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The Group Travel Leader Going on Faith Select Traveler

Kohler’s American Classic

If at first the rolling hills and preserved historic homes that freckle the charming community of Kohler Village look like something out of a dream, that’s because they are something out of a dream. The village was dreamed up by Walter J. Kohler back in the early 1900s when he was working for Olmsted Bros. landscape design firm. His dream became a reality in 1912 when the village incorporated and began its tenure as one of the nation’s first planned communities.

During the construction of the village, immigrants from Europe, Russia and beyond came looking to work on this momentous project and needed a place to live while in the area. It was then that Kohler came up with an idea to build a place to house immigrants for $27.50 per month, which included a private room, laundry service and three meals a day, under his belief that “a worker deserves not only wages, but roses as well.”

The first immigrants moved into this building in 1918, where Kohler had also built in a pub, a bowling alley, a barbershop and a room for teaching these immigrants the English language and offering lessons on American citizenship. The building became known as the American Club, and it has remained an icon in the community since the first guest stepped into its hallowed halls.

The American Club was reborn in 1981 as a world-class resort destination where guests come to stay in any of the 241 rooms, play at the four award-winning golf courses, dine in the nine restaurants and unwind at the award-winning spa. The resort also features eight flexible meeting spaces to accommodate small meetings and events.

“The walls of the American Club were literally built to foster the American Dream,” said Justin Gephart, director of sales and customer services for the American Club resort hotel at Destination Kohler. “Providing an affordable living space for immigrants to build a life in America is an amazing backbone to our resort. It’s a history you can touch and feel in every corner of the resort. All of this is complemented by outdoor activities that truly allow small groups an opportunity to recharge after intense strategy sessions.”

The iconic American experience offered at the American Club sets the stage for one-of-a-kind meetings and memorable events.

Meeting Spaces

The rich history of each of the American Club’s event spaces is beautifully complemented by modern luxury and amenities. The resort offers more than 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, with rooms that can transform into any number of setups for small meetings or banquets. The following are the rooms and their maximum number of guests: Thunder Bay (100), Marquette Bay (80), Bay de Noc (90), Great Bay Ballroom (285), Traverse Bay (40), Georgian Bay (40), Whitefish Bay (25), Grand Hall of the Great Lakes (850), Founder’s Boardroom (14), Appley Theatre (88), Council Room (72) and Winnebago Suite (25).