"Since 1858, it was proven that a large hotel in this spot could be profitable. In 1836, the city Kewaunee was chosen to be the site of a trading post, because of it's natural harbor. By 1858, Kewaunee was a booming port town for lumber and commerce, where as many as 20 schooners and steamers arriving each day, for both commercial enterprises and carrying passengers / settlers as well, making the need for a large hotel evident. So in 1858 Charles Brandes built a wooden structure called The Steamboat House to accommodate visitors. Edward Decker bought the hotel in 1864 and sold it to John Erichsen in 1865, who changed the name to The Erichson Hotel. John Erichsen enjoyed running this hotel until he died in 1911. William Karsten then bought the hotel in 1911, which burned down in Feb. of 1912. Luckily, no one died in the fire.

William Karsten rebuilt a luxurious, three story brick hotel with a basement during 1912 for $55,000!!! This 55 room hotel was renamed The Hotel Karsten, offering 52 rooms for their many guests, opening up once again on February 14, 1913. The dining room could feed 90 people at once. The bar had its own entrance and was located in the ground floor basement.

William Karsten at this point in his life was a retired Sea Captain who had made his money establishing Pabst Brewing Company in Kewaunee. He was the mayor of Kewaunee, and was quite a heavy fellow, a whopping 375 pounds! All through his life he was blessed with excellent health, never catching any of the diseases which plagued sailing vessels and turn of the century towns. Even with this weight, he lived until he was 78, and died of a heart attack in his favorite suite of rooms, on January 4, 1940.

Always a gregarious fellow, despite his weight and arthritis problems, William Karsten's personality changed when the love of his life, his wife Catherine, died in 1928. He was lonely and not real happy, but found pleasure in looking at the view of Kewaunee Harbor and Lake Michigan from his second floor suite (205-210), sharing his memories with guests while sitting in his favorite chair in a fancy lobby, and most of all, enjoying the company of his very special grandson.

When William Karsten Sr. retired, his son, William Karsten Jr. ran the Hotel Karsten, up until his own death in 1964. Because William Karsten Jr. spent so much time at the hotel, his young son, Billy Karsten III spent every minute he could with his adoring grandpa, William Karsten Sr. The two of them were kindred spirits. Oddly three weeks after William Karsten Sr. died, young Billy became ill and died of complications of an upper respiratory sickness at the age of 5.

When William Karsten Jr. died in 1964, The Hotel Karsten closed and the building stood idle for two years. In 1966, new owners, Charles and John Schmitt gave the aging building a much needed "facelift." They sold the hotel to Tom Gottheardt and five other investors in 1984. Tom Gottheardt and friends sunk the money into remodeling and bringing up to code the basement, the first and second floors before reopening the Hotel Karsten.

Owners Doug and Toni Charles bought the Hotel Karsten in 1991, and completed a Victorian period renovation of the first floor in 1993.   The 50 room hotel was also remodeled on the 2nd and 3rd floors to 23 rooms with private baths. In 1996, Dave and Therese Jacek bought the Hotel, completed the renovations which both restored the hotel to its original splendor and adding "amenities" like private bathrooms and Jacuzzis, pleasing to current clientele, creating a more luxurious hotel steeped in beauty and history. It reopened once again with a new name, The Historic Karsten Inn.  After 8 years as The Historic Karsten Inn, it closed in June 2007.  Reopening on May 23, 2008 as Kewaunee Inn @ Hamachek Village and marking 150 years of the property hosting an Inn.  Current ownership is by Kewaunee Renaissance LLC, an economic and real estate development company committed to architectural restoration, the arts and the development of downtown Kewaunee, WI."

-Three known spirits make the Historic Karsten Inn their home. They became active after the first facelift of the Hotel Karsten in 1966. The entities of Agatha the housekeeper, William Karsten Sr and young Billy Karsten III have made their presences known to the living. Two of the entities, William Karsten Sr and young Billy Karsten III are friendly and gentle, while the third entity, Agatha shows a variety of emotions and behaviors, ranging from being helpful to being mischievous, to showing disapproval to being a little nasty, but never evil.

-Agatha - Her history is a sad one. In 1921, young Agatha was raped by a drunk neighbor near her father's farm. She had a child as a result of the sexual assault which her parents raised. They needed more money, so Agatha went to work. She became a housekeeper who worked at Hotel Karsten, from 1925-1937. It is said she fell in love with William Karsten Sr., who didn't love her back. She was given a room on the third floor, 310. Some claim that she hung herself in 1937, but the truth is that she left the Hotel Karsten to take care of her ailing father. She then stayed and lived out her years on the family farm. She also dislikes men in general, and hates workmen and drinking. Imagine how annoyed she was when workmen came to work on the Hotel! During the 1984 renovations, workmen were treated to the full treatment: Tools were moved and turned off without any help from the living. Open doors closed by themselves, lights had a mind of their own and they experienced annoying cold spots.

-William Karsten Sr - A gentile spirit, who on occasion gets annoyed or has a mini temper tantrum, stays to remember good times, in a place he loves.

-Billy Karsten III - A sweet-natured entity, aged 5 years old, with all the energy of an active boy, even in this state of existence.