Epworth Heights, Summer resort community in Ludington, Michigan, United States
Epworth Heights is a summer cottage community in Ludington, Michigan, made up of around two hundred wooden homes spread across sandy ground near Lake Michigan. The cottages sit close together under pine trees, giving the place the feel of a compact wooded camp.
The settlement was founded in 1894 by Methodist groups as the Epworth League Training Assembly, starting with tents on the grounds. Over time, permanent wooden cottages replaced the tents and the place grew into a recognized summer destination.
The community takes its name from the Epworth League, a Methodist youth movement from the 19th century, and that connection still shapes how people gather here today. Worship services, outdoor concerts, and family programs give the summer season a distinct rhythm on the grounds.
The community is private, so a visit is easiest when arranged through someone who already knows a resident family. Coming between June and September gives you the best chance of seeing the grounds with people around and the cottages in use.
Each cottage carries a name chosen by the family that rents it long term, which is unusual because the families do not own the land beneath their homes. This leasing structure goes back to the original founding idea of keeping the grounds as shared property.
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