Resorts of Berrien County

Download or read book Resorts of Berrien County written by Elaine Cotsirilos Thomopoulos and published by Arcadia Library Editions. This book was released on 2005-08 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over 125 years, Berrien County has beckoned visitors with its magnificent beaches, attractions, and events. During the early 20th century, some visitors to southwestern Michigan were upper-class industrialists, while others were working-class families belonging to close-knit ethnic communities. As the area developed into a resort haven, elaborate mansions shared the beach with the cottages of Irish, Czech, Swedish, Jewish, Greek, Lithuanian, Polish, Italian, and African-American communities. This book chronicles the early history of Berrien County's resort culture--from the twinkling amusement parks of Silver Beach and the House of David and the marathon dances at Shadowland Pavilion to the mineral baths at the Whitcomb Hotel and the fruit orchards found throughout the "Heart of the Fruit Belt."