Blossom Heath went from roadhouse to city living room
A 1911 lakefront roadhouse became a Prohibition-era ballroom, then St. Clair Shores bought it in 1946 and turned the grounds into a civic center and park.
Blossom Heath began in 1911 as the Kramerhof, a roadhouse on Lake St. Clair. New owners renamed it in 1920, added large wings and an ornate ballroom, and turned it into one of the area’s grand nightspots. Big bands drew crowds from Detroit and Canada. During Prohibition, the city says, the place also hid illegal drinking and gambling, complete with a warning buzzer and a basement door used for liquor brought across the lake.
The village of St. Clair Shores bought the worn-down property in 1946. After a major cleanup, it reopened as a civic center and held village offices until the present city hall opened in 1957. The old ballroom survived as a recreation and event space instead of meeting a wrecking ball.
Today the inn sits beside a city park and a long public pier. That makes Blossom Heath a neat summary of St. Clair Shores itself: a lakefront resort story that grew into an everyday community gathering place.
Where to see it
Blossom Heath Inn and Park, 24800 Jefferson Avenue in St. Clair Shores.
Sources
Last reviewed against the listed sources: July 12, 2026.