Modern Driving Tour
A Day Trip to the Lakeshore:
Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Holland, South Haven, Muskegon
From the late 1940s throughout the mid-century people streamed from the cities out to the lakeshore towns for a day, a week or a summer at the beach. Land was inexpensive leading to small, mid-century ranch homes being built alongside historic cottages. These structures sprouted up around the Lake Michigan shore. State parks drew campers and new travel trailers filled the roads on weekends. Although many Lake Michigan shoreline resort venues are open primarily in the summer months, West Michigan beaches are spectacular year-round. This day trip is only a 30-45 minute drive from Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
SW MI Co-Chairs: Katherine White & Pam VanderPloeg
Special thanks to Pam VanderPloeg, website curator of ArchitectureGrandRapids.org and author of Grand Rapids Downtown Buildings c. 2021
Beaches + Sand Dunes Take a walk on the sugar sand beaches and dunes at Saugatuck Dunes Park and Oval Beach, Holland State Park, Pere Marquette City Beach in Muskegon, and Grand Haven State Park. The beaches are great for fall walking but the park pavilions and restrooms are closed in the off-season.
The Lake Shore Resort | 2885 Lake Shore Drive, Douglas Featured in the 2020 Midwest Living article "Midwest Lakeshore Resorts That Have Been Totally Transformed,” this resort is an updated favorite. When Joseph and Anna Milauckas of Chicago built the low-profile “motor-inn” retreat in 1952 the first motel rooms were chicken coops, according to their grandson Andrew quoted in the Midwest Living article. The couple used billboards on area roads to draw visitors with the saying “Quiet on Lake! Color TV! Heated Pool!” and the rest is history. The Lake Shore Resort has its own Lake Michigan beach.
The Douglas Root Beer Barrel | 455 Center St. The Douglas Root Beer Barrel was built in 1952 by Joe Decker and Harold Kelly in Flint, Michigan. They brought it to the Oval Beach near Saugatuck and it was supposedly used for selling hot dogs and root beer. The Barrel has had several owners and today it has reopened selling Wisconsin Sprechers Rootbeer at its roadside location.
Downtown Saugatuck at Coral Gables This site is located on 2.5 blocks of waterfront. Originally built in 1906 by the Leindecker family, Tom Johnson purchased the Old Crow Bar and Hotel Saugatuck from Dale Crow in 1958. He built the MCM addition and renamed the complex Coral Gables, Hotel Saugatuck.
Saugatuck Center for the Arts | 400 Culver The arts center was built in the 1950s. In 2003 the SCA converted the 32,000 square foot abandoned Lloyd J. Harriss Pie Company factory into a stunning art center. The community-based center has both indoor and outdoor exhibit, event, and meeting spaces.
Blue-Star Highway | Roadway between Douglas and Saugatuck
MCM buildings dot the Blue-Star Highway between Douglas and Saugatuck. Hop on the Blue Star Highway between Douglas and Saugatuck where you will step back into time with old buildings with updated touches suited for today’s travelers. Blue Star Highways were designated around the nation in 1945 following World War II to honor the U.S. Armed Forces by The National Council of State Garden Clubs. The blue star was used on service flags to denote a service member fighting in the war.
Blue Star Cafe & Ice Cream Shop | 141 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck Order your favorite flavors at this this sweet roadside stand featuring a distinctive rounded moderne roof, outdoor patio and retro interior.
Dairy Dayz | 6471 Blue Star Highway Built in 1950, this creamery is a local favorite.
Pennyroyal | 3319 Blue Star Highway This restaurant was built in 1960. It debuted in a converted MCM building, and is named for the historic mint plant once used as a staple in the early Native American healing tradition.
Saugatuck Brewing | 2948 Blue Star Highway, Saugatuck Enjoy a beer inside or oudoors at this craft brewery. Opened in 2005, the other side of the building is a converted 1950s factory complex.
Saugatuck Antique Pavilion | 2948 Blue Star Highway, Douglas The Saugatuck Antique Pavilion is located in the former 1950s Hanson Manufacturing Company factory building. From 1976 to 2013 it was home to Haworth Furniture manufacturing. Look for mid-century retro design objects and furniture and antiques from other eras.
Drive north about 12 miles to Holland, MI
The city of Holland began as a Dutch settlement founded in 1847 by Albertus van Raalte. From the beginning van Raalte sought to develop a deep water channel between Black Lake (Lake Macatawa today) and Lake Michigan, the key to the settlement’s prosperity and growth through manufacturing and industry. At that time today’s channel was just a stream through the dunes. Van Raalte and the settlers, lacking another means to dredge the channel for ship traffic, had to dig it out themselves. Today the well-traveled Ottawa Beach Road follows Lake Macatawa and the channel to Lake Michigan. Ottawa Beach Road leads to the popular Holland State Park Beach.
Big Red Lighthouse While you are there, walk over to the channel to view a hitoric attraction, the famous lighthouse known affectionately as Big Red. It was built in 1907 and the lighthouse is run by a nonprofit organization. It is currently closed to visitors.
Herrick District Library | 300 River Street The original library was built in 1960., and was designed by Detroit architect Carl S. Pirscher. The contractor was Kreighoff-Lenawee Construction Company of Adrian, Michigan. The cost of $300,000 was funded by philanthropist Ray Herrick of Tecumseh Products. In 1999 a major expansion designed by FGM ( Frye, Fillan & Molinaro Architects Ltd.) of Chicago transformed the library but preserved the original exterior fronting River Street.
Holland State Park Beach | 2215 Ottawa Beach Road Public Works Administration funds were used to construct the original modern pavilion-bathhouse, which was completed in 1940. The Holland State Park pavilion is an MCM favorite with tourists and local residents.
Lake Ranch Resort | 2226 Ottawa Beach Road Open through mid-October, the resort overlooks Lake Macatawa. It was established in 1952. True to its original motel design, some units have a view of the lake and the elevated pool still has the 1950s windows that allow underwater viewing.
Ottawa Beach Inn | 2155 Ottawa Beach Road Along the Ottawa Beach Road, you can stop for a meal or drinks at the restaurant, which was constructed in 1972. It's located near the Holland State Park.
Readers World | 194 S River Street Before you leave Holland, browse the shelves for your favorite books at this local bookshop. It opened in 1967 and was once a pharmacy.
Church of the Dunes | 717 Sheldon Boulevard This religious structure was built in 1960 by Alden B. Dow. The wooded site frees the low-profile church. According to the Alden B. Dow Studio blog features include the sandy brick exterior, a pitched roof that increases in height from front to back, and a roofline that forms a deep peak over recessed entry doors.
Grand Haven State Park | Grand Haven This public park opened in 1920. The 1938 concrete pavilion and bathhouse was designed in the Moderne style using Public Works Administration funds. Although Lake Michigan in October will almost certainly be too cold for swimming, visitors can enjoy a walk on the beach and soak up some of that fall sun.
Herman Miller Office Outlet |455 Washington Between Holland and Grand Rapids, sits the iconic Herman Miller-designed furniture shop in Zeeland. Items were originally designed by famed mid-century designers like Ray and Charles Eames, Isamu Noguchi, and many others.
Duncan Woods | 1115 Sheldon Boulevard Another option for a fall walk is Duncan Woods, established in 1913. Located off Sheldon Road, this nature preserve is filled with beech and hemlock trees and can be enjoyed year-round. It includes a walking area through the forested back dune. From 1940-1973 motorists were able to access a paved road to drive all the way through the preserve. Background history: The property was donated by Martha Huntington Duncan on her death in 1913. Martha was the wife of city pioneer Robert W. Duncan who came to Grand Haven in 1851. The beautiful wooded land was adjacent to their home on Lake Drive. It was given to the city for the enjoyment of the public with a trust for its maintenance.
Getty Drive-In | 920 E. Summit Take-in a film at the drive-in! Built in 1948, it's still showing movies today. The theater started as a single-screen and was called the NK Outdoor Theater. Grand Rapids theater mogul Jack Loeks Theatres purchased the drive-in and renamed it the Getty Drive-In in 1960. Three more screens were added in 1979 and then it was the Midwest’s largest. In 1991 an FM radio frequency was offered so that viewers could listen to the movie’s sound via the radio. By the late 1990s it was one of the few remaining operational drive-in theaters, however in 2013 the theater converted to digital projection.
This area of Grand Haven has a number of streets off Grand Avenue which leads back to the lake. On these quiet cul-de-sacs stand many cool mid-century modern homes built by local architect partners John VanderMeiden and Michael Koteles and also by Kristianas Grants. These are private residences and private property not open to the public. Beacon Boulevard, Grand Haven’s main thoroughfare, was cut through the city of Grand Haven in the 1950s to connect U.S. 31 north to Muskegon and south of the drawbridge to Holland. Check out these MCM Beacon Boulevard structures. View: Chevrolet sign (1701 S. Beacon Boulevard) 1960s. This visible industry symbol features the iconic Chevrolet “bowtie” brand developed in 1913 by company co-founder William Durant. In 2019 after being granted landmark status by the city, the historic sign was taken down, checked for structural integrity, refurbished, and fitted with new neon tubes by Postema Signs & Graphics.
Stan’s Tacos | 21 Beacon Boulevard Originally built in 1968, this taco stand is located in a newly repurposed modern building. This building with its distinctive roofline was formerly the Citizens Bank. Inside Stan’s Tacos is a large wall mural by Sotir Davidhi (Mural by Design) featuring an aerial view of local Grand Haven landmarks. The owner is Meritage and the restaurant has several locations in metropolitan Grand Rapids. The restaurant was temporarily closed so check before heading that way.
St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church | 2929 McCracken, Muskegon Head North on US 31 to Muskegon for a chance to view this MCM church. It was built in 1967 and designed by architect Marcel Breurer. The structure features a gray concrete facade designed as a trapezoidal shape that is narrow at the base and widens 75 feet in height. Photo Coutesy of rossograph.
Rays Drive-In | 20 N. Beacon Boulevard You can’t miss the sign on Beacon for Rays. Built in 1960, stop for a quick meal in this old-style burger joint. Ray Harz opened Ray's Drive-In offering “beefburgers”, fries, milkshakes, shrimp and fish.