06/18/2021
While we're on the topic of the Centennial, we figured we'd dive a little deeper and share some more interesting history of the Losh Family.
In 1920 Florence and Amel Losh left their roots in New Baltimore, Michigan to settle in Davisburg. Interestingly enough, the Losh family had established a rich history in the New Baltimore area prior to their departure.
In 1881 Frederick Losh (Amel's Uncle) opened The Grand Pacific House on Washington St. in downtown New Baltimore. At the time, New Baltimore was a popular lakeside summer retreat for many, particularly Detroiter's, as the city began to experience immense growth, on the verge of the Industrial Revolution. The Grand Pacific house served as a hotel and saloon for many guests to the area during this time. Unfortunately Frederick passed away just shortly after, in 1890. His wife Emma Springborn Losh assumed his post, and ran the hotel until 1909, when she then sold it to her brother Amos Springborn.
Amos converted the building into a boardinghouse, and it has since hosted a variety of different businesses, including a "candy store" during The Prohibition Era. In 1986 The Grand Pacific House was purchased by The New Baltimore Historical Society, to preserve and showcase the history of the building and the area. It is recognized as a Historical Site by The State of Michigan.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit New Baltimore for the first time. I had always heard that there was a building downtown with the Losh name on it, but had little idea of the historical significance until recently. After an initial stop at the Oakwood Cemetery on the outskirts of town, to locate some familiar ancestors, we then headed downtown to check out The Grand Pacific House. We were met pleasantly with open-arms by the members of The New Baltimore Historical Society, who were responsible for maintaining and staging The Grand Pacific House, which is now an active museum. They were extremely excited to hear that we were distant relatives of Emma and Frederick, and were enthusiastic in providing us an exclusive look at some of the features of the building. By the end of our visit we had learned some lesser-known facts about our ancestors, and of course the building itself.
In summation, this was a long-overdue pilgrimage to New Baltimore, and ultimately a very enjoyable and fulfilling family experience. We are extremely grateful for everyone at The New Baltimore Historical Society for their hospitality and eagerness to preserve our family's history! If you're ever in the area, be sure to pop in and tell them we said hi!
