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In 1935, Ray and Addie March built this log ballroom and christened it "The March Inn Dance Pavilion". The building was constructed of logs harvested from the Walloon Lake area and the 50 foot long clear span logs used for the roof trusses were transported by truck through downtown Petoskey from the virgin pine forest of Indian River to the Village of Walloon Lake. The March Inn was billed as "the finest floor in the largest rustic building in Northern Michigan". As with many Big Band Era ballrooms, the March Inn doubled as an indoor roller skating rink. As the sounds of the swing movement faded, the dancers left the floor to the sole use of the roller skaters.
In 1956, ownership was transferred to Marcelyn & Harold Hamlin, daughter and son-in-law of Ray and Addie March. They renamed the ballroom "The Pied Piper of Hamlin" and operated it as a skating rink until 1991, hosting an occasional Disco Dance during the 1980's. Many local residents have happy memories of dancing at the March Inn and roller skating at the Pied Piper.
Reopened in June, 2007, the Rustic Ballroom is the home of the Up North Big Band and the Saturday Nite Dance Series.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF HAROLD HAMLIN |
MARCELYN MARCH-HAMLIN
CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
SKATING AT THE PIED PIPER |
ADDIE MARCH
RAY & MARCELYN MARCH
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