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Summer in South Haven

By July 1, 2023No Comments

Photo by Michael Deemer/Adobe

Called Ni-Ko-Nong, or the place of the beautiful sunsets by the Native Americans who originally settled here, South Haven on Michigan’s western shore is all about sandy beaches, towering dunes, wineries, historic boats, a charming downtown just steps from many of the marinas, and its well-earned title as Blueberry Capital of the World.

The Black River flows through South Haven past marinas, shops, restaurants and galleries, as well as a collection of antique boats, part of the Michigan Maritime Museum fleet. People gather on both riverbanks enjoying the best of this charmingly quaint lakeside town as the river continues on, passing by the historic South Pier Lighthouse, one of only four remaining in the state and distinctive with its original catwalk connecting the tower to the shore.

Once known as Ni-Ko-Nong, or the place of the beautiful sunsets, by Ottawa, Miami and Pottawattamie tribes who settled here in the 1700s, South Haven was still too wild for J.K. and Fanny Monroe when they traveled in 1833 by lumber cart to the small log cabin J.K. had built earlier for his new bride. J.K. had been awarded 65 acres through a land grant, but the region didn’t flourish the way he hoped, and the couple soon moved on to Lawrence, Michigan, about 20 miles southeast.

He should have stuck around. By the 1850s, South Haven was beginning to bustle, first as a lumber town supplying Chicago with wood, and then, once the land was cleared, as farmland for growing fruits such as blueberries and peaches. Steamships took fruit west across Lake Michigan and often returned with tourists wanting to get away from the summer heat of the big city.

Destination South Haven

The resort business is said to have started when Mrs. H. M. Avery opened her home to visitors in the mid-1800s, but even before that, the Forest House, built in 1853 and now being restored, was both a hotel and a place for events and meetings. Indeed, South Haven was such a hot destination that by 1902 there were more than 200 places listed in the South Haven Resort directory where people could stay, including opulent resorts, farms, hotels and private homes.

Palatial places like Baron’s Resort advertised both hot and cold running water, cabaret entertainment, a physical and social director, a concert orchestra, a solarium for men and women, a private beach, and, according to a postcard from the early 1900s, the finest dining room in Michigan. A plus for parents wanting a little relaxation without the stress of watching their own children, Baron’s offered a dining room for children as well as governesses to tend to them. The governess concept wasn’t unique to Baron’s; other resorts such as Samson’s also offered the option.

The Catskills of the Midwest

Gentile-only restrictions were still in place in Michigan up until the 1960s. According to a report by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, even in 1957, 34% of Michigan hotels discriminated against Jews. To counter that, Jewish hotels opened in South Haven, and by 1920 the city had 80 Jewish resorts earning South Haven the nickname “Catskills of the Midwest.” Guests at the 80-acre Fidelman’s, considered the gold standard of the town’s many Jewish resorts, could enjoy swimming in the large circular pool with its high dive, play tennis, golf, go for a horseback ride and sip cocktails at the Mai Kai lounge. Menus at many of the Jewish resorts featured kosher options as well as dancing in the evenings and nationally known entertainers.

Historic downtown

South Haven’s downtown, located on the southern bank of the river, is an easy walk from many of the marinas and also has tie-up options for dinghies and small boats at such riverfront restaurants as Admiral Jacks Bar & Grille, Idler Riverboat & Dockside, and Captain Lou’s.

“It’s rare to have a harbor so closely connected to the downtown,” says Griffin Graham, South Haven’s assistant city manager and harbormaster. “It makes it very convenient.”

Many of the businesses in the downtown are housed in Victorian-era commercial buildings, a picturesque blend of old and new.

Besides blueberries, South Haven is on the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail, and the downtown features tasting rooms for such vineyards as 12 Corners Vineyard, Cogdal, Gravity and Warner. If artisan brews are more your thing, than there’s Three Blondes and a New Holland taproom, which features spirits as well. For those who want to visit the actual wineries, Trent Bulat, the digital media and guest relations manager for the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention and Visitors Bureau, suggests several of the tours available. Those include Happy Trail Wine Tours & Limon, Coastal Tours and Fruitful Vine. Moveportz Transportation Services also offers ways of getting around for those without a car.

Just east from the downtown, the 1856 home of Liberty Hyde Bailey, Jr., America’s “Father of Modern Horticulture,’’ is now a museum. While Bailey was growing up, the farmhouse sat on 80 acres with much of the land comprising extensive apple orchards. Now part of the city, there are both perennial and annual gardens including the Martha Warner Day Lily Garden, the Heirloom Kitchen Garden, community garden plots, a nature trail, the Bailey Farm’s smokehouse, a blacksmith shop that was built in 1868 and in use to the 1960s, and a carriage barn. The farmhouse and some of the other buildings on the property are among the oldest in South Haven.

The 1896 Citizen’s Bank, a wonderful pile of red brick with a grand golden copula crown and arched windows, is now Clementine’s, a restaurant that is equally beautifully vintage inside (think tin ceilings, stained glass and glass-domed lamps).

Comfort food cooked better than Mom would have made is what the Phoenix Street Café is all about. Julia’s is a great place for coffee, pastries and just hanging out. Taste has small plates that are good to share. Sherman’s Dairy Bar has made ice cream since 1956 and shouldn’t be missed, particularly on a hot summer’s day.

Old Harbor Village and the Shoppes of Broadway are quaint-looking trendy shops. And because this is South Haven, The Blueberry Store with its many blueberry products is a must. Don’t worry about missing it — it’s painted blue and white.

If you want to catch a show, the locally owned Michigan Theatre in downtown South Haven has been a mainstay since opening in the 1940s. “What other movie theater is there where you can get a ticket to a first-run film, popcorn and drink for $10?” Graham says, noting that it still has its original marquee.

Photo by Dylan Nelson

Marinas

Black River Park Marina & Boat Launch
269-637-3171
southhavenmi.gov

Gull Lake Marine
269-637-3655
gulllakemarinesouthhaven.com

J&B
269-637-5785
facebook.com/michiganmarina

Maritime Docks
269-637-3171
southhavenmi.gov

Mitidieri Marina
317-450-8865
mitidierimarina.com

Slip Away Cove Marina and Residences
269-214-4680
bit.ly/45XLxLk

South Haven Municipal Marina North
269-637-3171
southhavenmi.gov

South Haven Municipal Marina South
269-637-3171
southhavenmi.gov

Woodland Harbor Marina
269-743-3624
woodlandharbormarina.com

North and South Municipal Marinas Photo Courtesy of southhavenmi.gov

Photo Courtesy of Visit South Haven Facebook

Photos Courtesy of Michigan Maritime Museum

Sailing into history

The Michigan Maritime Museum opens the doors to South Haven’s watery past with such immersive experiences as sailing Friends Good Will, a replica of an 1810 merchant sloop that once sailed the Great Lakes. Maybe you’d rather board a 36-foot Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat built in 1941 and featured in the movie “The Finest Hour;” or Merry Time, a 1929 mahogany Chris-Craft Cadet; or the 32-foot Bernida, a Universal Rule R Class Sloop that launched in 1921; or the Lindy Lou, a replica of an electric-powered Truscott fantail river launch. If so, not to worry, the museum has you covered, says Claire Herhold, community outreach coordinator. These boat rides, hands-on exhibits, classes and events help recreate the past on the Great Lakes.

Guess that’s why they call it the blues

One of the oldest, continuously running fruit festivals in the country, this year marks the 55th anniversary of the National Blueberry Festival held the second weekend of August in South Haven, also known as the “Blueberry Capital of the World.” Michigan produces about 100 million pounds of blueberries annually, and South Haven itself is the epicenter of all things blue. The acidic soil and the microclimate created by proximity to Lake Michigan combine to create prime growing conditions for the nearly 300 farmers who cultivate 18,500 acres of blueberries within a 50-mile radius of the city.

During the season, which typically runs from July to August depending upon the weather, blueberries are available for sale or for u-pick at DeGrandchamp Farms and Bumbleberry Acres both in South Haven and at the South Haven Farmers Market on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.

Boating and beaches

The city’s four municipal marinas — Northside, Southside, Black River Park and Maritime Docks — offer a total of 229 slips available for either seasonal or transient boaters, Graham says, noting each marina is designed for a unique experience. Slips range from 30 to 60 feet with broadside dockage. All have 30-amp electric, while some also feature 50- and 100-amp electric. The 26 slips at the Southside Municipal Marina are all transient, and the marina, which is within walking distance of downtown, has completed the process necessary to be designated a Michigan Clean Marina.

The other municipal marinas are seasonal but sometimes have transient slips available.

The same goes for Mitidieri Marina, with its 36 slips that can accommodate up to 40-foot boats. Amenities include water, showers, parking and electrical services, says owner Francesco Mitidieri.

Daily and weekly transient slip rentals are available at the 110-slip Woodland Harbor Marina. Dock sizes are from 26 to 50 feet and all have twin 30- or 50-amp electrical service, cable access, wireless internet and potable water. There are also dinghy and PWC slips available as well.

If you want to launch your kayak or canoe for the day, water access is near South Marina, Black River Park and the Dykeman Bridge.

For sun lovers, grab your bathing suit and sunscreen and head to the shore. South Haven has seven beaches, with the largest and most popular being North and South Beaches, which flank either side of the river. They’re perfect for boaters, Mitidieri says, because you can anchor close to the beach and easily go ashore.

With a wide and sandy one-mile Lake Michigan beach, towering sand dune formations and camping, the 400-acre Van Buren State Park is also known for its hiking trails and day-use area that includes grills, picnic tables and modern restrooms.

Trails, trails, trails

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources and Pure Michigan — with the criteria of establishing public routes that “capture the natural essences of Michigan,” are at least one mile long and are accessible to national, state or regional scenic resources — the first Trail Towns were established in 2019 and included South Haven with its 48 miles of land trails, 91 miles of water trails, 770 acres of nature preserves, as well as a several scenic drives.

The Bangor to South Haven Heritage Water Trail, one of nine designated water trails in the state, is a 21-mile canoe and kayak waterway with 15 interpretative signs. Don’t have your own canoe or kayak? South Haven has several boat rental places listed on the South Haven Visitors Bureau website.

So many on and offshore options are what make South Haven such a perfect destination for all.

Photo Courtesy of Southhaven.org

More Information

Calendar of Events

July 1 – 2: South Haven Annual Art Fair

July 1: The Al-Van Firecracker Furry 5K/1 Mile Race

July 3: Light Up The Lake Fireworks

July 8: South Haven Garden Club’s 25th Annual Garden Walk

July 15: Michigan Maritime Museum’s Annual Fish Boil Fundraiser

Aug. 10 – 13: The National Blueberry Festival

Aug. 12 – 13: Blueberry Fest Craft Fair Aug 11: Rain Gutter Regatta

Sept. 2 – 3: All Crafts Fair

Sept. 7 – 11: Antique Engine & Tractor Show

Sept. 9: Black River Open Paddle

Sept. 16: Lakeshore Harvest Ride

Riverfront Concert Series: Thursdays through Labor Day

South Haven Farmers Market: Saturdays until mid-October; Wednesdays to August

Photo Courtesy of Michigan Maritime Museum