South Haven is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 3,964 at the 2020 census. Because of its position on

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

, at the mouth of the Black River, South Haven has always been a

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

city. During settlement, major ship lines stopped there, both passenger and freight. In the early 1900s South Haven became a resort town, sometimes referred to as "The

Catskills The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province and subrange of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined a ...

of the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

." South Haven is a major regional tourist draw because of its recreational harbor and beaches. It is the western terminus of the Kal-Haven Trail, popular with bicyclists and

snowmobile A snowmobile, also known as a snowmachine (chiefly Alaskan), motor sled (chiefly Canadian), motor sledge, skimobile, snow scooter, or simply a sled is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. Their engines normally ...

rs. Nearby are Van Buren State Park and the Van Buren Trail State Park. Noted botanist

Liberty Hyde Bailey Liberty Hyde Bailey (March 15, 1858 – December 25, 1954) was an American Horticulture, horticulturist and reformer of rural life. He was cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey ...

was born in South Haven. His childhood home was presented to the city in the 1930s, and is now a museum.

History

Prior to colonization by white settlers, the area was inhabited at different times by

Potawatomi The Potawatomi (), also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains, upper Mississippi River, and western Great Lakes region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, ...

and

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

native people. In 1833, the U.S. government granted Jay R. Monroe a

land patent A land patent is a form of letters patent assigning official ownership of a particular tract of land that has gone through various legally-prescribed processes like surveying and documentation, followed by the letter's signing, sealing, and publi ...

for 65

acres The acre ( ) is a unit of land area used in the British imperial and the United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, ...

of land along the shore of

. In the 1850s the first permanent settlers arrived, and early in the decade the first steam

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s were built on the Black River. About this time, the settlement gained its first merchant, physician, lawyer, and minister, and the first schoolhouse was built. The first bank was organized in 1867. South Haven was incorporated as a village in 1869, and as a city in 1902. South Haven was named in relation to nearby Grand Haven. In 1853, the first hotel in South Haven, known as the Forest House, was built at the corner of Phoenix and Center Streets. The building was subsequently moved a few doors south and still stands, though greatly modified, and no longer used as a hotel. The

timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

harvested in South Haven was shipped to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

and

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

via

steamboats A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

and

schooners A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than the mainmast. A common variant, the topsail ...

, and the cleared

forests A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological functio ...

were then used by fruit farmers, who primarily grew

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

es,

blueberries Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

and

apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

s. The

farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

industry created many jobs in the area, and the city began to boom. Around the early 1900s, theaters, a

casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...

, an

opera house An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...

, an

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

, and many resorts contributed to a rise in popularity of the city. Being a

resort A resort (North American English) is a self-contained commercial establishment that aims to provide most of a vacationer's needs. This includes food, drink, swimming, accommodation, sports, entertainment and shopping, on the premises. A hotel ...

city resulted in a

seasonal A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...

economy, however, and in an effort to stabilize the economy, the city's board of trade successfully recruited several different industries to the area. In 1925, the first foreign shipments of goods arrived, beginning an era of foreign shipments that would last until the mid-1960s. The last passenger steamboat left South Haven for Chicago on Labor Day, 1941, though recreational

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

increased steadily. In the 1950s and 1960s several new factories came to the area, and although the resort businesses in the area began to flounder, the resorts that remained grew stronger. In 1970, "The Centennial Celebration and

Blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

Festival" took place, and the city's 64-slip

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...

was dedicated. To this day the Blueberry Festival continues to draw many visitors to the city. Other events, such as the Ice Breaker Festival, Harborfest, the

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

shows and

Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...

fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

display remain very popular. The

beaches A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...

, boating and relaxing atmosphere will continue to ensure that the City of South Haven remains a popular warm-weather destination. The South Pier Lighthouse, built in 1903 to replace the light established in 1872,Berger, Todd R. (2010)
''Lighthouses of the Great Lakes''
p. 139. Voyageur Press. is still operational, and is accessible from a public beach. South Haven is home to a public school district as well as Roman Catholic and Lutheran

parochial Parochial is an adjective which may refer to: * Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a ...

grammar schools. In addition,

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...

and Lake Michigan College, a junior college, have branch campuses located within the city. The city has annexed portions of South Haven Township, Van Buren County and a small portion of Casco Township, Allegan County.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The surrounding area is known as South Haven Charter Township, and as yet is unincorporated.

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, South Haven borders on a maritime and continental influenced climate, having a microclimate. The extreme western ends are classified as oceanic (Cfb), while the inner parts of the city border on a hot-summer continental climate (Dfa), with moderation by

. The summers are hot and humid, while the winters are mild and cold with frequent thaws.

Architecture

The Scott Club on Phoenix St. was designed by South Haven architect John Cornelius Randall and constructed in 1891. The club house has two large stained glass windows portraying

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

and

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and '' Evangeline''. He was the first American to comp ...

. The South Haven Center for the Arts is housed in the 1906 neoclassical Carnegie Library, also on Phoenix St. The Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum is housed in the birth-site home of

Jr. This Greek Revival farmhouse is one of the oldest houses in South Haven. Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum

Demographics

2020 Census As of the census of 2020, there were 3,964 people, 1,935 households, and 1,302 families residing in the city. There were 3,560 housing units of which 54.4% were occupied and 45.6% were vacant. The racial makeup of the city was 76.7% White, 12.5% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian & Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, 2.4% from other races, and 6.8% from two or more races. There were 1,935 households out of which 28% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89. In the city the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 20, 3.9% from 20 to 24, 16.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 32.74% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56.2 years. The median income for a household in the city in 2022 was $58,043. The per capita income for the city was $45,398.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 4,403 people, 1,959 households, and 1,126 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 3,346 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 13.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.7% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.9% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population. There were 1,959 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.5% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age in the city was 47.7 years. 20.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 30.2% were from 45 to 64; and 22.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 44.9% male and 55.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 5,021 people, 2,095 households, and 1,330 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,979 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 82.75%

, 12.83%

, 0.70% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 1.04% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population. There were 2,095 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were

living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,885, and the median income for a family was $46,307. Males had a median income of $37,089 versus $25,486 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $19,396. About 7.8% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Cultural attractions

South Haven offers an interesting array of cultural attractions. The Michigan Maritime Museum, host of the

tall ship A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigging, rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a r ...

'' Friends Good Will'', is perhaps its most famous. The Michigan Maritime Museum also hosts an electrically powered river launch called the ''Lindy Lou''. River launch boats were used in the 1890s to the 1930s to ferry passengers up the Black River to various resorts and parks. Visitors are able to buy tickets to ride either ship – the ''Lindy Lou'' stays on the river, while the ''Friends Good Will'' goes down the river and onto Lake Michigan. Th
Historical Association of South Haven
which now operates out of the old Hartman School, which it is refurbishing, is devoted to documenting and retelling the city's rich history. The Michigan Flywheelers Museum allows visitors to experience the life of early local farmers. Attractions include exhibits of antique flywheel engines and tractors, an old town area with an old jail, farm machinery shop and an exhibit building called "The Farm History Building". During the winter months the city's ice rink is open. There is a daily fee for entrance and for rental skates, and also season passes are available.

Notable people

, co-founder of

American Society for Horticultural Science The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is a professional society for horticultural science based in Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 1903, the mission of ASHS is to promote and encourage national and international interest in scienti ...

and considered the Father of Modern Horticulture * Nate Barnes, country music singer * Pamela Carter,

Indiana Attorney General The Indiana Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state, State of Indiana in the United States. Attorneys General are chosen by a statewide general election to serve for a four-year term. The forty-fourth and Attorney General is ...

(1993–1997) * Dave Gumpert, professional baseball player * Wendy Anderson Halperin, children's book illustrator and author * Cindy Hill, winner of 1974 U.S. Women's Amateur and two-time winner on

LPGA Tour The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida, and is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly ...

* Becky Johnston,

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-nominated screenwriter of '' The Prince of Tides'' * Drakkar Klose,

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

fighter * Mark Lenard, ''Star Trek'' actor known for playing Spock's father * Daniel K. Ludwig, shipping magnate and #1 on first ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

'' list of 400 Richest Americans in 1982 * James McCloughan, Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honor recipient * Kennedy McIntosh, professional basketball player *

Audrey Niffenegger Audrey Niffenegger (born June 13, 1963) is an American writer, artist, and academic. Her debut novel, '' The Time Traveler's Wife'', published in 2003, was a bestseller. Biography Audrey Niffenegger was born in 1963 in South Haven, Michigan. At ...

, author of ''

The Time Traveler's Wife ''The Time Traveler's Wife'' is the debut novel by American author Audrey Niffenegger, published in 2003. It is a love story about Henry, a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about Clare, his wife, an a ...

'' * Joseph P. Overton, political scientist, author of the

Overton window The Overton window is the range of subjects and arguments politically acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time. It is also known as the window of discourse. The key to the concept is that the window changes over time; it can shif ...

concept * Jeffrey R. Riemer, retired United States Air Force major general * Art Walker, professional football player * Kaliesha West, professional boxer *

D'arcy Wretzky D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky (born May 1, 1968) is an American musician. She was the original bassist of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins and is credited on their first six studio albums. She left the band in 1999. She has also been a ...

, former bass player of

The Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The ...

*J.C. Hartsfield, co-founder of Heartsfield

References

Sources

South Haven history

External links

The City of South Haven

Greater South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce
{{Coord, 42, 24, 11, N, 86, 16, 25, W, type:city_region:US-MI, display=title Cities in Van Buren County, Michigan Cities in Allegan County, Michigan Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan area Populated places established in 1869 1869 establishments in Michigan