Jackson’s Wolverine Motel: The Giant Kielbasa is Currently a Realtor Office

As Jacksonians head westerly out of town just past the Westwood Mall, there’s a curve that swerves to the right. Right in the center of that curve on the left-hand side of the road is a RE/MAX real estate building.

Notice the shape of that building? From satellite, it looks like a bent giant kielbasa. It’s a different kind of shape for a real estate office, but there’s a reason for it: it used to be a motel. The Wolverine Motel, to be exact.

It was operated by Frank and Freda Benson at 2300 W. Michigan Avenue. RE/MAX sits in the original motel building, but there is a 2nd story addition in the middle.

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A postcard reads: “located one-half mile west of Jackson, Michigan on U.S. 12. One-half mile from Cascades. 15 Ultra modern units. Tile Baths. Hot water heat. Open the year round. Phone 5272.” (During the 1950s - in Jackson and many small Michigan towns that had a single central telephone office - local calls could be made by dialing only four digits.)

No big message here. Just another past Jackson establishment that should not be swept under the carpet and forgotten.