MAF is pleased to announce that nonprofit organization First Neighbor LLC and their project, the Historic Hotel Casa Blanca in Idlewild, Michigan, is the 2024 recipient of the MAF Evans Graham Historic Preservation Grant. The $20,000 grant will assist in stabilizing and weatherproofing the structure, bringing it to white-box condition to accommodate the restored structure’s fit-out, interior finishes, and equipment.
Post-renovation, the redeveloped 35-room Hotel Casa Blanca will serve as a bed and breakfast with eleven suites offering overnight lodging, and 50-person capacity conference rooms intended to increase Idlewild’s ability to attract seasonal and event-driven visitors. The venue will also feature a heritage and learning center.
First Neighbor, LLC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization established by black female educators Dr. Ida Short and Ms. Betti Wiggins, who have a long history with Idlewild as property owners and summer residents. Through their love of the community, they joined forces to acquire the hotel from local resident John Meeks, whose dream was to restore the hotel for future generations.
“The plans for rehabilitating the Historic Hotel Casa Blanca demonstrate our commitment to community and preserving a valuable piece of local history, as well as revitalizing the local economy by creating jobs, attracting tourism dollars. and stimulating local businesses,” said Ms. Wiggins. “It will also provide a high-quality hospitality experience for residents and visitors while serving as a community gathering place and promoting a vibrant local culture.”
Idlewild, often referred to as ‘Black Eden,’ served as a haven for Black Americans during segregation and the Jim Crow era. It was included in the Green Book, a guidebook for Black American travelers providing a list of hotels, boarding houses, taverns, and restaurants that were welcoming and safe to visit. Visitors would flock to Idlewild for recreation, relaxation, entertainment, and social activities typically not available to them in their home cities.
The Hotel Casa Blanca played a significant role in the lives of African Americans for several decades, providing lodging and hospitality services to vacationers while providing economic opportunity for local businesses and residents. One of the most popular resorts for African Americans in the country, the hotel drew well-known entertainers including Jackie Wilson, the Supremes, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dinah Washington, and Della Reese, who used to perform and stay at the hotel. After the Civil Rights Bill was passed in 1964 and African Americans had access to other places, the popularity and appeal of Idlewild and the Hotel Casa Blanca declined. The hotel eventually closed more than three decades ago.
The restoration of the Hotel Casa Blanca (originally designed by African American architect Woolsey Coombs) involves a creative approach to preserving the architecture and design of the 1949 building while updating it to meet modern standards, using the Secretary of the Interior standards of rehabilitation. Rainy Hamilton, AIA, of Detroit-based Hamilton Anderson Associates is serving as project architect; Arthur Edge is serving as project manager.
Ms. Wiggins added that while Idlewild’s identity has withstood the test of time, as its purpose faded, many of the town’s buildings fell into disrepair. Her hope is that restoring the Hotel Casa Blanca will not only help bring new generations to Idlewild to further preserve the town’s legacy, but hopefully spark interest in presevering more of the town’s buildings.
“Most Michigan residents do not realize the role the state played in the country’s Black social and economic development story, and the Hotel Casa Blanca serves as an architectural treasure commemorating the history of the period and the region,” she added. “Preserving and returning it to viable use will also provide education and enlightenment of the importance of African American history in the growth and betterment of our society today.”
Photos (clockwise from bottom left)-Hotel Casa Blana in its current state; bottom right, the hotel during its heyday; right, a conceptual image of the restored hotel, anticipated 2026.