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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 Countys 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."
About the author
Author Elaine Cotsirilos Thomopoulos is an alumnus of Northwestern University, the University of Illinois-Urbana, \and the Illinois Institute of Technology, where she earned her Ph.D. in Psychology. She has served as the president of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Benton Harbor (now Annunciation and St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in New Buffalo) and co-project director of Berrien County Historical Association's "Greeks of Berrien County" project. She previously authored St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, also published by Arcadia.
