LUDINGTON, Mich. — After rounds of voting, the title of Newsweek's "Best Historical B&B" went to an iconic bed and breakfast that shares the history of Ludington.
The Cartier Mansion, located in downtown Ludington, took home the title after being voted the favorite in Newsweek's poll.
Built in 1905, the Cartier Mansion was built by Warren Cartier, a successful lumber baron, and his wife Kate.
The neoclassical style inn was owned by the Cartier family until 1950. It now boasts six guest rooms inside the historic mansion as well as four suites inside the recently converted carriage house.
The home has only had three owners since the Cartiers sold it. The Schoenberger family purchased it in 1950, turning it into a bed and breakfast in the late 1990s. The family sold it in 2005 to the Schniker family who operated the inn until it was purchased by Chris and Jenna Simpler in 2020.
For the Simplers, running the bed and breakfast is about preserving the Cartier family's history, as well as the highlighting the history of Ludington.
"There's just so much rich history within these walls, and we want (guests) to be able to take the time and appreciate that and feel like it's almost like an immersive experience, just to take it all in," Jenna said.
While the mansion has historical artifacts and "feels like a museum," according to Chris, it is still equipped with up-to-date technology. The heavy wooden door, which is original, has a keyless entry. The Simplers say they've digitized about 1,500 photographs that were left by the Cartier family and guests can now see them in a digital guest guide.
"We're really able to share the story through (Warren Cartier's) lens and be able to really give our guests that additional experience of understanding what was going on in their lives back in the day," Jenna said.
There is also a QR code in front of the mansion that will lead guests on a walking tour to learn more about Ludington's history.
In addition, Chris said they want to shine a spotlight on the area with their breakfasts. He said guests often compliment their meals, which are made with locally-sourced ingredients.
"We follow some good food philosophy to be very local, healthy, eliminate any of the chemicals and stuff, to make sure that people are getting a really inspired and creative and healthy meal every day," he said.
The Cartier Mansion wasn't the only historic bed and breakfast from Michigan that was up for the title. The Larium Manor Inn in Larium, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula came in at third on the list, something that Chris said is exciting to see.
"To see Michigan getting on that radar and getting the attention it deserves is great," he said.
Learn more about the Cartier Mansion here.