Editing South Haven, Michigan (section)

==History==

Prior to colonization by white settlers, the area was inhabited at different times by [[Potawatomi]] and [[Iroquois]] native people. In 1833, the [[U.S. government]] granted Jay R. Monroe a [[land patent]] for 65 [[acres]] of land along the shore of [[Lake Michigan]]. In the 1850s the first permanent settlers arrived, and early in the decade the first steam [[sawmill]]s were built on the Black River. About this time, the settlement gained its first merchant, physician, lawyer, and minister, and the first schoolhouse was built. The first bank was organized in 1867. South Haven was incorporated as a village in 1869, and as a city in 1902.<ref>Rowland, Oran W. (1912). [https://books.google.com/books?id=9iHiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA609 ''A History of Van Buren County, Michigan''], Vol. I, pp. 609–13. The Lewis Publishing Company.</ref> South Haven was named in relation to nearby [[Grand Haven, Michigan|Grand Haven]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Romig | first = Walter | year = 1986 | title = Michigan Place Names | orig-year= 1973 | publisher = Wayne State University Press | location = Detroit, Michigan | isbn = 0-8143-1838-X|page=525}}</ref>

In 1853, the first hotel in South Haven, known as the Forest House, was built at the corner of Phoenix and Center Streets.<ref>Brower, C. De W. (1898). [https://books.google.com/books?id=qkniAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA173 "Historical Sketch of South Haven"].  In ''South Haven City Directories'', p. 173. Van Buren County (Mich.)</ref> The building was subsequently moved a few doors south and still stands, though greatly modified, and no longer used as a hotel.

The [[timber]] harvested in South Haven was shipped to [[Chicago]] and [[Milwaukee]] via [[steamboats]] and [[schooners]], and the cleared [[forests]] were then used by fruit farmers, who primarily grew [[peach]]es, [[blueberry|blueberries]] and [[apple]]s. The [[farming]] industry created many jobs in the area, and the city began to boom. Around the early 1900s, theaters, a [[casino]], an [[opera house]], an [[amusement park]], and many resorts contributed to a rise in popularity of the city. Being a [[resort]] city resulted in a [[seasonal]] economy, however, and in an effort to stabilize the economy, the city's board of trade successfully recruited several different [[Industry (economics)|industries]] to the area.

[[File:Chicago Mail Boat Postcard 1910 (Front).png|thumb|left|Boat from Chicago to South Haven, circa 1910]]
In 1925, the first foreign shipments of goods arrived,<ref>Michigan Maritime Museum (2004). ''Maritime South Haven: 1900–1950'', p. 21. Arcadia Publishing.</ref> beginning an era of foreign shipments that would last until the mid-1960s.{{Citation needed|date=February 2007}} The last passenger steamboat left South Haven for Chicago on Labor Day, 1941, though recreational [[boating]] increased steadily. In the 1950s and 1960s several new factories came to the area, and although the resort businesses in the area began to flounder, the resorts that remained grew stronger.

In 1970, "The Centennial Celebration and [[Blueberry]] Festival" took place, and the city's 64-slip [[marina]] was dedicated. To this day the [[National Blueberry Festival|Blueberry Festival]] continues to draw many visitors to the city. Other events, such as the Ice Breaker Festival, Harborfest, the [[art]] shows and [[Fourth of July]] [[fireworks]] display remain very popular. The [[beaches]], boating and relaxing atmosphere will continue to ensure that the City of South Haven remains a popular warm-weather destination. The [[South Haven Lighthouse|South Pier Lighthouse]], built in 1903 to replace the light established in 1872,<ref>Berger, Todd R. (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=zIWlTXcK2LoC&pg=PA139 ''Lighthouses of the Great Lakes''], p. 139. Voyageur Press.</ref> is still operational, and is accessible from a public beach.

South Haven is home to a public school district as well as Roman Catholic and Lutheran [[Parochial school|parochial]] grammar schools. In addition, [[Western Michigan University]] and [[Lake Michigan College]], a junior college, have branch campuses located within the city. The city has annexed portions of South Haven Township, Van Buren County and a small portion of [[Casco Township, Allegan County, Michigan|Casco Township]], Allegan County.