South Haven in Van Buren County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Resort Industry

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 24, 2017

1. Resort Industry Marker

Inscription.
The resort industry thrived in the latter half of the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s. Visitors arrived from Chicago aboard steamships that sailed into South Haven harbor daily. The Dewey Hotel, the Avery Beach Hotel, the Newcomes, the Avery Beach Casino, and many other resorts and cottages were quickly filled with summer visitors.

Monroe Park, on the North Beach, remains the dominant part of the north side resort business. Today, condominiums are the summer homes of people lured to this vacation city. A statement in a 1911 local newspaper expresses a sentiment that may still be prevalent today among people who have been to South Haven beaches: "We have traveled the world and have seen Nassau, Waikiki, the beaches of Bermuda, France and the South Seas. We came home to find the most beautiful beach in the world right in our own backyard."
South Haven, Van Buren Co. Convention & Visitors Bureau
Celebrating the Legacy of Our Rich Resort History

Erected by South Haven, Van Buren Co. Convention & Visitors Bureau and Michigan Maritime Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.

Location.

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42° 24.15′ N, 86° 16.966′ W. Marker is in South Haven, Michigan, in Van Buren County. Marker is on Lakeshore Drive, 0.1 miles west of North Shore Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located on the Harbor Walk, on the north side of Black River, near the North Beach parking area. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Lakeshore Drive, South Haven MI 49090, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Over a Century of Tourism (here, next to this marker); History of the Channel Piers (within shouting distance of this marker); Birth of City Utilities (within shouting distance of this marker); Lifesaving Station (within shouting distance of this marker); South Haven Lighthouse (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Lightkeeper's Dwelling (about 400 feet away); Lumber Industry (about 600 feet away); Entertainment Around the Harbor (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in South Haven.

More about this marker. Marker is a large composite plaque, mounted horizontally on waist-high posts. Marker is part of South Haven's Harbor Walk series.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. South Haven Harbor Walk

Also see . . .
1. South Haven History. The resort

Marker detail: The Dewey Hotel – Established in 1886 image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: The Dewey Hotel – Established in 1886

Henry and Cornelia Dewey rented rooms in their home to tourists. Cottages were added later and it operated until the 1970s. A bed and breakfast establishment operates on the current site at the corner of Dyckman Avenue and North Shore Drive.

business had its beginning in the mid-1800's at the home of Mrs. H. M. Avery. It was to experience phenomenal growth and became South Haven's most colorful era. By the turn of the century, thousands of visitors were arriving by steamer and train to enjoy a memorable vacation. Lodging was available in magnificent hotels, farm resorts, family homes, or picturesque little cottages along the river. Entertainment was unlimited. Choices included pavilions, several theaters, a casino, an opera house, an amusement park with a roller coaster, and much more. (Submitted on June 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. South Haven Harbor Walk. This South Haven Harbor Walk map shows the location of this and other historical markers in South Haven. (Submitted on June 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: The Avery Beach Hotel – Established in the 1880s image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: The Avery Beach Hotel – Established in the 1880s

This elegant hotel was located on the northwest corner of North Shore Drive and Avery Street. The resort consisted of a pavilion, 100 rooms, parlors, offices, and seven cottages. It became the leader of the booming resort business in South Haven. The entire resort was destroyed by fire in 1907.

Marker detail: The Avery Beach Casino – Built in 1912-13 image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: The Avery Beach Casino – Built in 1912-13

This popular facility, billed as The Big Casino, was built on the site of the Avery Beach Hotel. A 1921 program cover declared it, "America's Finest Dance Palace." The building also contained a movie theater. It was destroyed by fire in 1937.

Marker detail: The Marshland Hotel – Built in 1900 image. Click for full size.

5. Marker detail: The Marshland Hotel – Built in 1900

This resort was built for Katheryn Marshland and could accommodate 250 guests. In 1923, the facility, which included several buildings and a dock, was renamed the Whelan. It became the Biltmore in the 1940s and was eventually torn down in the 1970s to make way for the Riverside condominiums.

Marker detail: The Newcomes – Established in 1893 image. Click for full size.

6. Marker detail: The Newcomes – Established in 1893

This resort, opened by William and Amy Newcome, was at 111 North Shore Drive, the site now occupied by Bent Tree Condominiums. The first guest to be welcomed was Mr. Reed of Marshall Field's Department Store.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 25, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 338 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 26, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.