Rogers City & The Purple Martin Inn

The Purple Martin Inn

Marilou and Ruth showed me around the inn and town

When I got to Rogers City, I stayed at a unique place.  This building (to the left) used to be a commercial laundry facility that would do laundry for lake freighters working the Great Lakes.  The business closed long ago and the building is now undergoing a radical transformation into an inn/community gathering place/non-prof to support work with foster kids.


Cindy Vezinau is the  visionary behind the Purple Martin Inn.  She is working to make it as "green" as possible, using recycled, reclaimed, and repurposed materials at every juncture of the renovation.  


The inn is named after the Purple Martin colony that returns to summer at the property every year.  It was a joy to sit on the balcony overlooking Lake Huron and watch the birds in flight.  The Purple Martin population has been dwindling in recent years, so it was encouraging to see this thriving community of birds in Rogers City.

Purple Martin in flight

The Purple Martin Inn is also a place for the community to gather.  This year, the first "Martin Mania" weekend festival which included a dance at the main intersection in Rogers City and a bonfire on the beach near the inn.


When the inn is complete, profits will be used to support work with foster kids.  Rogers City has had a camp for foster kids for many decades, and the partnership with the inn will help to continue this important work.  

Interior of Inn

Reclaimed barn wood finishes this ceiling

The inn is still undergoing its transformation and will open sometime next year.  To learn more about this project, check out their Facebook Page.