Editing Benton Harbor, Michigan (section)

==History==
Benton Harbor was founded by Henry C. Morton, Sterne Brunson and Charles Hull, who all now have or have had schools named after them.<ref>{{cite news |first=William F. III |last=Ast |title=Coming to a Close |url=http://www.theh-p.com/articles/2011/01/21/local_news/3238790.txt |work=[[The Herald-Palladium]] |date=2011-01-21 |access-date=2011-04-23}}{{subscription required}}</ref> Benton Harbor was mainly wetlands bordered by the [[Paw Paw River]], through which a canal was built, hence the "harbor" in the city's name.<ref>[http://www.berriencounty.org/econdev/pdfs/benton_harbor_city.pdf Community Profile, City of Benton Harbor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927030835/http://www.berriencounty.org/econdev/pdfs/benton_harbor_city.pdf |date=2011-09-27 }} - [[Berrien County, Michigan|Berrien County]] official site</ref> In 1860, the village was laid out by Brunson, Morton, Hull and others, and given the name Brunson Harbor.<ref name=coolidge>{{cite book |last1=Coolidge |first1=Orville W. |year=1906 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3G0Qo9lf4nsC&q=benton |title=A Twentieth Century History of Berrien County, Michigan |location=Chicago, Illinois |pages=232–35 |publisher=The Lewis Publishing Company|access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref>

Brunson, Morton, and Hull also donated land and solicited subscriptions for construction of the canal, which was completed in 1862. It had long been recognized that a canal would be crucial to the town's development, both to drain the marsh and to provide a berthing area for ships. The canal, originally {{convert|25|ft}} wide but expanded to {{convert|50|ft}} in 1868, led to the town's becoming a shipping and manufacturing center for the area.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hilton |first1=George W. |year=2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X0p5vWhvYdkC&pg=PA195 |title=Lake Michigan Passenger Steamers |location=Stanford, California |publisher=[[Stanford University Press]] |isbn=0-8047-4240-5 |page=195 |access-date=May 9, 2015}}</ref>

In 1866, the settlement's name was changed to Benton Harbor in honor of [[Thomas Hart Benton (politician)|Thomas Hart Benton]], a [[List of United States Senators from Missouri|Missouri Senator]] who helped Michigan achieve statehood.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bcgensoc.com/facts.php?sid=3 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313101635/https://bcgensoc.com/facts.php?sid=3  | archive-date=13 March 2018 | title=Origins - Old Place Names | publisher=Berrien County Genealogical Society | access-date=13 March 2018}}</ref> In 1836, Benton Harbor was organized as a village and in 1891 it was incorporated as a city.<ref name=coolidge/>

Benton Harbor's retail establishments started relocating outside of the city starting in the 1950s, and the city experienced an economic downturn between 1970 and 1985.<ref>{{cite web|title=Benton Harbor General Development Plan: A Brief History of Benton Harbor|author=City of Benton Harbor|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CZIC-hd268-b46-b46-1989/html/CZIC-hd268-b46-b46-1989.htm|page=12|year=1989|access-date=August 31, 2023}}</ref>

The [[House of David (commune)|House of David]] religious group was founded there and once ran a local amusement park.

===Riots===

Benton Harbor has had two major riots, one in 1966 and one in 2003, with smaller ones occurring in 1960, 1967, and 1990.<ref name=hphist/>

====1966====

On August 30, 1966, a riot began after a meeting discussing recreational facilities and police relations with respect to black residents.<ref name=1966chi>{{cite news |title=Negro Crowd Stones Cars in Michigan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19118198/chicago-tribune/ |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=September 1, 1966 |access-date=August 15, 2022|page=6 }}</ref> During the riot, a black 18-year-old named Cecil Hunt was killed in a [[drive-by shooting]]; suspects were arrested but the assault charge was later dismissed.<ref name=1966chi/><ref>{{cite news |title=Charge Dismissed in B.H. Racial Shooting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/64303109/charges-dismissed-in-shooting-related/ |work=[[The Herald-Palladium|The News-Palladium]] |date=November 4, 1966 |access-date=August 16, 2022|page=1,12 }} [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/364689918/ Article continued]</ref> Governor [[George W. Romney]] dispatched troops from the [[Michigan National Guard]], who stood down on September 5 when the riot dissipated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.michigan.gov/dmva/0,1607,7-126-2360_3003_3009-27393--,00.html|title=History of the Michigan National Guard: The Tumultuous 1960s: Benton Harbor, 1966|publisher=[[Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs]]}}</ref>

====2003====

In June 2003, several citizens in Benton Harbor demonstrated for two days when black motorcyclist Terrance Shurn, being chased by a police officer, crashed into a building and died. As many as 300 state troopers and law enforcement personnel from neighboring communities were called to Benton Harbor.<ref name=hphist>{{cite news |first=William F. III |last=Ast |title=Violence brings back bad memories for some |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73536677/bh-riot/ |work=[[The Herald-Palladium]] |date=June 19, 2003 |access-date=August 15, 2022|page=4 }}</ref><ref name=cnn>{{cite news |title=Rain, curfew help bring quiet night to Benton Harbor.  |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Midwest/06/18/michigan.unrest/ |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=June 19, 2003 |access-date=January 13, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Ted |last=Hartzell |title=House burned, police vehicles vandalized during Benton Harbor riot |url=http://www.heraldpalladium.com/localnews/house-burned-police-vehicles-vandalized-during-benton-harbor-riot/article_3a7c3fa1-9718-5227-8a52-55aeb605fa92.html |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=June 17, 2003 |access-date=August 15, 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=William F. III |last=Ast |author2=Michael Eliasohn |title=Second night of violence leaves at least 15 injured in Benton Harbor |url=http://www.heraldpalladium.com/localnews/second-night-of-violence-leaves-at-least-injured-in-benton/article_8e19d588-708d-5c05-886e-73fef9b2ff94.html |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=June 18, 2003 |access-date=August 15, 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Scott |last=Aiken |title=Huge police presence, rain keep rioters off the streets |url=http://www.heraldpalladium.com/localnews/huge-police-presence-rain-keep-rioters-off-the-streets/article_724a02f9-9785-5621-8b74-f33996525e89.html |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=June 19, 2003 |access-date=August 15, 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Jodi |last=Wilgoren |title=Fatal Police Chase Ignites Rampage in Michigan Town |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E3D81138F93AA25755C0A9659C8B63&pagewanted=all |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 19, 2003|access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref>

Indirectly, the riot contributed to the [[Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project#2005|Jimmy Carter Work Project's 2005 activities]] being held in Benton Harbor and [[Detroit]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Kim |last=Strode |title=Carter's Goal: Up to 35 Homes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/366967184/ |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=October 23, 2003 |access-date=August 15, 2022 |page=1}}</ref> A state task force produced a report in 2003.<ref>''Benton Harbor, A Plan for Positive Change: Final Report of the Governor's Benton Harbor Task Force'', Reverend James Atterberry and Greg Roberts, co-chairs, October 15, 2003, [https://web.archive.org/web/20060313183052/http://www.michigan.gov/documents/BH_final_report_76471_7.pdf archived] March 13, 2006</ref>

===Water state of emergency===

As with the 2014–2019 [[Flint water crisis|public health crisis]] involving the [[drinking water]] in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], in 2018 higher-than-acceptable levels of [[lead]] were found in Benton Harbor's [[tap water]].<ref name="HP201210">{{cite news |last1=Wrege |first1=Louise |title=Benton Harbor, state officials order urgent response to lead crisis: Michigan to help city replace lead water lines over 18 months |url=https://www.heraldpalladium.com/communities/benton_harbor/benton-harbor-state-officials-order-urgent-response-to-lead-crisis/article_1a9b29c2-7985-588b-a742-c545302bbe16.html |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=October 14, 2021}}</ref> Water was starting to appear "bubbly and white" to "brown", with a "horrible" taste and poor smell.<ref name="Guard202109">{{cite news |last1=Lutz |first1=Eric |last2=McCormick |first2=Erin |title=A Black town's water is more poisoned than Flint's. In a white town nearby, it's clean |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/21/benton-harbor-michigan-lead-water-poisoned |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=September 21, 2021}}</ref> This was due to lead-based water service lines.<ref name="HP201210" /> Testing found the samples returned lead levels of 22 parts per billion, greater than the 20 parts per billion in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]] and the federal lead action level of 15 parts per billion.<ref name="Guard202109" /><ref name=BentonPW>{{cite web |title=Benton Harbor Public Works, Water Plant and Distribution, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Water |url=https://bhcity.us/water/ |website=City of Benton Harbor |access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref> High levels of copper were also noted in the annual [[Drinking water quality in the United States#Consumer Confidence Reports|consumer confidence reports]] that have been required by [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref name=BentonPW />

Concerns were with the health impacts of [[lead poisoning]].<ref name="Berrien202110">{{cite web |title=Lead action level exceedance in the City of Benton Harbor |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/1599/City-of-Benton-Harbor |website=Berrien County Health Department |access-date=October 16, 2021 |date=October 1, 2021}}</ref> As a result, residents were supplied with free [[bottled water]], including for use with brushing teeth and cooking, for residences and schools.<ref name="Berrien202110" /><ref name="HP201210" /><ref name="Guard202109" /> In September 2021, $10 million was budgeted to replace the lead service lines.<ref name="HP201210" /> All lead pipes had been replaced by December 1, 2023, per the [[Michigan Department of Health and Human Services]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=All lead water service lines replaced in Benton Harbor|url=https://www.wndu.com/2023/12/01/all-lead-water-service-lines-replaced-benton-harbor/|publisher=[[WNDU-TV]]|date=December 1, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>