking land and more severe storms. A 2019 study of the peninsula's ecosystem found the reservation has about 13 miles of shoreline, 80 acres of emergent wetlands and 530 acres of freshwater forested wetlands, and the Pamunkey River is a tidal river, meaning downstream sections of the river are influenced by ocean tides. About 100 people currently live on the reservation, and Stevens said it's their goal to stay there as long as the land is habitable. But there's only one road on and off the reservation, so when it floods, people are sometimes trapped on the reservation. Other historical sites on the reservation are also at risk of being lost, Stevens said. Because of this, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced Wednesday that the reservation is one of 11 new locations added to it's list of most endangered historic places in the United States. The reservation is joined by 10 other sites threatened by climate change and aging infrastructure, including the Hotel Casa Blanca — a historically Black resort hotel in Michigan — and the French Broad and Swannanoa River corridors in western North Carolina. According to the trust, the distinction 'has galvanized public support' for other sites previously added to the list, and only a handful of the 350 sites have been lost completely. With chief and council approval, the tribe applied for the distinction, and Stevens said she hopes to use it to apply for future funding and gain community support for protecting the land. The tribe has already created a Community Disaster Resilience Zone, but funding and support will be needed to expand their resilience efforts. 'First and foremost, we need to do some pretty major shoreline stabilization work, which would include lots of native planting,' she said. 'We also need to do some traditional natural shoreline stabilization. Because of the threat from the water, we want to do some significant archeological work that would be very community-focused. That would include both digging and oral history to hear what elders remember about the reservation and how people relate to reservation today — just lots of documentation and preservation of the historic nature of the res.' Related Articles The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has been in Virginia for 15,000 years, but because of the changes to the environment, the reservation could be under water in as little as 100 years if no resiliency work is done. And that's a big deal, especially since the Pamunkey people are one of the few tribes to never have ceded their land. Their reservation is considered the oldest extant reservation in the country, with Pocahontas and Wahunsenecawh (also known as Chief Powhatan) being notable members of the tribe. 'The tribe is very proud of all the work that generations of tribal people have put in to preserve it,' Stevens said. 'It's kind of ironic that now nature is what might force the Pamunkey people off their land.' Eliza Noe,
