The year was 1908 and all over the Keweenaw Peninsula mansions were being built by the wealthy copper mine owners. But here in Laurium the largest and most opulent of them all was just being completed. Built for Thomas H. & Cornelia Hoatson, owner of Calumet & Arizona Mining Co., no expense was spared building this 45 room mansion. At a time when miners were making 25 cents per hour, this house was built at a cost of $50,000 and $35,000 of furnishings were added. The Hoatson’s owned this home until 1949. From 1949-1979 it was owned by Maynard & Jane Hurlburt. After the Hurlburt’s it went through a period vacancy with owners that stripped the mansion of light fixtures, furniture and stained glass windows. In 1989 Julie & Dave Sprenger purchased the vacant mansion and began the repairs and restoration need to open it as the Laurium Manor Inn. Since then we have continued to restore the mansion back into the spectacular home it was back in 1908 when the Hoatson’s moved into their new home.
Some of the unique features of the Laurium Manor Inn include:
- It is IMMENSE -13,000 sq.ft. on four floors
- Each of the 4 floors is larger than most B&B’s entire building
- Silver leaf covered domed ceiling in the music parlor
- Gilded and embossed elephant leather wall coverings in the dining room
- Stained glass and gilded tile firepaces in the dining room and den
- Grand triple stair case of hand carved oak
- 9×14 foot stained glass window on stairway landing
- Wall size built-in icebox made of marble, tile, and oak in the kitchen
- Panoramic hand painted landscape mural and gilded tile fireplace in the den
- 1300 sq.ft. ballroom on the third floor
- Two room size cedar closets
- 10 Guest bedrooms (some over 500 sq.ft.)
- 100 foot long tile wraparound porch covering over 1200 sq.ft.
- 15 foot diameter turntable in the two story carriage house
9/1989 Julie & Dave Sprenger Buy Hoatson Mansion
On September 12, 1989 Julie & Dave took possession of the mansion and started renovating it. In October they completed the purchase.