Old Mission Inn's History   Hedden Hall 1869 - 1902

George and Amanda Hedden were the first to own the Old Mission Inn, then named "Hedden Hall," which operated as a 31-room hotel. George Hedden came to the area in 1866. Born in Plamyra, Wayne County, New York, on December 14, 1823, he came to Michigan when he was 10 years old and lived in Washtenaw county. He was one of 14 children, and one of the first students to attend the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he was a law student. He later discontinued his studies due to an illness in his family. At the age of 24 he met Amanda Carpenter of York, Washtenaw County, Michigan. They wed, and six years later they had a daughter, Mrs. Sol Franklin (Wilma Hedden Franklin) and later a son, Fred. While in Ionia County, Mr. Hedden organized the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, the first of its kind. In the spring of 1866, he walked every step of the distance from Traverse City to Old Mission. He purchased a little farmhouse and moved it across the street, which is where the Inn stands today. He opened the Inn in 1869 and added on to the Inn in 1872. Mr. Hedden was appointed as Postmaster in 1869 and continued for 20 years operating out of the Inn. He donated the land where the Old Mission Congregational Church stands today two doors away. He was actively involved in starting the first Grange movement and was a strong member of the Farmers and Fruit Growers Club. He was also the very first to engage in the summer resort business at Old Mission and on the Peninsula. He ran the Inn until the death of his wife on February 6, 1900. He then sold the Inn to Alfred and Ella Porter in 1902. Mrs. Hedden died at the age of 72 from a non-disclosed illness, and Mr. Hedden died February 8, 1909, at age 85. It is believed that Amanda's mother, Lucinda Carpenter, was buried in the front yard.

The Porter House 1902 - 1945

Alfred and Ella Porter purchased the Inn in 1902. It then became the Porter House. Alfred Porter was the son of Alexander and Elizabeth Porter, who moved to the Peninsula in 1853 and lived very close to where the Inn stands today. They resided in a farmhouse, which was located on the corner of Center and Old Mission Road. The building no longer exists. Alfred Porter was born in that farmhouse on November 4, 1857. He married Ella K. Johnson, daughter of Captain Frederick L. Johnson, also from the Peninsula. She was born August 16, 1860. Both Alfred and Ella Porter were prominent citizens of their community. In addition to running the Inn, Alfred also served as township clerk for eight years, school assessor, highway commissioner and was connected with the Traverse City Lodge No. 323, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Ella Porter also served as the switchboard operator for the Old Mission Citizens Telephone Company, located in what is now the kitchen here at the Inn. The Porters were blessed with three children, Charles S., Lovisa A. and Minnie A. We were very fortunate to have been visited by the Porter's granddaughter (Minnie's daughter), Suzanna Reicha, her son Charles, and his wife Voula during the summer of 2000. It was a very enlightening visit. Suzanna, 82 at the time, told of how she used to work at the Inn when she was just 10 years old. We toured the building, and she spoke of how she remembered different things about the Inn. She recalled no plumbing or electricity, just gas lanterns and chamber pots in the rooms used as toilets. She also mentioned two outhouses in back of the Inn -- one five stall and one six stall. We want to express a tremendous gratitude to her for gracing us with several photographs of her family, the building, and a look at the past (see below) as she experienced it here at the Inn. We are forever grateful to her.

Babe Ruth and Joe Louis Were Guests on the Porter's 1936 Register

Alfred and Ella Porter Mrs. Porter Running the 1906 Telephone Switchboard

The Old Mission Inn - The Nevinger Era 1945 - 1998

The Nevingers came to Old Mission in 1945 from Chicago, Illinois. Norman Nevinger worked for Time and Life Magazine as a print master. He bought the Inn for his wife, Doris Nevinger. That is when the Old Mission Inn got its present name. Mr. Nevinger brought his family up from Chicago to live in Old Mission in the summer and lived in Chicago for the winters. The Nevingers had four children, Norman Jr., Lynn, Mark and Alice. Norman Sr. would fly his seaplane back and forth from Chicago to Michigan once a month, while Doris ran the Inn. The Nevingers had matchbooks made up that said: "Horseback riding, seaplane rides, private beach and lawn games. Stop in for a piece of homemade cherry pie." Rooms were $5.00 a night. They also ran a restaurant and a campground. Alice Nevinger donated lots of pictures to help us with our collection and told us of personal stories, which helps us to carry on their legacy of their ownership. I would like to express a  special thank you to Tamara Reda (the Nevinger's granddaughter) for a special collection of old pictures and love letters found in an old trunk in our third story that date back to the mid 1800s. Mark Nevinger also has been a big help in our quest to reopen the restaurant. He gave us an old menu that showed what kind of food the restaurant used to serve. The prices were a lot cheaper back then. A hamburger cost 40 cents, a hot dog was 30 cents, and a full Porterhouse steak dinner was $5.00 and that included a piece of cherry pie. An old brochure talked of seaplane rides for $3.00, and horseback riding was included in the price of the rooms. We also found some old newspaper ads for the Inn and restaurant. We decided that when we reopen it we will call it The Mission Bay Café. Mark was also helpful by telling us about what it was like for him growing up as an innkeeper’s son. He was only four when his parents bought the Inn, and they moved here when he was seven. The trees were a lot smaller back then. The Nevingers operated the Inn for 53 years. They then sold the property in 1998 when they split the Inn from the campground, which was located across the street from the Inn. The campground was then torn down and is making way for ten homes to be built on the seven acres of beachfront. Many campers were saddened by the loss of the campground because it was the only campground on the Peninsula. Many neighbors were saddened also because of the over development of an area so rich in historical buildings and old style settings.

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