In 1899, just four years after Petoskey was incorporated as a city, Dr. Norman J. Perry built the hotel after giving up his dental practice (a patient had died following a multiple tooth extraction). He operated the Perry until 1919, when it was purchased by Drs. John and George Reycraft. They intended to convert the Hotel into a hospital, but Petoskey’s city fathers felt there was such a demand for a year-round hotel that they convinced the brothers to build their hospital in another location. The Doctors selected their nephew, D. Herbert Reycraft, as hotel manager. Under his direction the Perry Hotel became a lively center of attraction featuring a small orchestra during dinner and dances at least once a week. Its popularity demanded expansion, so the Reycrafts doubled the capacity to 300 guests when they added a four story, 46 room wing in 1926. Herbert Reycraft and his wife, Hazel, retired in 1961. The Reycrafts then sold the hotel to John Davis, at which time Davis made extensive improvements including the panoramic window which

overlooks Little Traverse Bay from the dining room. Under his ownership, he changed the name to the Perry-Davis Hotel and operated the hotel until Alan Gornick purchased the hotel in the 1970s. Stafford’s Hospitality purchased the Perry in 1989. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Sites as well as its State of Michigan counterpart. Of the 21 hotels in operation in 1900, the Perry Hotel is the only one still in operation today.

 

The Petoskey Hospital was established January 10, 1908, by Drs. John and George Reycraft. It was located on Arlington Avenue between Petoskey and Bay View. The hospital contained 15 beds, with trained nurses and assistants. 

 

Three years later, the facilities were moved to 424 Emmet Street (later the Moyer Hotel). In 1921, it was moved to Lake Street near the Bear River. Mrs. W.H. Coleman of Indianapolis visited a friend at this hospital and talked to Dr. Dean Burns, who told her of the need for new facilities. Mrs. Coleman talked to some influential friends and became known as the "Mother of Little Traverse Hospital."

 

Little Traverse Hospital was incorporated in 1937 and opened its doors to patients on April 24, 1939. The original building was constructed to accommodate 63 patients. In 1942, the south wing of the hospital was constructed, which added 43 more beds to the hospital. Demand for hospitalization was so great that the solariums on the first and second floors were converted into wards, adding another twenty beds. In 1953 the west wing of the hospital was completed. This added ten more beds, bringing the total capacity up to 133 beds.

 

In 1956, when the new Burns Clinic building was completed and occupied by doctors, the old Clinic area and the ground floor generally was completely renovated to provide an adequate laboratory, emergency room, bookkeeping facilities, and for the first time in the hospital's history, an admitting office.

 

In 1957 construction of the north wing of the hospital was started and completed a year later. This building increased the capacity of the hospital to 160, including a separate maternity department complete with new delivery and labor rooms, a formula room, and nurseries. The addition of the north wing also provided a new physiotherapy department, a new and larger laundry and dietary facilities, a central store room, and an additional elevator.