History

At the turn of the 20th century, George Kurz was a renowned and much sought-after home builder. In his prolific career, he built many homes for well-heeled clientele along the Saugatuck-Douglas lakeshore. His portfolio included the Kirby House, which still stands at the corner of Center St and Blue Star. In 1901, Kurz selected land in a prime location just 200 yards from the Lake Michigan shoreline. He designed and built a home for himself which would serve not only as his own residence, but also as a showcase for his building business. He resided and worked here until his passing in 1958.

The subsequent owners of the home occupied it for the next 32 years. Following their tenure, the home was converted to an inn by Keith and Sue Charak and opened as Sherwood Forest Bed and Breakfast in 1992. Since then, it has delighted guests from around the world.

Eric and Tracy Lanning purchased the property in 2023. Over the winter of 2023/2024, they conducted extensive renovations which included every one of the many spaces in both the main house and the cottage, as well as the grounds. In the spring of 2024, the inn re-opened with the new name of Forest Inn.