416 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm, Index, map

Saugatuck (Mich.) -- History. Allegan County (Mich.) -- History. Michigan -- Allegan County. Michigan -- Saugatuck.

Copy 2 is signed copy by author

Saugatuck-Douglas History Bookshelf [Featuring publications on area history, both present day and in the past. Offered as a guide and inspiration for those who peruse used book stores.] Sheridan, James E. Saugatuck Through the Years, 1830-1980 (Harlo Press: Detroit) 1982. James Sheridan was a charter member of the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society, an educator and former resident who retired to Saugatuck in 1971. His father was keeper of the Saugatuck light from 1909 to 1914, and after the death of his father in 1915 the family moved to a house on Culver Street and he attended Saugatuck High School being an important part of the winning Saugatuck High School basketball teams of the middle 1920's. He died in Saugatuck in 1996. In this book Sheridan attempts the first comprehensive history of Saugatuck since Early Memories of Saugatuck authored by May Francis Heath in 1930. Early history is drawn from a variety of early sources including early county histories, Heath, the recollections of Henry Hudson Hutchins and the files of the Commercial Record, but it is the part of history that Sheridan knew first hand where he shines. He writes of the old ferry shanty: "The shanty was unforgettable being dusty and untidy ... with a small pot bellied stove, a few cluttered shelves and the wall covered with hanging items and tools. It exuded a smokey fragrance quite in keeping with the peculiar purpose for which it was used. There were a few rickety chairs for the benefit of the regular presence of those in the community who felt a compulsion to stop in now and then to discuss whatever weighty matter might be current either in the village or in the world.. . In the summer one could sit in the shade outside and view the kaleidoscopic scene of the river traffic and the pretty girls passing. In winter, the shanty was tight and warm, with a stove that provided a perfect receptacle for spitting and apple core disposal..." Now out of print, Saugatuck Through the Years is sometimes found in used book stores in Michigan and surrounding states for $20 to $40. Source: SDHS newsletter insert page 36