Courtesy photo A photo shared by C2AE Architecture and Engineering, taken by U.P. Wildcat Media, shows representatives of the city of Escanaba, C2AE and Oberstar posed to recreate a historical painting in front of the House of Ludington while replacing the sewer.

Courtesy photo
A painting by Clarence E. Moreau, currently in the House of Ludington, depicts a portion of the first sewer installed in Escanaba in front of the hotel in 1891.

ESCANABA — Recently, representatives of the City of Escanaba, The House of Ludington, contractor Oberstar, Inc., and the C2AE municipal engineering team posed in front of downtown Escanaba’s historic hotel for a reenactment photograph of a historical painting when the team replaced the old sewer system in front of the hotel.

The House of Ludington hotel dates from the 1870s and is a cornerstone of the city of Escanaba. A few years ago, during a company Christmas party and tour of the hotel, members of the C2AE architecture design and engineering firm were shown a painting by Clarence E. Moreau depicting a portion of the first sewer installed in Escanaba in front of the hotel in 1891. Moreau, an Escanaba native, painted the work in 1966.

The scene captured in the painting shows the hotel in its current location, a crew of men holding shovels, a large trench with large diameter pipe in the rear of the image, and horses at work in the background. Men in bowler hats stand on either side, perhaps representing the superintendent or other city leadership.

With construction currently happening in the same space, Melissa Myers of U.P Wildcat Media joined the team onsite for a modern-day re-creation of the historic image.

“We felt this was a unique opportunity to honor the long history of the Hotel and document a new chapter with the updated infrastructure,” said Stacy Eagle, C2AE water and wastewater civil engineer. “This project has involved years of planning, coordinating, and pursuing funding for it to finally come to life. I’m happy we were able to capture the moment on camera.”

The Ludington Street sewer upgrade is part of the City of Escanaba’s work on the sanitary and storm sewer, water, and streetscape project funded in part by the Michigan Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and significant resources from the American Rescue Plan Act grant. Escanaba received $18.9 million for sanitary and sewer upgrades as part of financing to communities across the state and coordinated funds for clean water improvements through CWSRF. The projects support the city’s goal to keep drinking water, infrastructure, and the environment safe. Additional funding for the project includes RAP MEDC, DDA match, a city match, a State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) loan, tax increment financing (TIF) – brownfield, MDOT Shared Streets Grant, and water/wastewater funds.

“These upgrades meet the present and future water needs of Escanaba’s businesses and residents,” said Darren Pionk when asked about the complexity of the project.

Approximately 5,200 linear feet of upgraded sanitary sewer and 2,800 linear feet of storm sewer replacements have been designed by C2AE and will be installed by Oberstar. The project also includes a new Ludington Street lift station constructed by the Staab Construction Corp., Ludington Street roof drains being disconnected to prevent rainwater from entering the wastewater treatment plant, and a full streetscape re-design. The redesign will include updated sidewalk and decorative accents, as well as full road reconstruction, the addition of bike lanes, pedestrian bump-outs, and streetscape amenities.

“It’s taken several years of planning, enduring many hours of meetings with our engineering team from C2AE. Without their patience and persistence, we would not be where we are today,” said Escanaba Wastewater Superintendent Jeff Lampi.

“We appreciate the community’s patience as we work toward our goal of opening the east end of Ludington Street in later in August,” City Manager Jim McNeil said. “This project will transform this vital corridor into a thriving destination, attracting new opportunities and fostering a renewed sense of pride in the heart of our community.”

The hotel was built out of wood in 1864 by lumber baron Nelson Gaynor, and the establishment — originally located in the middle of Ludington Street — was first named “Gaynor House.”

The structure was was moved to its present location in 1868. The same year brought an addition to the east end of the building, and the place was renamed The Ludington House.

In 1883, the hotel was sold to Christie’s Auction House. After selling, it was rebuilt of brick and renamed the New Ludington Hotel. By the 1900s, the hotel had 100 rooms. The New Ludington Hotel was one of the first establishments to have electricity, steam heat, and baths for $2 a day.

In 1939 the hotel was sold again to Pat Hayes. According to Carol Hansen, the daughter of the painter and resident of Escanaba. Hayes met her dad at the theater in Chicago when her dad was attending art school there and working at the theater.

“My dad lived and worked in Chicago producing advertising artwork for a cannery. Later he returned to Escanaba and became a historic painter,” explained Hansen. “In addition to two artworks painted of the Ludington, he painted works for City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce and the State Building.”

When Moreau imagined the historic scene, he was living through another era of significant development in Escanaba, as much of the city was built or rebuilt in the 1960s. Moreau died in 1981, but his images live on capturing the ever-changing renewal Escanaba.

The current hotel manager, Tyler Dubord, was pleased to participate in the reenactment and celebrate the connection with local history.

“The Ludington House has always embraced technological advances,” said Dubord. “We enjoy the generations of change that the House of Ludington has survived.” “Each room in our hotel is unique, and we celebrate the artistry and fashion through the ages. We are a part of the community, and even as change happens, we hold on to what is good,” he added.