====== Doherty Hotel ======
The Doherty Hotel in Clare, Michigan, is a century-old landmark known for its deep family roots, classic hospitality, and colorful past.

===== Origins and Early Days =====

Built in 1924: State Senator and Clare Mayor Alfred James "A.J." Doherty built the four-story brick hotel after a fire destroyed the town's previous hotel, the Calkins House.Modern Amenities: Doherty spent more than $60,000 to construct the building, outfitting it with luxury features of the era like hot and cold running water, in-room radios, and an Otis elevator.High Praise: In 1925, Henry Ford—a friend of A.J. Doherty—reportedly declared it the "best hotel in Michigan".

===== Prohibition and the Mob =====


Speakeasy Era: During Prohibition in the late 1920s and 1930s, the hotel operated in part as an informal speakeasy and hub for backroom gambling.Gangster Connections: Due to Clare's central crossroads location and nearby oil booms, notorious underworld figures—including members of Detroit's infamous Purple Gang—frequented the establishment.The 1938 Murder: The hotel became the site of one of Michigan's most notorious crimes on May 14, 1938, when oil promoter Carl "Jack" Livingston shot and killed his business associate and former Purple Gang attorney, Isaiah Leebove, right inside the hotel taproom. Folklore today persists that the building is haunted by Leebove and family members.

==== Unique Features and Legacy ====


The Leprechaun Lounge: This signature on-site bar features a whimsical, hand-painted mural depicting a village of leprechauns brewing ale. A traveling artist painted it during the Great Depression in exchange for room and board.Family Run: Marking rare longevity in the hospitality industry, the hotel has remained family-operated for four generations by the Doherty family.Historic District: The structure is recognized as a contributing property within the Clare Downtown Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.