When South Haven became an incorporated town in 1869, it was a tiny but prosperous village with a bustling economy. Lake Michigan provided robust fishing, lumbering, shipping and fruit industries and the downtown business district grew quickly. . . . — — Map (db m119254) HM
Today, crossing the Black River is a far simpler task than in the past. Early travelers relied on ferryboats to transport them across the river until 1856, when a wooden drawbridge was constructed.
From 1889 until 1968, an iron swing bridge . . . — — Map (db m119255) HM
South Haven emerged as a commercial shipping center in the 1850s. By the late nineteenth century, lumber, fruit, and other manufactured goods were transported between South Haven, Chicago, and other cities on steam vessels. Commercial shipping . . . — — Map (db m119257) HM
The South Haven Lightkeeper's dwelling was built by the United States Lighthouse Service in 1871-1872, when South Haven's first lighthouse was constructed.
The dwelling was last occupied by a lightkeeper in 1940, when technical changes . . . — — Map (db m119258) HM
In 1861, the first piers appeared on the north and south side of the entrance to the Black River. The channel between the piers was dredged to allow access to larger ships. In 1867, the piers were extended and the channel was widened which . . . — — Map (db m119260) HM
The City of South Haven took a major step forward in providing utility services to residents in 1892 when a water pumping station was constructed on the lakeshore. In 1895, the City purchased its first electric generator. The original water pumping . . . — — Map (db m119261) HM
The Lifesaving Station was a prominent landmark on South Haven's waterfront for more than a century before it was destroyed by fire in 1989. The U.S. Lifesaving Service (USLSS) built the lifesaving station in 1887 to ensure the safety of ships, . . . — — Map (db m119262) HM
The first light was erected in 1872 at the end of a 225 foot wooden pier that had been in use since 1861. The square pyramid wooden structure consisted of two rooms mounted on a raised platform. The bottom room was for oil storage, the top room . . . — — Map (db m119263) HM
Commercial fishing was part of South Haven's diverse maritime economy from the 1860s until the 1970s. In 1932, Christopher Jensen, a Danish immigrant, opened a commercial fishery on the Black River near the Dyckman Avenue Bridge.
The Jensen . . . — — Map (db m119266) HM
By: Chief Pokagon
"Our traditional account of South Haven given us by ki-os-ag (our forefathers) was held as sacred by them as Holy Writ by the white man. Long, long bi-bong (years) ago Ki-ji Man-i-to (the Great Spirit) who held dominion of . . . — — Map (db m119267) HM
Between 1866 and 1902, more than 50 wooden ships were built at shipyards along the banks of the Black River. The construction of these ships was financed by the ship owners, local merchants, groups of shareholders, and small shipping companies. . . . — — Map (db m119268) HM
As the City of South Haven's population grew, and with the arrival of steamship and train passengers, a greater need for entertainment became realized. The popular pastime of the day was "bathing" - referred to as "swimming" today - in Lake . . . — — Map (db m119279) HM
For over a century, South Haven's beaches, fishing, and boating have attracted tourists. By 1880, steamship lines and railroads brought thousands of visitors from Chicago, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Resort hotels, guesthouses, cottages, and . . . — — Map (db m119280) HM
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 . . . — — Map (db m119281) HM
