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Once touted as the largest hotel resort in the world, it burned completely to the ground in 1919, likely due to faulty wiring in the installation of electric lights. Because the main structure was built entirely with wood framing, only remnants and ruins of its foundation remain today.
The hotel was one of the largest in the United States at the time and could serve more than 1,000 guests per day while in operation.
The Put-in-Bay Hotel Company was founded by investor J.K. Tillotson in 1888, with the construction of the hotel beginning shortly thereafter. The hotel opened to guests in 1892, but financial troubles caused it to close in 1893.
After several management changes, and operating off-and-on, the hotel was destroyed in a fire in 1919.
Shortly after the fire, the state of Ohio purchased the property in 1938 and created South Bass Island State Park, which remains open in the present day. The ruins of the hotel are located within the park's campground and some ruins are scattered among rentable campsites.
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Know Before You Go
In order to see the ruins, you must be a registered camper, as the campground is restricted only to those with reservations within the campground. In the northwest corner of the campground, visitors may find most the ruins and the historical placards describing the hotel. They are at approximately
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Published
January 18, 2026
