Historic White Pine Village

Photo by Todd & Brad Reed Photography

History Comes Alive at Historic White Pine Village!

Discover small town Michigan life in the late 1800s and early 1900s at Historic White Pine Village. Set upon 13 beautiful acres overlooking Lake Michigan, you can visit more than 30 buildings that depict Mason County’s history.

Historic White Pine Village opened in 1976 with only 11 buildings, one of which was the first Mason County Courthouse, built in 1849. Many of the buildings are original and were moved to the village. There’s something for everyone, as the exhibits encompass many areas of interest, such as maritime, lumbering, government, farm life, early education, business, health and more. Volunteer gardeners lovingly tend the landscape so visitors can enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Enjoy a snack or cone at the Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor in the Town Hall, where the ice cream is locally made. The quaint Gift Shop offers shirts, books, locally made jam and maple syrup products, old-fashioned wooden toys, Historic White Pine Village memorabilia and CDs by local artists such as the Scottville Clown Band. Be sure to see the Hamlin Lake Cottage, which was taken down log by log from its original location at Indian Pete Bayou at Hamlin Lake and reassembled at Historic White Pine Village.

The Hamlin Lake Cottage

One notable building that you’ll find at the Historic White Pine Village is The Hamlin Lake Cottage. In 2015, White Pine Village became the home of the cottage. It was moved from its original location on Indian Pete Bayou. A group of volunteers known as the “Hamlin Crew” put in thousands of hours disassembling the cabin log by log and reassembling on a concrete slab next to the Marchido School within the Historic White Pine Village.

The original cabin was made of cedar, birch and pine. Each log was tagged so that it could be rebuilt easily. The construction of this building is typical of cottages from the early 1900’s. The log cabin belonged to Al and Anna Boulee and was one of seven cottages that made up the Boulee Resort. The family donated it to Historic White Pine Village so that future generations could see what Hamlin Lake resorts were like in the early 1900’s. The work began in 2012 and by late fall of 2014, the log cabin was completely reassembled. In 2015, the cabin was outfitted with its original furnishings, doors, and windows. The project was funded by both Hamlin Township and The Hamlin Lake Preservation Society.

Admission is $12.00 for adults, $11.00 for seniors, $9.00 for children 4-13 years, 3 and under free. Admission to several special events is slightly higher.

Historic White Pine Village is located two miles south, then one and one-half miles west of Ludington.