Legs Inn

Tiny Cross Village, Mich., isn't a place you're going to just happen by. It's located at the end of a country road in the upper part of the Lower Peninsula, near Petoskey. But Cross Village's main place of business, the Legs Inn, is definitely worth driving out of your way for.

Named a State Historic Site in 1990, the Legs Inn sits on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Polish immigrant Stanley Smolak, who settled in Cross Village in 1921, built the sprawling fieldstone-and-timber structure over several decades. He had an affection for Native Americans, and the inn's decor can best be described as "Poland meets Native America." It's warm, inviting and very woodsy. Knotty pine lines the walls, which are punctuated with huge stone fireplaces. Tree trunks criss-cross at the ceiling. The doors leading into the dining room are a marvel of engineering -- they weigh a half-ton each, but can be opened with one finger.

Smolak often combed the shores of Lake Michigan in search of uniquely shaped driftwood, which he turned into sculpture or furniture. One 20-foot piece became a snake, another piece a huge Buddha. He carved some of the furniture from huge chunk of wood; the bars, for example, are made from a giant tree cut in half. Smolak made the tables by tying tree branches together, allowing them to grow together, and cutting them years later.

Meanwhile, Polish vases sit on the tables, and Polish plates hang on the walls. Totem poles and a replica wigwam stand in front of the parking area, and the roof is edged with dozens of stove legs, hence the inn's name. Stanley's nephew, George, now operates the inn. The Legs Inn offers more than 100 kinds of "piwo" (rhymes with Bevo, and means beer in Polish), from around the world, including several from Michigan, and a few craft beers on tap. It also has a selection of Polish meads and spirits and Michigan wines. Food includes Polish specialties such as pierogi (dumplings), kielbasa (sausage), lasanki (noodles and cabbage) and golabki (stuffed cabbage), along with Great Lakes whitefish and a complete selection of American dishes. Live music is featured regularly. In the summer, you can dine on the back lawn and admire the tremendous view of Lake Michigan.

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October 1997