West Michigan Pike
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Southwest Michigan RoadMap: The West Michigan Pike Volume I: Historic Context Narrative Amy L. Arnold Preservation Planner Michigan State Historic Preservation Office With assistance from Cheryl Chidester Diana Clark Erin Dorbin Sarah Shotwell Special thanks to Sandra Sageser Clark Director, Michigan Historical Center and Beachtowns, Inc. This project was made possible through the support of the following organizations Preserve America, National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior Berrien County Community Foundation Frey Foundation Grand Haven Area Community Foundation Holland/Zeeland Area Community Foundation Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Michigan History Foundation Michigan Humanities Council Fund for Mason County of the Community Foundation for Mason County Muskegon County Community Foundation Tri-Cities Historical Museum of Grand Haven Upton Foundation Jennifer Granholm, Governor State of Michigan Gary Heidel, Interim Executive Director Michigan State Housing Development Authority Brian D. Conway, State Historic Preservation Officer State Historic Preservation Office September 2010 State Historic Preservation Office Lansing, Michigan This report has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or you desire further information, please write to: Office for Equal Opportunity National Park Service 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20240 Contents Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………. 1 Methodology.............................................................................................................. 5 Cultural Heritage Tourism ………………………………………………………… 7 Historic Context Narratives AGRICULTURE Overview of Michigan’s Agricultural Heritage………………………………………… 13 Origins of Southwest Michigan’s Fruit Belt……………………………………………. 15 Non-Fruit Agriculture in Southwest Michigan…………………………………………. 25 Farm Markets and Fruit Stands………………………………………………………… 27 Migrant Labor in Southwest Michigan…………………………………………………. 29 ARCHITECTURE Common Architectural Styles of Southwest Michigan……………………… ……….. 34 Architect Overview……………………………………………………………………….. 41 Significant Architects in Southwest Michigan…………………………………………. 49 Marcel Breuer…………………………………………………..…………………….. 49 Alden B. Dow…………………………………………………………………………. 50 George W. Maher……………………………………………………………………. 51 Thomas Eddy Tallmadge……………………………………………………………. 52 Frank Lloyd Wright…………………………………………………………………… 53 Country Life Movement Estates………………………………………………………... 55 Diners………………………………………………………………………………………59 Drive-In Restaurants…………………………………………………………………...... 63 Gas Stations……………………………………………………………………………… 67 Ice Cream Stands…………………………………………………………………………70 Local Brickworks and Quarries…………………………………………………………. 72 Log Construction…………………………………………………………………………. 75 Precut Kit Houses…………………………………………………………………………80 Quonset Huts…………………………………………………………………………….. 82 ART AND CULTURE Traditional Arts…………………………………………………………………………… 84 Fine Arts…………………………………………………………………………………... 87 CONSERVATION Landscape Architects and the Conservation of West Michigan…………… ……….. 97 Significant Landscape Architects in Southwest Michigan …………………………... 101 Ossian C. Simonds……………………………………………………………... 101 Jens Jensen………………………………………………….…………………. 101 Genevieve Gillette……………………………………………………………… 102 Liberty Hyde Bailey…………………………………………………………….. 103 August I. Silander and Anna Nanninga Silander …………………………… 104 Living Memorials………………………………………………………………………..... 105 Reforestation……………………………………………………………………………… 108 Soil Conservation Districts…………………………………………………………….. 115 Contents ETHNIC HERITAGE African American…………………………………………………………………………. 117 Dutch………………………………………………………………………………………. 131 Eastern European……………………………….……………………………………….. 133 German……………………………………………………………………………………. 136 Greek……………………………………………………………………………………… 139 Hispanic …………………………………………………………………………………...142 Italian………………………………………………………………………………………. 144 Jewish…………………………………………………………………………………….. 147 Scandinavian…………………………………………………………………………….. 153 NATURAL FEATURES………………………………………………………………………. 157 RECREATION/ENTERTAINMENT Amusement Parks……………………………………………………………………….. 163 Bowling……………………………………………………………………………………. 165 Boxing……………………………………………………………………………………... 169 Dune Rides……………………………………………………………………………….. 171 Golf Courses……………………………………………………………………………… 172 Miniature Golf…………………………………………………………………………….. 181 Motorcycle Hill Climb…………………………………………………………………….. 182 Parks……………………………………………………………………………………… 183 Overview of Park Development……………………………………………….. 183 Historic City, Township, and County Parks………………………………….. 185 The Development of Michigan’s State Park System………………………... 197 Pleasure Boat Industry…………………………………………………………………... 207 Resorts Rise of the West Michigan Resort Industry in West Michigan…………….. 210 West Michigan’s Jewish Resorts………………………..……………………. 227 African American Resorts in West Michigan………………………………… 230 Ethnic Diversity of Berrien County Resorts………………………………….. 233 Sport Fishing……………………………………………………………………………… 235 Summer Camps………………………………………………………………………….. 237 Theaters…………………………………………………………………………………… 241 TRANSPORTATION Overview of Highway Construction in Michigan……………………………………… 249 The West Michigan Pike………………………………………………………………… 256 1922 Route of the West Michigan Pike Maps and Verbal Descriptions…. 263 Indiana State Line to Saint Joseph………………………………….. 263 Saint Joseph to South Haven……………………………………….. 264 South Haven to Holland …………………………………………….. 265 Holland to Grand Haven …………………………………………….. 266 Grand Haven to Montague………………………………………….. 267 Montague to Pentwater………………………………………………. 268 Pentwater to Ludington……………………………………………… 269 The Dixie Highway………………………………………………………………270 The Blue Star Highway………………………………………………………… 272 The Red Arrow Highway………………………………………………………. 274 Timeline of Changes and Realignments to the West Michigan Pike …….. 275 The Scenic Highway System…………………………….……………………. 279 Scenic Drive, Muskegon County……………………………………. 282 Other Memorial Highways and Named Trails…………………………………………. 284 Roadside Parks…………………………………………………………………………... 287 Neon Signs……………………………………………………………………………….. 288 Contents Railroads and Interurbans………………………………………………………………. 291 Steam Ships………………………………………………………………………………. 296 Cultural Heritage Assessments Harbor Country, Berrien County………………………………………………………... 298 Benton Harbor, Berrien County………………………………………………………….304 Saint Joseph, Berrien County..…………………………………………………………. 308 South Haven, Van Buren County………………………………………………………. 312 Saugatuck–Douglas, Allegan County………………………………………… ……….. 317 Holland, Ottawa County…………………………………………………………………. 320 Grand Haven, Ottawa County…………………………………………………………... 323 Muskegon, Muskegon County………………………………………………… ……….. 327 White Lake Area, Muskegon County…………………………………………………... 334 Oceana County…………………………………………………………………………… 336 Ludington, Mason County……………………………………………………………….. 338 Appendix A - Art Questionnaire and Art Summary Appendix B - Tours Appendix C – Famous People Appendix D - Cultural Tourism Model Introduction 1 Tourism has long been ranked as Michigan’s third largest industry, but over the years little funding has gone into the promotion of the state as a tourism destination. Michigan’s tourism investment has typically been in local and Midwest markets, and as a result 70 percent of Michigan’s tourists have come from within the state. Over the past decade focus has been on the promotion of the state’s natural resources for fishing, hunting and boating. In an effort to diversify the state’s economy, the Michigan legislature voted to greatly increase the state’s tourism budget in 2007 enabling Travel Michigan’s award winning Pure Michigan campaign to be initiated on a national basis. In addition, Governor Jennifer Granholm asked all state departments to suggest ways they could assist in the effort to bring increased revenue to the state. The Department of History, Arts and Libraries determined that as part of its Cultural Economic Development Strategy there was an opportunity to promote the state’s cultural heritage resources in addition to its natural resources. This was confirmed by a survey conducted by the Travel, Tourism and Recreation Resource Center at Michigan State University, which showed that heritage tourists stay longer and spend more money than the average tourist. This led Don Holecek, director of the center to conclude, “The heritage link can be used to identify and capture (e.g. promote to) a potentially very profitable target market segment.” In an effort to increase cultural heritage tourism in Michigan and appeal to a niche market of heritage tourists, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) applied for a grant from the federal Preserve America program in 2006 to survey the historic resources along the Lake Michigan shore in West Michigan. Support for this project was also received from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Holland/Zeeland Area