Location
Mackinac Island, MI
Original Construction
1920
Size
6,166 sqft
Completion Date
2021

Part of the Grand Hotel, a resort built in 1887 on a northern Michigan island that offered a summer retreat from the city heat, the Esther WIlliams Pool, named respectively after the American swimmer and “This Time for Keeps” actress, is a cherished jewel in its history.

The 200-feet long pool is one of the most significant contributions to the Hotel’s legacy for its aesthetic and memorable experience. This renovation maintains the pool’s iconic hourglass shape—dubbed Paul Bunyan’s footprint—whose curves are emphasized through a series of seating terraces that connect the pool to the adjacent lawn and hotel porch beyond. Now complying with ADA standards, the pool’s terraces feature a system of ramps and a zero entry to the pool to promote accessibility to all areas. These, along with the addition of the splashpad and waterslide, expand amenities for families, while a separate pool and cabanas for adults allows guests of all ages to enjoy the space comfortably.

It also upgrades the Pool House with additions such as a fitness center, meeting room, and full kitchen and bar service as further guest amenities. The original building is preserved to allow guests to enter the building and pool as they have been for the past 100 years. Coupled with the installation of operable windows in the previously opaque pool guardrail, elevated seating in the open air pavilion provides incomparable views to the Straits, one of Mackinac’s Islands natural beauties, and allows for more rest and relaxation at the pool. A separate building, the Bath House, was added off the pool deck to provide restrooms, showers, and changing rooms for guests. These upgrades blend rich history and iconic form with modern functionality and aesthetics to ensure the preservation of the Esther Williams Pool for generations to come.