Photo Courtesy Saugatuck.com
Saugatuck is known for its trendy culinary scene, fantastic waterfront views and historic downtown filled with boutiques and enchanting green spaces.
In the early1800s, sawmills, shipbuilding and taverns fueled the local economy of three Michigan villages dotting the banks of Kalamazoo Lake and the Kalamazoo River as it flows into Lake Michigan.
Just a few miles apart, Saugatuck, Douglas (a combination of two hamlets named Dudleyville and Dutcher) and Singapore harvested the dense forests surrounding them, built ships and transported lumber. The peak of the tri-cities was during the 1871 Chicago Fire, when Michigan’s woodlands helped rebuild that great city. But it came at a cost. Totally denuded of trees, their main economy went bust.
For Saugatuck and Douglas to the south, it meant a decline in prosperity that continued until the turn of the last century, when steamships and railroads transported vacationers from Chicago and Milwaukee, eager to escape summers in the city. For Singapore, farther north and closest to Lake Michigan, the result was much more dire.
Founded in 1831, Singapore was a bustling sort of place with a one-time population around 200, complete with a school, public hall, general store, boarding house, 25 to 40 houses and a wildcat bank that printed its own money. Monetarily, I guess, things were a little looser back then.
It might have been profitable to chop down all those trees, but ecologically it was a loser. Without the barrier of forests, Singapore ultimately disappeared under drifting sands. For a while, the peaks of buildings could sometimes be spotted in sand dunes until they, too, were finally covered. The village’s demise earned it the rather romantic name of Lost Singapore, as well as comparisons to Pompeii.
But traces of Singapore still exist. Before the village was completely lost, the bank and at least three homes were put on skids and pulled down the frozen Kalamazoo River to Saugatuck. Two homes remain and are private residences. The 183-year-old bank building became a general store, moved again in 1890, and is now the Singapore Bank Bookstore and Saugatuck Art Gallery. But as far as we know, it stopped printing money a long time ago.
Photo Courtesy of Saugatuck.com
On the water
At the intersection of Mary and Water streets in Saugatuck, hop aboard the Saugatuck Chain Ferry, which dates back to 1838 and is the only remaining chain-driven ferry in the U.S. The ferry is operated by a hand crank that activates the pulleys for the short ride across the Kalamazoo River.
Take off-road biking in a different direction. Saugatuck HydroBikes rents water bikes — a combination of pontoons and pedaling mechanics once known as velocipedes.
For a stylish way to travel the waterfront, go vintage with Retro Boat Rentals — sleek, candy-colored fiberglass jet age runabouts (think fins and silver chrome accents), which were popular from 1958 to 1963. For large groups up to 10, consider one of their bright orange donut boats. Complete with a round table in the center, these donut boats are an option for on-the-water picnics.
Board one of Harbor Duck Adventure Tours’ refurbished World War II duck boats for a ramble through the streets of Saugatuck and Douglas before plowing into the waters of Saugatuck Harbor. Jump off at any time while on land, grab lunch, do some shopping and then catch another boat later.
Big Lake Outfitters offers a myriad of water equipment — think 18- and 24-foot pontoons, paddleboards and kayaks. For landlubbers, they also have bike rentals. Making Waves has pontoons, boats and jet skis for rent.
Choose from a variety of waterway trips offered by Running Rivers Kayak. Starting at Wade’s Bayou in downtown Douglas, choices include a one-hour wetland paddle, two or three hours through wetland and forest and, if you’re really fit, a six-hour forest run. Livery service is available as well.
Cruise on one of Star of Saugatuck’s vessels, Star I or Star II, both authentic sternwheeler paddleboats, up the Kalamazoo River to Kalamazoo Lake and back to Lake Michigan. The trip takes 90 minutes. Star of Saugatuck also hosts pirate, Halloween and wine-themed cruises.
Set sail on Sailing Saugatuck’s tall ship Serenity on one of its two-hour daily cruises. For special occasions or work outings, you can also privately charter the schooner (up to 24 passengers) along Saugatuck’s waterfront and out to Lake Michigan.
Photo Courtesy of iStock
On shore
Of course, you could spend all your time on the water, but Saugatuck — with its enchanting shops, restaurants, wine tasting rooms, coffee bars, live music, plays and art galleries — beckons.
The lake effect from Lake Michigan creates a lush growing area. The result is a bounty of local farms, vineyards and orchards.
Two shops, side-by-side on Butler Street, have corralled the flavors of the region into delicious food products. Before there was farm-to-table, there was Justin Rashid, avatar of local, foraged and handcrafted, who founded American Spoon, a paean to artisanal Michigan foods, almost 40 years ago. The American Spoon in Saugatuck features an extra bonus: A gelato shop. Wines made from cherries, blueberries and raspberries, picked at the peak of ripeness, are among the specialties of Fenn Valley Vineyards, a small hamlet about 10 miles away.
Samplings of these wines, as well as its reds and whites, are available at its Saugatuck tasting room. Just down the street, Tabor Hill Winery also has a tasting room.
At Good Goods, a two-story gallery featuring the works of over 140 artists, look for high-quality crafts, furnishings, sculptures, ceramics, paintings, woodworks, yardbirds, functional and sculptural handcrafted glass, jewelry, bags, among other items.
Eat
A few years back, James Beard Award nominee Mark Miller opened The Southerner on the Kalamazoo River, a homage to the food he grew up eating. Call it Appalachian by way of Detroit cuisine. Using long-cherished family recipes and local ingredients, specialties include his fried chicken soaked overnight in buttermilk. Other southern-style specialties include shrimp and grits, pimento cheese and goat cheese topped with slow-cooked red pepper jelly. The latter two are accompanied with saltines. Forget the diet and spread an extra thick layer of honey butter on piping hot laminated biscuits (and yes, you’ll want to order extra). All this wonderfulness comes with free river views in a retro ambience that’s both comfy and downhome.
Uncommon Grounds Roaster Cafe — located in a charming cottage accented by masses of colorful blooms and outdoor tables topped by bright red umbrellas — takes its coffee as seriously as oenophiles take their wine. It sources freshly picked single-source beans from sustainable small farms and cooperatives throughout the world and then roasts them in small batches. On-tap coffees include nitro brews, Sacred Springs kombucha, Bodhi Tree Switchel and 18th Amendment barrel-aged nitro cold brew coffee. On occassion, they also offer seasonal cold brew mocktails!
Decisions, decisions, decisions. What do you order at Cookies on Call with such temptations as chocolate caramel, dark and white chocolate chunk, oatmeal cranberry and walnut? Then there’s also the sophisticated options, such as The Butler Pantry cookie, which includes chocolate chunks stuffed with caramel sprinkled with Himalayan pink sea salt, or the Ray & Shine cookie, which has chocolate chunks glazed with maple honey and then topped with bacon. The cookie fame is such that founder and owner Franny Martin was featured in USA Today as a successful entrepreneur over 50 years old and has appeared on CNN and NBC Nightly News.
Coral Gables has long been the go-to place in Saugatuck. Built in 1906 and encompassing two-and-a-half blocks of waterfront in downtown Saugatuck, there’s seasonal outdoor dining on the patio overlooking the harbor and indoor seating year-round. Every Thursday, enjoy burger night, and come on Friday for the perch fry.
Photo Courtesy Serenity Facebook
Rest your head in style
Wickwood Inn, a 1940s Colonial Revival-style home just steps from the downtown, now houses a bed and breakfast that’s highly rated. Owned and operated by Julee Rosso, cofounder of the Silver Palate line of foods and also the coauthor of the Silver Palate cookbooks, the place is a delight for both culinarians and those just wanting a little luxury at the end of their day.
Want palatial accommodations? Built in 1912 by an associate of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Belvedere Inn and Restaurant was once the summer home of a wealthy Chicagoan. Set on five acres of lushly landscaped lawn, it’s now a richly furnished bed and breakfast with an on-site restaurant located two miles from downtown.
Beach it The only problem with the area’s golden beaches is trying to decide which one to hit first.
Oval Beach — named by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the Top 25 beaches in the world and National Geographic Traveler’s Top Freshwater Beaches in the USA — is open year round. Douglas Beach is a small neighborhood beach just south of Oval snuggled between summer homes. Or enjoy 200-foot-tall sand dunes, walking trails winding through woodlands and 2.5 miles of Lake Michigan shores at Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
If you want to explore the sandy landscape of Saugatuck from the comfort of a vehicle, check out Saugatuck Dune Rides, one of the top attractions in the area. The 40-minute ride winds passengers through the area’s forest and sand dunes, stopping at certain points to offer historical insight on the area, including when crossing over the buried town of Singapore.
Cross over the bridge into Douglas
Just off of Blue Star Highway, Douglas’s Center Street, a wonderful mix of pre- and post-Civil War Greek Revival, Italianate, Arts & Crafts, Victorian and Colonial Revival, runs for eight or so blocks before ending in a small park fronting Wade’s Bayou. Built in 1866, the Old School House, one of the country’s oldest surviving multi-classroom school buildings and among the finest examples of 19th century school architecture in America, is now the Douglas-Saugatuck History Center. Intriguing both indoors and out, it features exhibits and multiple garden areas, including the Life Boat Exhibit & Back-in-Time Garden.
If you like peanut butter, order a glass of the Peanut Butter Porter at the Saugatuck Brewing Company. Stop by for free tours with samples every Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
The downtown Douglas Everyday People Café is so popular that it has been written up in the New York Times more than once, offering tapas, live jazz music and seasonal outdoor dining. Its food — including roasted gorgonzola pork chops, white truffle prosciutto pizza and burrata roasted-tomato salad — is sophisticated but not stratospherically priced.
A curated collection of 100-plus artists working with varied mediums, hand-poured chocolates, wines by the glass and bottle are all part of the eclectic offerings at J. Petter Galleries.
When Singapore, Saugatuck and Douglas sent all those trees to Chicago years ago, the three towns lost a lot. But it’s clear from a visit today the area has made up — and more — for what was once lost.
Harvest Time and Events
The rolling hills surrounding both Douglas and Saugatuck are dotted with orchards and farms. From mid-summer and well into the fall there’s plenty of farm stands and places to pick your own. Depending on the growing season, fill a basket of sweet cherries or red raspberries; pick a peck of apples; choose the biggest pumpkins — all to take home with you.
Be sure to check out these events (be sure to double check dates due to Covid-19 postponements):
APRIL
• Salt of the Earth, live music every Sunday during the summer
• Allegan Antique Market takes place on the last Sunday of each month until September
MAY
• Real to Reel Film Festival
• Artz and Gardenz Tour
• Mother’s Day Brunch at The Belvedere Inn and Restaurant
• Taste of EatDrinkSDF
JUNE
• Community Pride!
• Summer Gallery Stroll
• Saugatuck Douglas Garden Tour & Perennial Plant Sale
• Town Crier Races JULY
• Waterfront Invitational Art Fair
• Village Square Art Fair
SEPTEMBER
• Lakeshore Harvest Ride
Photo Courtesy fo Saugatuck.com