South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the
U.S. state of
Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census. The city is located to the northwest of South Haven Charter Township.
Due to its position on
Lake Michigan, South Haven has always been a
port 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 of the
Midwest." Though small ones remain, the large resorts are now gone, as are the shipping lines, but South Haven is still a major regional tourist draw because of its recreational harbor and beaches.
Encyclopedia
South Haven is a city in the
U.S. state of
Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 5,021 at the 2000 census. The city is located to the northwest of South Haven Charter Township.
Due to its position on
Lake Michigan, South Haven has always been a
port 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 of the
Midwest." Though small ones remain, the large resorts are now gone, as are the shipping lines, but South Haven is still 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 snowmobilers. Nearby are Van Buren State Park and the Van Buren Trail State Park.
Noted botanist
Liberty Hyde Bailey was born in South Haven. His childhood home was presented to the city in the 1930s, and is now a museum.
History
In 1833, the
U.S. government granted J.R. Monroe a land patent for 65 acres of land along the shore of
Lake Michigan. In the 1850s the first permanent settlers arrived, and in 1869, the City of South Haven was founded. It was around this time that a
sawmill was built, and its arrival brought with it the construction of a hotel, a school, homes, and stores.
The
timber harvested in South Haven was shipped to
Chicago and
Milwaukee via
steamboats and
schooners, and the cleared
forests were then used by fruit farmers. The
farming industry created many jobs in the area, and the city began to boom. Around the early 1900s, theaters, a
casino, an opera house, an
amusement park, and many resorts contributed to a rise in popularity of the city. Being a
resort city resulted in a seasonal 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. In the 1940s passenger steamboat service to South Haven ended, though recreational
boating 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 1969, "The Centennial Celebration and
Blueberry Festival" took place, and the city's 64-slip
marina was dedicated. To this day the blueberry festival continues to draw many visitors to the city. Other events, such as the
art shows and 4th of July
fireworks display remain very popular. The beaches, boating and relaxing atmospere will continue to ensure that the City of South Haven remains a popular warm-weather destination. The
South Pier Lighthouse, established in 1872 and still operational, is accessible from a public beach.
South Haven is home to a public school district as well as a number of parochial grammar schools. In addition,
Western Michigan University has a branch campus located within the city.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.0 kmē . 9.0 kmē of it is land and 0.1 kmē of it is water.
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 of
Sir Walter Scott and
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The South Haven Center for the Arts is housed in the 1906 neoclassical
Carnegie Library, also on Phoenix St.
Demographics
As of the
census2 of 2000, there were 5,021 people, 2,095 households, and 1,330 families residing in the city. The
population density was 560.3/kmē . There were 2,979 housing units at an average density of 332.4/kmē . The racial makeup of the city was 82.75%
White, 12.83%
African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 1.04% from
other races, and 1.99% from two or more races.
Hispanic 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 married couples 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 for the city was $19,396. About 7.8% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
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