Saugatuck, Michigan

Saugatuck, Michigan
—  City  —
Location of Saugatuck, Michigan
Coordinates: 42°39′26″N 86°12′9″W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Allegan
Area
• Total	1.5 sq mi (3.8 km2)
• Land	1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2)
Elevation	594 ft (181 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	925
• Density	786/sq mi (303/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	49453
Area code(s)	269
FIPS code	26-71700
GNIS feature ID	0637271

View of downtown Saugatuck and the Kalamazoo River from atop Mt. Baldhead

Saugatuck is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 925 at the 2010 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous.

Originally a lumber town and port, Saugatuck, along with the adjacent city of Douglas became a noted art colony and tourist destination in the arts and crafts movement of the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, Saugatuck was home to the famous Big Pavilion, a large dance hall that attracted bands and visitors from across the Midwest. The building was a popular destination on Lake Michigan from its construction in 1909 until it burned down on May 6, 1960.

Today, tourists are drawn to the art galleries, harbor, marinas, scenery, unusual stores, the view from atop Mount Baldhead, and tourist attractions as well as Oval Beach on Lake Michigan, which enjoys a worldwide reputation. Nearby are Saugatuck Dunes State Park and Allegan State Game Area as is the city of Holland.

History

The Saugatuck/Douglas area is unusual among Midwest frontier towns in that it did not experience either the destruction of the fires that hit most towns in the mid-to-late 19th century or the railroad that brought modernization and urban growth. Because of this, the cities of Saugatuck and Douglas provide a rare opportunity to observe pre- and post-Civil War Greek Revival and Italianate architecture, together with later structures in the Arts and Crafts and Colonial Revival styles.

Both cities retain their essential traditional character and quaint charm, having been spared the suburbanization and chain store and "mall" invasion that makes most other places look almost identical to each other. At the same time, the cities offer much in terms of first class lodging, restaurants, recreation, shopping and cultural opportunities.

Key to the area's history and popularity is its natural environment. Saugatuck and Douglas are nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Kalamazoo River and are defined by steep, rolling dunes to the west and lush orchard country and farmland to the east. The climate is blessed by the moderating effects of Lake Michigan which provides cool breezes on warm summer days, and plenty of winter snow.

It was to this setting that urbanites from Chicago and as far away as St. Louis started escaping in the early 20th century, although the settlement of the area began in the 1830s by lumber barons who founded nearby what is now known as the lost village of Singapore. For many years the cities supported a thriving mix of sawmills, barrel factories, and other wood product firms. The area contributed much of the lumber used to rebuild Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871. When the trees were gone, so were the lumbermen. But Saugatuck and Douglas thrived, turning to shipping and fruit growing as a source of income in the latter part of the 19th century. Peaches from the area were called "Michigan Gold" and were shipped by large steamships to the Chicago market. Hundreds of ships of various types were built in Saugatuck shipyards and the town was a haven for ship captains.

Chain Ferry

A resort, tourist, and "cottage" culture emerged in the 1880s and took a propitious turn in 1910 when a group of Chicago artists established the Summer School of Paintings on Ox-Bow Lagoon, and when a huge dance hall, called the Big Pavilion, was built on the waterfront. The resulting influx of well-known artists and big name Chicago architects resulted in a wave of building. The seed planted at Ox-Bow has continued to flourish over the years, with the area is now known as the Art Coast of Michigan. Today, Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists' Residency continues to be affiliated with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The area's many historical buildings, fine art galleries, and famous chain ferry, together with the art of recreation, the art of learning, and the art of nature, are all aspects of the area's history that are part of the art of being Saugatuck and Douglas.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²) of it is water or 17.93%.

Tourism

Saugatuck Village Hall

Saugatuck's primary source of revenue stems from tourism - though only 1,000 individuals call Saugatuck their year-round home, the population of the town swells to nearly 3,000 in the summer. Saugatuck is a prime summer weekend getaway destination for residents of Chicago, Grand Rapids and Detroit areas and many guests are attracted to the many Bed and Breakfasts in the area. In 2010, Saugatuck came in fourth in Budget Travel Magazine's ten coolest towns in America.

In town, attractions include the many art galleries (over a dozen), small, independent shops, and restaurants, such as the Butler (named after the founder of the town, William Butler), Marro's Italian Restaurant, The Elbo Room, Coral Gables, and the Mermaid Bar & Grill. The Saugatuck Chain Ferry departs from Wicks Park, near the Star of Saugatuck, a large paddle-wheel boat that gives daily tours of the Kalamazoo River and Lake Michigan. There are art and music festivals throughout the year.

Other attractions include the nearby town of Douglas, Saugatuck's sister city, and the above mentioned Oval Beach. Saugatuck's historic churches contribute to a vibrant community while preserving some of the oldest buildings in town. The oldest of these churches is First Congregational Church, founded in 1860. Douglas is also home to the SS Keewatin, a coal-fired steamship formerly of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The 105 year old ship is a floating museum and a fixture in the harbor.

Since the 1970s the Saugatuck and neighboring Douglas have been popular as a tourist destination for gay and lesbian tourists from the Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Grand Rapids area as well as other Midwestern urban areas. It has even been nicknamed by some as the Provincetown of the Midwest.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,065 people, 549 households, and 265 families residing in the city. The population density was 893.6 people per square mile (345.5/km²). There were 928 housing units at an average density of 778.7 per square mile (301.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.21% White, 1.60% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.32% of the population.

There were 549 households out of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.7% were non-families. 41.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.62.

In the city the population was spread out with 16.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,318, and the median income for a family was $64,583. Males had a median income of $46,161 versus $26,484 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,382. About 6.7% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

External links

• Saugatuck/Douglas Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Saugatuck City Hall
• Saugatuck Area Business Association
• Saugatuck Public Schools
• Saugatuck-Douglas District Library
• Saugatuck - Douglas Historical Society
• Brief exhibit of historic paintings of Saugatuck, Michigan, by renowned American impressionist, Albert Henry Krehbiel (1873–1945): American Midwest Paintings; Saugatuck, Michigan Exhibit