Time Capsule

Time Capsule. . , South Haven became a village by Michigan Legislature in 1869. At that time, South Haven contained establishments such as a post office, schoolhouse, and hotel. Judge Jay R. Monroe is credited as the first white settler of the South Haven area, arriving in 1833. He is believed to have built the first house, a double log cabin, located at the mouth of the Black River. In 1869, James D. Corrothers was born in South Haven and later became known as a leading African American literary figure. South Haven was incorporated as a city in 1902. , , In 1969, South Haven celebrated its Centennial with a six-day festival in conjunction with the National Blueberry Festival and the Fourth of July parade. In honor of the city's one hundred year accomplishment, the South Haven Daily Tribune published its largest edition ever, consisting of seventy-four pages. , , In 2019, South Haven celebrated its Sesquicentennial, kicking off the festivities on May 10th, the same day the city was incorporated as a village. A community picnic was held at Stanley Johnston Park. Multiple generations attended this special event, including residents who took part in the Centennial celebrations fifty years prior. One such participant, Jerome Gruber, was one of the many public speakers at the picnic. The Sesquicentennial was the running theme during all major events throughout 2019, and a plaque now stands in front of City Hall commemorating South Haven as a Michigan Sesquicentennial City.