a note from the editor
Welcome to Windemere
For 110 years, Windemere cottage has stood secluded and storied on the shores of Walloon Lake, as the descendants of Ernest Hemingway enjoy summer’s splendor on one of the most beautiful inland lakes anywhere.
It was that lake which inspired Hemingway in his writings, where he spent summers of his youth camping the dense woodlands, canoeing across the water and hiking into Horton Bay.
Early in the 1900s, Hemingway, his parents, brother and four sisters would travel by steam ship from Chicago to Harbor Springs, then by train to Petoskey and ultimately the Village of Walloon Lake, to spend the summer months in pristine Northern Michigan at the cottage on the lake.
Since Windemere’s construction in 1899 and Hemingway’s rise to fame as one of America’s greatest authors, the family has been approached regularly by the media, the writer’s fans and historians to see the grounds where he spent his youth and found literary inspiration.
Today, the cottage is owned by his descendants, nephew Ernie Mainland and his wife, Judy, of Petoskey. Ernie’s mom, Sunny, was Ernest’s sister, and the family had long protected the Hemingway cottage.
Earlier this year, I asked Ernie if HomeLife could feature the cottage in a summer issue. I knew of its presence here, and its significance in American literary history. And as a writer, it would be an honor for me personally as well.
Graciously, Ernie agreed.
Professional photos of Windemere, it should be noted, have never been published before; this is an exclusive look by HomeLife into this piece of Americana that happens to be in our back yard.
We’re thrilled, and we’re also grateful to Ernie and his family for opening the cottage for us this season to share with HomeLife readers.
The feature caps an issue full of northern summer splendor, from a breathtaking 1,300-acre property south of Charlevoix to tours of three amazing local yachts and the final photographs of a Crooked Lake remodel project HomeLife has been following over the past 10 months. Once again, we’re thankful for the gracious hosts who have allowed us to tour their homes and properties, sail aboard their yachts and most importantly, get to know a little about their lives.
Taking a cue from Hemingway himself, “In order to write about life, first you must live it!” There’s no better time than summer to do just that in Northern Michigan.
Warmly,
Beth Anne Piehl
HomeLife Editor