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Note - the spellings here are inconsistent as the earlier newspaper clippings were using Van Ettan and later information uses Van Etten.
I found an old postcard for Van Ettan Lake Lodge and I got curious. I had never heard of Van Etten Lake even though I had been through the area many times. I was also unaware there was an Island on the lake called Loud Island. The locations are unrelated other than being on the same lake. I will document both here nonetheless.
Van Ettan Lodge and Hotel:
Van Ettan Lake Lodge and Hotel, was built by Frank J Crowley in the early 1900's. It was near Van Etten Creek and the dam on Van Etten Lake. I believe it to be long gone. Here is the description from Postcard on the lodge/hotel: Van Ettan Lake Lodge is the largest and most popular Resort Hotel in Eastern Michigan. It is located on beautiful Van Ettan Lake, 2 miles north of Oscoda, Mich., in Iosco County, and only one-half mile distant from Lake Huron. It is completely surrounded by a primitive forest of pines and balsams, and with its high altitude, cool, dry air furnishes immediate relief from hay fever and asthmatic troubles.
In connection with this Hotel are thirty cottages for families and parties who desire the privacy and privileges they only afford. Each cottage has three sleeping rooms, a large living room with fireplace and complete bathroom. All meals are served in the Hotel dining room, and the occupants of the cottages receive full hotel service in their cottages. Amusements include Orchestra, Dancing, Golf, Tennis, Horse Shoe Courts, Riding Horses, Fishing, Boating and Swimming.
Loud Island:
The Island was named after the original owner, Edward F. Loud. He was a logging magnate back in the early 1900's. That island has a lodge on to this day but it was originally built as his home.
From MLive: Roughly a century ago, Loud Island on Michigan's northeast side looked like the rest of the state at that time: Stripped bare of its trees, because of the rampant logging that left very few acres of Michigan's forests unscathed. Yet because of one prominent Michigan logging family, 100 years later the privately owned island is now richly forested and home to a sprawling historic lodge, making for an exceptionally rare piece of real estate.
The Island came up for sale in 2018 for 3.2 million dollars and its worth every penny. I have posted few photos but this article covers it fully, including a nice YouTube video.