South Haven Township and the City of South Haven

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The present township of South Haven was organized in 1855. It contains eighteen full sections and seven fractional sections along the shore of Lake Michigan. It is bound on the north by Allegan County, on the east by Geneva, on the south by Covert and on the west by Lake Michigan.

Along the shore of the lake are bluffs from thirty to fifty feet in height. The principal stream is the Black River which flows across the northern part of the township and empties into the lake at the City of South Haven. It provides a harbor for great lakes shipping and pleasure crafts.

The population of the township, outside the city as given in the 1910 census was 1218, in 1980 was 4,152 and 4,046 in 2000. Census totals for the City were 5,563 in 1990 and 5,013 in 2000.

South Haven was the western terminal of two railroads; the South Haven Division of the Michigan Central Railroad running from Kalamazoo through the northern part of Van Buren County and the Kalamazoo, Lakeshore and Chicago line running from Kalamazoo through the central part of Van Buren County to the City of South Haven. The Michigan Central was discontinued in the early 1970's.

Indians first inhabited South Haven. The traditional Indian account was written on birch bark by Chief Simon Pokagon, a Pottawatamie, and sold to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

South Haven was incorporated as a village of an Act of the Legislature on April 5, 1869. It was later re-incorporated March 18, 1871 due to flaws in the first incorporation.

The city has a good water and sewage system and generated their own electricity in early years beginning in 189?. The fire department was established in 1898. The first street paving was begun in 1903. In 1901 a dispute developed over location of the county seat, and a campaign to move it from Paw Paw to South Haven developed. The passage of a $50,000 bond issue by Paw Paw voters left the County Seat in Paw Paw. South Haven's most colorful era was from the mid-1880's to the 1930's when the summer resort business flourished. During the early 1900's thousands of visitors arrived daily by steamer and train to enjoy a vacation. Lodgings were available in magnificant lake fron hotels, farm resorts, family homes or summer cottages. The summer resort business declined as the use of automobiles grew and it ended when the passenger steamer service ended in 1940. The old farm resorts are gone and the summer hotels have been replaced by condominiums and private homes.

Page Last Updated: 7/15/2003