Southwest Michigan Area History & Folklore

For many people, both residents and visitors alike, Southwest Michigan's historical facts are quite interesting as well as surprising.

Southwest Michigan's factoids include: 11,000 years of settlement complete with mammoth and mastodon hunting ... being a "stop" along the Underground Railroad ... home to the Civil War hero who captured Confederate President Jefferson Davis fleeing the defeat of his nation ... the ghost town of Singapore (see our "History of Allegan County, Michigan" section) ... the "Battle of Manila" cannon, dedicated by President McKinley ... home to the Checker Cab Manufacturing Corporation & Upton Machine Company, later renamed Whirlpool Corporation, original home of the Gibson Guitar Company ... and many other interesting tidbits.

Southwest Michigan's firsts, some contested by other locales, include: the first airplane flight ... first automobile ... the first newspaper published between Detroit & Chicago ... first state to have a border-to-border interstate freeway ... and other firsts.

Southwest Michigan and the cities therein have been referred-to in numerous ways, and for a variety of reasons, through the years: United States' largest paper-producer ... nation's smallest city ... world's largest celery-producer ... world's peppermint supplier ... world's largest outdoor fruit market.

America's First Airplane Flight Man-supporting, heavier-than-air, motorized, controllable, "flying machine"	Allegan County, Michigan Including Allegan & Saugatuck communities
America's First Car The 1894 Baushke automobile was built in Benton Harbor as an experimental investment idea	Berrien County, Michigan Including Benton Harbor, Berrien Springs, Buchanan, Harbert, Niles, St. Joseph, & Three Oaks
Berrien County, Sweet Summer Memories At the turn of the century, thousands of visitors traveled to Berrien County for their summer vacations	Bridgman, Michigan The post office, railroad station and this new town were to be named after George Bridgman
Cass County, Michigan Including Cassopolis, Dowagiac, Pokagon, & Sumnerville communities	Coloma, Michigan First called Shingle Diggins, this town became known as Dickerville, then finally Coloma.
The Greeks of Berrien County, Michigan Greek immigrants started coming to America in the 1880's due to horrible economic conditions in Greece.	The Israelite House of David A communal society that practiced celibacy, vegetarianism, conscientious objection, and equal rights for women
Kalamazoo County, Michigan Including Galesburg, Kalamazoo, Richland & Schoolcraft communities	Lake Michigan, The "Grand Lac" Monstrous ice formations of up to 6,500 feet thick formed what we know today as the Great Lakes
Paw Paw Lake: THE Resort Destination Certainly "the right place, at the right time." This quiet country setting attracted millions of visitors	St. Joseph County, Michigan Including Burr Oak, Centreville, Constantine, Colon, Mottville, Sturgis, Three Rivers, & White Pigeon
Silver Beach Amusement Park The grand park that once graced the lake shore of St. Joseph is fondly remembered	Stevensville, Michigan In exchange for having a railroad depot named after Mr. Stevens, he sold a portion of his land for $1.00.
Van Buren County, Michigan Including Hartford, Lawrence, Paw Paw, & South Haven communities	Watervliet, Michigan The community of Watervliet and its history are forever tied to the flowing waters of the Paw Paw River.
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