Gates Lodge History

Gates Lodge History

Gates Au Sable Lodge is located on the banks of the mainstream of the Au Sable at Stephan's Bridge. The bridge was probably first constructed as a footbridge, then perhaps expanded as a crossing for horse teams in the 1880s (Au Sable riverboats were frequently ferried back upriver by teams of horses).

The bridge derives its name from Peter Stephan who, with his wife Helene and their nine children, emigrated from Rouen, France in 1885. Peter settled the area after purchasing forty acres from Nels Michelson and several additional parcels under the U.S. Land Grant Program.

The Stephan sons grew up working the fishing camps as well as guiding hunters and fishermen.

The first building on the property where the lodge is located was erected in the early 1940s by Mr. Verne Perry who, with his family, operated a tavern and dance hall establishment. Several years later, Perry fell into debt and sold the property to Bob Brown of Grayling. Brown continued the saloon operation until about 1954 when a fire consumed most of the structure.

The property was then sold to Mrs. Zoe Borchers who rebuilt the main building and added rooms 1 through 4. She and her family ran the business as the Canoe Inn. In 1968, Zoe and her second husband built rooms 9 through 17 using the proceeds from the sale of what is now the Stephan's Bridge canoe landing.

In April, 1970 Calvin and Mary Gates purchased the property and moved their six children from Oscoda to a home across the river. Cal, who was a high school band leader and musician, had fished the Au Sable since the early '50's and had designs on retiring in the area. He and Mary began operating Gates Au Sable Lodge that year catering to fly fishermen and hunters from spring to fall, and snowmobilers in the winter.

Business was so good that the Gates added the third set of rooms (5 through 8) in 1971. It was this year as well that Cal, answering repeated requests from his fishing guests, added basic tackle items such as leaders and flies. He erected a makeshift display on the south wall of the dining room. Most of the Gates siblings pitched in during the summers, either helping Mary in the kitchen or maintaining the property.

The Lodge operated year 'round until the energy crises in the late Seventies caused a drop in snowmobiling which prompted the Gates to operate only as a seasonal resort (April to October). In 1978, due to the ever-growing demand for flies, rods, and assorted tackle, Cal and Mary built an addition next to the kitchen to house what is now the fly-shop. This project enabled Cal to begin operating as a full-service fishing lodge complete with guides, and allowed Mary to reclaim the Hungry Fisherman Dining Room.

Upon Cal's death in the fall of 1983, Calvin Gates, Jr. (Rusty) assumed management of the fly-shop and together, with his mother Mary, ran the business.

In 1990, Rusty and his wife Julie became the sole operators of the lodge and continued the tradition of cozy lodging, serving hearty dishes, and offering a complete line of outdoor fly-fishing gear. Now running six guides and sporting thousands of locally tied flies, the lodge became a true fly-fishing destination. Many young anglers came to the lodge to work in the fly-shop and to tie flies while away at school. During this time, Rusty was awarded the Fly-Rod and Reel Angler of the Year, and became a celebrated river steward and angler. In 2009, Rusty passed away at the age of 54. During Opening Day weekend of 2010, nearly a thousand people stood through a steady downpour sharing stories of the man known to many as "da Gator" – friend, angler, and conservationist.

Since that sad December, Josh Greenberg and Julie Gates have operated the lodge in the proud tradition its history dictates, offering excellent food, lodging and flies alongside one of the most precious stretches of river in the country.