How This Small Town Inspired a Haunting Novel

A Fascinating Glimpse into American History

The Kelsonia Inn in 1930

Nestled within the Huron-Manistee Forests of northern Michigan is a town called Woodland Park. Incorporated in 1921, it sits on the shores of beautiful Brookings Lake (also called Woodland Lake), surrounded by abundant wildlife and magnificent pine, oak, and maple trees.

The town was first settled in the late 1800s as an outpost for lumberjacks. By the 1920s, Woodland Park had become a haven for black travelers and vacationers who faced segregation and hostility in many parts of the state, including scenic resort towns like Petoskey, Traverse City, and South Haven.

Our family structure today. We refer to it simply as “The Hotel”

A cornerstone of the resort was the Kelsonia Inn, which my family purchased in 1964. I spent many summers in Woodland Park as a child, roaming the dirt roads with my cousins and siblings, swimming, fishing, and listening to ghost stories around the bonfire.

During the 1940s and 1950s, the property (along with the Royal Breeze Hotel and Shangri-La) was featured in the original Green Book, which was marketed as “the official guide to hotels, tourist homes, restaurants, and other places where…