History of Portland Michigan

Innkeeping has been one of the most important occupations since the beginning of civilization. No town could hope to thrive unless it offered accommodations for travelers. In early Portland, William Moore kept a "house of entertainment" on Culver Hill as early as 1836, and Joshua Boyer rented a building from Churchill and Sturgis in 1837 which was used as a tavern. The first hotel worthy of the name appears to have been run by James Harrington. By 1869 numerous inns and innkeepers had come and gone, and the hostelries changed names in a bewildering way, according to the whim of management. Probably the best-known hotel in the town's history, and the one continuded under the same name for the longest period was the Hotel Divine, shown above in 1908.

The Hotel Divine was located at the corner of Kent Street and Grand River Avenue. Up until 1897 it was the Welch House at which time Mr. and Mrs. Monroe Divine of Lakeview, Michigan, moved here to take ownership and rename it Hotel Divine. Their son Chester Monroe Divine was 12 years of age at that time and going to school and growing up in Portland, later clerking in the Hotel.

After his parents deaths he became owner of the Hotel Divine. He kept up a steady program of modernization, which over a period of years transformed it into one of the most modern hotels far and wide.

In the early years Alf Allen's Horse Drawn Jitney Service brought passengers from the train depot over to the Hotel Divine. Later it was the Cross Country Bus Station. Traveling salesmen made it their destination to display their goods in the Sample Room for Portland businessmen to come view and purchase. Later the sample room became the Coffee Shop which was very popular.

People traveling from the west side of the state on their way to Detroit would look forward to stopping at the Hotel Divine, spending the night and participating in the good food and dining room service. In the large lobby was also a barber shop. Next to the Barber Shop was a pool room and a bar room. The two upper stories provided sleeping quarters to travelers and others.

Chet Divine served on the Village Commission for nearly 20 years, was also a Director of the Maynard and Allen State Bank and on the Ionia County Road Commission. It was through Chet Divine's many efforts that the I-96 Freeway came to be where it is instead of away from the Portland area. Divine Highway north of town was named after him.

In the mid 20's he purchased the Maude Hitchcock farm on the east side of the road and persuaded his wife's brother-in-law, Ernest Vogt and family to move over from the farm on Niles Road east of Eagle to operate a dairy farm and provide the Hotel with dairy products.

Mrs. Divine died in 1940,and about 1944 Chet decided to retire and sold the Hotel business and traveled. Chet Divine passed away on September 23, 1948.

As automobile traffic increased over the years, hotel business decreased. Eventually the upper floors were declared unsafe. The building was demolished in 1975.

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