Saturday marked the end of the line for the long-troubled Plainsman Motel in Schoolcraft along US 131 just south of Portage.

The motel was slated to be used as a fire training exercise for several departments in the region.

Several people were also on hand to document the fire. Check out this drone footage.

The exercise was conducted by the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority which covers Schoolcraft, Vicksburg and the Wakshema Township area around Fulton.

They said this after the event:

Thank you to everyone involved in this training. It is not often we are able to get this type of training in an acquired structure. SKCFA personnel along with members of Pavilion Twp Fire Dept and Fabius Park Fire Dept (St Joseph County) were able to practice Incident Command, Scene Size up, Fire Attack, Search and Rescue, Ventilation, Pump Operation, and Tanker Shuttle Operations. Some brand new firefighters got exposure to fire scene operations that the basic fire academies simply cannot imitate. Anyone witnessing this even got to see approximately 6 hours of firefighter training. However there were months of preparations that went into this event by your SKCFA training staff.

Anytime talk of the Plainsman Motel comes up on social media, as it would on occasion as it was a very noticeable sight along US 131 and a favorite of those who like to explore abandoned buildings, there were plenty of comments from those who have a memory of the Plainsman.

We lost power during a snow storm for 5 days during high school and stayed there... mirrors on the ceiling, quarter vibrators on the side tables, and heart tubs. Definitely creepy nowadays... good riddance.

A Vanished Kalamazoo member was on site and was allowed to take a few photos just before the exercise commenced. And, as we know - post about the Plainsman on social media and get interesting comments including a memory of the nearby Elmer's Roadhouse:

End of an era! My wife (then girlfriend) and I used to get the “hot-tub” room on the end.. Circa 1986.

 

My dad was Elmer, Elmers Roadhouse, and a band that was there, Frank Sparks Revue, always stayed at the Plainsman. I will always remember this place growing up.

So as of now, the Plainsman will be nothing but memories and a now undeveloped parcel of land on the highly traveled stretch of road between Schoolcraft and Portage.

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