How The Wayfarer Got Its Name

Quite a few of our guests think that the Wayfarer got its name from the title of a book. Quite a few of you have sent me these books.  Once, even, a box with 10 of them arrived. They were beautifully gift wrapped, one by one and numbered.  1 copy for each cottage. They had been found, purchased and wrapped by Douglas David – the painter who is responsible for our logo.  And just recently another book found its way to our mailbox; this one from a sweet family that has been here only once so far, but they’re coming back this summer 🙂

Wayfarer book

Until the 70’s (I don’t know the exact year)  the cabins were “Benson’s Fisherman’s Cabins”.  Later they belonged to the Pattyn family.  Guess what they were called then.   “Pattyn’s Place Motel”.
In 1983,  Andre and Walter Emig bought the place and named it “Wayfarer Motel”.  And they named it after a figurine named “The Wayfarer”.  A wayfarer, of course, is a traveler but this one looks like a hobo.

wayfarer figurine

Now You See It…

Now you see it

the old Wayfarer sign

With Glenn as my “model”

And now you see something much nicer

2013-08-08 15.02.36

with Douglas David the artist who first made an oil painting of the cottages a couple of years ago and then had the grand idea of turning this fabulous painting into a new roadside sign for us.

And let me tell you, this is saying it all:

We are

Wayfarer Lodgings

and we are not the norm

Douglas’ paintings are sold at Betsie Bay Furniture, at the Garden Theater in downtown Frankfort, at McBeth in Onekama, as well as online at his website.

Douglas David – Painter, Part II

I am so excited!  You remember Douglas David – painter from Indiana.  He is the fabulous artist who painted our Wayfarer cottages  

Since I never have time to do anything in the summer, I live vicariously through my guests.  In the evenings after everyone is back “home” and ready to have a cocktail and a chat, I sit and listen to the adventures of the day.

A few weeks ago, Douglas stayed again and, of course, he told me about his adventures.  Douglas comes for a few weeks each summer to give painting lessons for the Frankfort Art Center and to exhibit a few of his paintings at the Center.  Do check out his website: Link to Douglas’ website

Today he sent pictures. Yay.

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What a gorgeous way to work – painting where your heart desires…  The beach looks enticing to me.  Oh how I would love to learn how to paint. Alas, I cannot even draw decent stick figures.