The Estate
Formerly known as Bowers Harbor Inn, it is the current home to The Peninsula Room, Mission Table, & Jolly Pumpkin restaurant.
THE PENINSULA ROOM
Surrounded by two acres of vineyards, gardens, & the shore of West Grand Traverse Bay, the Peninsula Room provides an ambiance that is exceeded only by the cuisine & quality of service you & your guests will experience throughout your event.
MISSION TABLE
Warm & inviting, Mission Table is a place where guests can relax & feel welcome. Whether it be a breeze off the bay, a great sunset, or a glowing fireplace, events at Mission Table are always a genuine Old Mission experience.
JOLLY PUMPKIN
Is the original barn structure of the estate. We serve our house brewed beers (and a full list of wines & cocktails), great pizza’s and our coveted truffle fries in a comfortable, friendly environment.
“The buildings are very important to the historic integrity of the whole peninsula. It’s very unique because of all the original farmsteads, its charm, its history, & the water. It’s a wonderful resource within the State.”
-Nancy Finegood, Executive Director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network
History
Built in the 1880s & remodeled in the 1920s as a summer retreat for Chicago lumber baron J.W. Stickney & his wife Genevieve. Bowers Harbor Inn sits peacefully along West Grand Traverse bay amidst the majestic oaks & pines of Old Mission Peninsula. This well-loved historic structure has been a treasured part of the Old Mission Peninsula landscape for generations.
After years as one of the Midwest’s most respected fine dining destinations, Bowers Harbor Inn was purchased in 2006 by Jon Carlson & Greg Lobdell, two natives of Old Mission Peninsula. From the outset, their intention was to protect the Inn, & after years of hard work, the Inn is now preserved in perpetuity! To achieve this, the Carlson & Lobdell families worked closely with the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy & the Michigan Historic Preservation Network to donate the development rights on the property, & placed a conservation easement that protects the historic, scenic, & shoreline characteristics of the property.
Peninsula Township Supervisor, Rob Manigold, commented on the landowners’ decision to protect the Bowers Harbor Inn property: “I think we owe the Carlson & Lobdell families a lot of gratitude for their efforts to preserve this important historic landmark, not only for the residents of Peninsula Township, but for the residents of the region.”
Nancy Finegood, Executive Director of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, reflected on the significance of the Bowers Harbor Inn site: “The buildings are very important to the historic integrity of the whole peninsula. It’s very unique because of all of the original farmsteads, its charm, its history, & the water. It’s a wonderful resource within the State. We are losing so many historically significant properties & it’s important that we protect what we have.”
The Legend
Genevieve Stickney
Over the years, the Inn has also gained notoriety for being home to the ghost of its original owner, Genevieve Stickney. Rumor has it that Genevieve, an obese & jealous woman, had an elevator installed in the Inn to transport her between levels. Near this time, Mr. Stickney engaged a nurse to help care for his wife. Soon after, the nurse became his mistress. Genevieve detested the woman, fearing her husband would bequeath his riches to her. Upon his death, Genevieve’s premonition came true, as Mr. Stickney left his money to the nurse, & only the Inn to his wife.
Some believe the situation drove Mrs. Stickney into severe depression that eventually led her to hang herself from the rafters of the elevator shaft.
Since her demise, many have sworn they’ve seen evidence of her presence. Lights have suddenly turned on, mirrors & painting have fallen off walls, & guests have reported a blurry female appearing in vacation photographs. During one bizarre episode, a former owner was going over bills downstairs when the elevator began to move. Thinking one of her children was awakening, she ran upstairs to investigate, joined by a friend who also witnessed the elevator moving. Yet both found the children asleep & the elevator empty.
In 1964, a patron rushed downstairs shaken, her face ashen. She had been standing before Genevieve’s gilt-edge mirror. “I was alone in the hallway & noticed another woman looking in the mirror behind me.” Her hair was pulled back in a bun, just how Genevieve had worn hers.
Genevieve’s antics have appeared on “Unsolved Mysteries” & have been featured in books documenting authentic ghost stories.