An Introduction to Highland Park

Highland Park is a historic conservancy district in Grand Haven. It began more than 100 years ago as a summer resort in the sand dunes south of the estuary of the Grand River. At Highland Park, the shifting dunes are anchored by many different trees, ferns and myrtle, and inhabited by black and grey squirrels, raccoons, birds, skunks, pets and people.

The story of Highland Park as a resort community begins in the 1880’s, when Grand Haven and other towns along the western shore of Lake Michigan became favorite destinations for the comfortable classes in the Midwest, as they sought to escape humid summer heat in Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis. Within seven years after the Civil War, in 1872, Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Fruitport were well known as watering holes for believers in the curative powers of their magnetic mineral spring waters. Fine hotels, rivals of Mackinaw Island’s Grand Hotel, were built here. Leisure and spreading affluence brought summer visitors to the shores of Lake Michigan.

In 1886, the Highland Park Association formed to build a summer resort on land leased for a dollar a year from the City of Grand Haven. In 1887, the first cottage was completed. Loch Hame, sited across from the Khardomah Lodge on Lake Avenue and noted for the beech tree growing through its front porch.

Charter members of the Park Association included Grand Haven lumber baron Dwight Cutler, and the town lawyers, doctors, and merchants with names like Boyce, Bottje, Kirby, and Vander Veen. Other founding members were summer guests from Chicago and St. Louis. By 1917 and World War I. about 107 cottages had been built, often under difficult circumstances as there were few roads and lumber had to be carried by hand up to the dune crests. Today the number of cottages has declined slightly to 98, mostly because of the extension of Grand Avenue to the Lake ii) 1952. This new road to the beach cut off the southern most cottages although these are still part of the Highland Park Association.

At the turn of the century, travel to Grand Haven was easy aboard the stately passenger steamers of the Goodrich Line. The Pere Marquette, and the Detroit and Milwaukee railroads also brought visitors from the south and east. In 1895 local doctor Stephen Monroe started the Grand Haven Street Railway Company, with a steam-powered street car that shuffled resorters and day trippers out to the Park where the Company also built a dance pavilion and public beach house. In about 19(M. the Grand Rapids, Grand Haven and Muskegon Railway reached Highland Park, providing fast, cheap transportation between Highland Park and Grand Rapids.
Nearly all the Highland Park cottages were meant for summer living. Walls were wood frame without insulation, and even today many cottages still are only habitable in warmer months. At first, conveniences were few, but groceries milk and the mail were delivered daily to each cottage. As there were no streets and no street number the cottages were known by their evocative names; the Wickiup, Oriole Cottage, and Merry Mac are wonderful examples. August Boseker, a German immigrant to Grand Haven, built many of the original cottages. Captain Walker, a retired sailor, operated the first beach pavilion and ice cream concession until Boseker bought him out. Each summer, a pier was built out into the Lake where boats could he rented. Daytrippers could also rent the latest styles in bathing suits for about a nickel a day.

Through the years, the Highland Park Residents Association has fought to preserve its unique character. Printed regulations for the 1914 se discouraged cottagers from bringing their cats in order to preserve bird life. At the same time, firearms were to only he discharged on the beach, not in the Park. The old City lease expired and cottagers were allowed to buy their lots in the early 1930’s. Most recently, the Association fought a successful battle to prevent construction on undeveloped lots within and near the Park.

The resort reached its apex in the 1920s when Chicagoan Thomas F. Otley established the Highland Park Tennis Club and held tournaments under the auspices of the newly for U.S. Lawn Tennis Association. Two grass tennis courts were built in a sheltered area and these attracted world class players until the 1950’s. The tennis courts are still there and can be seen on this tour.

In a 1982 historical survey of Grand Haven, an outside consultant described Highland Park as a singular neighborhood within the city, even perhaps unique within the state of Michigan. The Park’s most significant characteristic was said to be ...the relationship of its cottages to die natural dune environment. The contrast of the density of development on the dune ridges with the pristine forest of the slopes and valley creates an intimate recreational and educational resource Children of course like it too.

John Sanford
Tri-Cities Museum

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