BERRIEN COUNTY
County Offices
701 Main Street
St. Joseph 269-983-7111
www.berriencounty.org
Chamber of Commerce
80 West Main Street
Benton Harbor 269-925-6100
www.cstonealliance.org
Services
Covering a region with more than 300 inland lakes and rivers as well as Lake Michigan, Berrien County is known as Michigan’s Great Southwest. Berrien County is also synonymous with “Harbor Country,” a collective term for eight popular resort communities that ring the shoreline. Residents enjoy an enviable quality of life that includes first-rate educational and healthcare resources. State-of-the-art healthcare is anchored by the region’s leading employer, Lakeland Regional Health System. Three acute hospitals in Berrien Springs, Niles, and St. Joseph anchor a network of services and facilities that include outpatient satellite centers. Many private-practice healthcare professionals expand the services that are available close to home.
Students of all ages have the ultimate advantage in Berrien County, where award-winning public and private schools combine with seven area colleges and universities. The opportunities for higher education are even more expansive in nearby cities and towns. Lake Michigan College, Andrews University, Southwestern Michigan College, Western Michigan University Extension, and Siena Heights University combine to provide a wealth of degree programs and related resources. Other highly respected and renowned colleges that surround the county include Purdue, Notre Dame, Western Michigan University, the Indiana Institute of Technology, and Valparaiso and Davenport universities.
Quality of Life
Berrien County boasts an unusually diverse and culturally rich population for a region of its size, fueled over the decades by leading institutions of higher education and world-class companies. The county’s strategic location along Lake Michigan lies in the heart of America’s “Midwest coast” with its exceptional recreational opportunities and bounteous fruit belt. Harbor County’s numerous township beaches are anchored by public beaches at New Buffalo and Warren Dunes State Park on the northern end. Warren Woods State Preserve and Warren Dunes State Park are ideal for hiking, biking, and nature study. Swimming, boating, fishing, wind surfing, biking, and antique shopping in quaint small towns are common pastimes. Breathtaking natural beauty and charming small communities make this area a magnet for vacationers as well as artists and naturalists. At the same time, the county enjoys close proximity to some of the Midwest’s most interesting cosmopolitan cities.
Popular references to this region like “the Hamptons of the Midwest” or “the Riviera of the Midwest” are indicative of the area’s appeal to visitors and residents. Many of the Harbor Country communities began as exclusive seasonal resorts but grew through the decades with an increase in year-round residents. The opportunities to enjoy arts and entertainment are abundant, from world-class productions to community theater. Art and history museums, fine galleries, wonderful retail districts, and well-known restaurants combine with natural preserves and brilliant gardens. Dozens of colorful festivals fill the annual calendar, coaxing residents to join their neighbors and visitors for great food, arts and crafts, and entertainment. The housing options in Harbor Country and Berrien County are diverse and attractive, ranging from historic splendor to contemporary subdivisions. Many home sites are richly wooded and offer a luxurious sense of seclusion. Cottages and bungalows, country manors and magnificent estates, and scores of waterfront properties make this one of the most appealing housing markets in the Midwest. Newcomers will want to take their time in exploring the world of attractions that Harbor Country has to offer.
Benton Harbor
Municipal Offices
269-927-8457
https://bhcity.us/
Chamber of Commerce
269-925-6100
www.cstonealliance.org
The city of Benton Harbor is strongly associated with the St. Joseph area on the east side of the St. Joseph River. Originally known as Brunson Harbor, the city began as a market for the surrounding agricultural area. The 1980s saw a dramatic change in the community, spurred by the creation of an enterprise zone that offered encouragement and incentives to commercial and industrial entrepreneurs. Benton Harbor has masterfully developed the St. Joseph River waterfront to further drive quality development. The city enjoys a convenient and strategic location off Interstate 94 between Chicago and Detroit. Recreational amenities are exceptional, since the city extends for miles along Lake Michigan’s sandy shoreline. St. Joseph River is another major attraction, offering a scenic backdrop for fishing and boating.
Bridgman, Baroda
Bridgman Offices
269-465-5144
www.bridgman.org
Baroda Offices
269-422-1779
www.barodavillage.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-465-4413
www.lake2grapes.com
The Bridgman area encompasses Bridgman City and Lake Township as well as the less populated communities of Barodda Village and Sawyer. Popular pastimes in this area include relaxing on the beach, listening to a summer concert series, lingering over a morning coffee and lakefront views at a local beach house, shopping for antiques or artistic treasures, or enjoying world-class water sports and fishing. Interstate 94 provides commuting ease to regional destinations. Other amenities and advantages are thriving local businesses, small-town charm, friendly neighbors, exemplary schools, and first-rate services. The charming village of Baroda, home of the popular Baroda Summerfest, nestles in a rural paradise of farmland, wineries, and beaches. Many handsome new condominiums and upscale homes are springing up in the dunes area near Lake Michigan.
Galien
Municipal Offices
269-545-8143
www.galientownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-683-1833
https://www.greaternileschamber.com/index.php
The hub of the rural township of Galien is Galien Village, located near the Indiana-Michigan state line in southern Berrien County. This primarily agricultural area has managed to preserve a country flavor and relaxed pace, a community where youngsters still play ball at the park on Saturday mornings and adults play bingo at the American Legion. Neighbors wave and stop to chat, and fresh produce is available in season at roadside stands. US Highway12 is the main transportation route though the area, ensuring an easy trip to nearby Niles to the east or to Harbor Country to the west. The village is proud of its heritage and progressive in its attitude, supporting an industrial park and quality growth. The housing selection is diverse, ranging from beautiful older properties to vibrant new construction.
Grand Beach
Municipal Offices
269-469-3141
www.grandbeach.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The wonderful village of Grand Beach was synonymous with elegance and affluence in the 1920s, home to a hotel that catered to film stars and celebrities. Although the Golfmore Hotel was lost in flames in 1939, many lovely lake estates, private clubs, and neighborhood streets preserve its name. Unlike most of its neighboring communities in Harbor Country, Grand Beach was founded solely as an exclusive resort carved from a former shooting reserve. Famous visitors have a long history at Grand Beach, which has served as a summer home for the Mayors Daley of Chicago for decades. Today, the village features magnificent estates that surround a handsome country club. Another highlight in this area is the Grand Beach Nature Preserve.
Harbert
Municipal Offices
269-469-1676
www.chikamingtownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
One of three unincorporated villages in Chikaming Township, Harbert hugs Lake Michigan’s picturesque shoreline. The simplicity of the area’s early Scandinavian settlers can still be felt in this area, devoid of theme parks, sprawling malls, and mammoth resorts. Residents and visitors are able to relax and enjoy mile after mile of beachfront and abundant small-town charm. Poet Carl Sandburg spent many summers in Harbor Country and wrote his Pulitzer Prize winning account of Abraham Lincoln in his Harbert home. New Buffalo and Warren Dunes State Park provide the major public beaches–the latter rated among Michigan’s finest. Four-season recreational opportunities range from premier water sports to winter sports. Just a short drive from Harbert, the majestic sand dunes and woodlands give way to rolling hills and lush vineyards that feature award-winning wineries.
Lakeside
Municipal Offices
269-469-1676
www.chikamingtownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The unincorporated village of Lakeside is nestled in Chikaming Township and claims a rich history of transformational development. Like Harbor Country sister towns, Lakeside began as a logging center to fill Chicago’s significant demand for lumber. Farming soon replaced the disappearing forests, preserving a lush setting. At the turn of the century, Lakeside offered a panoramic home for some of the most famous and luxurious of Michigan’s lakeshore resorts. Today, the community continues its legacy as a popular site for a seasonal home or a destination for vacationers. At the same time, the village provides a charming and comfortable year-round home for its permanent residents.
Michiana
Municipal Offices
269-469-4600
http://michianavillage.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
Distinguished as the southernmost town in Harbor Country, the sleepy and somewhat secluded village of Michiana features charming log cabins. The community sprang up around the centerpiece of a giant oak that was known as the “Old Indian Signal Oak.” Many well-known Chicago celebrities maintain summer residences in Michiana, which, like Grand Beach, was originally founded solely as a resort community. Today, the serene village is primarily known for the relaxing cottage neighborhoods of log homes that are situated near Lake Michigan’s soothing surf. Many of the street names in the village bear Native American names, a gesture by early developers to honor the area’s first residents.
New Buffalo
City Hall
269-469-1500
www.cityofnewbuffalo.org
Township Offices
269-469-1011
www.newbuffalotownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The village of New Buffalo in the township of the same name is located at the mouth of the Galien River on Michigan’s west coast. One of the largest refuge harbors on the Great Lakes welcomes visitors to the area, including a transient dock facility and a 24-hour public boat launch. This lovely community serves as the gateway to Michigan’s southwestern beaches and offers a kaleidoscope of amenities. Wonderful shops and boutiques and fine dining combine with superb recreational amenities to please residents and visitors alike. Beautiful historic architecture, the Lakefront Park beach, golf courses, hiking and biking trails and paths, and some of the best fishing in the Midwest can be found in the New Buffalo area. New Buffalo is also home to the annual St. Mary’s Festival, drawing crowds to three days of food, fun, and entertainment.
Saint Joseph
Municipal Offices
269-983-5541
www.sjcity.com
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
Serving as the Berrien County seat of government, the scenic community of St. Joseph is cradled along the banks of the St. Joseph River overlooking Lake Michigan. This deep-water port town is part of a chain of delightful villages that form a spectacular arch along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Rustic brick-paved roads, fine art galleries, interesting museums, live entertainment, unique shops, antique dealers, cozy cafes, a famous farmers market, and wonderful restaurants are all graced by breathtaking lake views. Popular pastimes include hiking or biking, sand-dune exploration, swimming, boating, fishing, and golfing. Crowned by the “Antiques on the Bluff” show, the area welcomes throngs of visitors for colorful annual celebrations like the Blossomtime Parade, the Venetian Festival, and the Krasl Art Fair.
Sawyer
Municipal Offices
269-469-1676
www.chikamingtownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The northernmost community in Harbor Country, Sawyer is one of the unincorporated villages in panoramic Chikaming Township. The community is home to the crown jewel of the famous Warren Dunes, one of Michigan’s largest state parks with several hundred acres of dunelands campgrounds and white-sand beaches. In many respects, the town reflects the simplicity and unspoiled nature of the dunes themselves. An occasional curio shop, a tempting fruit stand, or the local grille are typical examples of the homespun attractions. However, Sawyer does provide an impressive travel center just off Interstate 94 that offers comfortable accommodations, fuel, food, and travel aids to the area’s throngs of visitors.
Stevensville, Lincoln
Municipal Offices
269-429-1589
www.lctberrien.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-429-1170
www.lakeshorechamber.org
Lincoln Township and the community of Stevensville are encompassed within the Lakeshore Area that also includes Baroda and south St. Joseph. This suburban area blends light industry and a thriving manufacturing sector with agricultural activity and lovely residential neighborhoods for a balanced environment. Ideally located off Interstate 94, Stevensville draws new residents and visitors to miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and sparkling waterways for water-sport recreation and fishing. Residents enjoy public beaches such as Grand Mere State Park and Lincoln Township Beach, both situated within five miles of downtown Stevensville. This area is known for its picturesque farmland, booming economy, beachfront entertainment, and spectacular sunset views. Throngs of visitors join residents each June for the Discover Stevensville Festival.
Three Oaks
Village Offices
269-756-9221
www.threeoaksvillage.org
Township Offices
269-756-9801
www.threeoakstownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The village of Three Oaks anchors the larger community of Three Oaks Township, both named for a cluster of massive oaks that once graced the area. The town’s Harbor Arts organization sponsors classic film art and Shakespeare plays during the warmer months and hosts popular festivals in the wintertime. An active cycling club sponsors the Bicycle History Museum in the downtown district, and the group is also responsible for the popular Apple Cider Century bicycle ride each September that draws thousands of cyclists to Harbor Country trails. The town’s considerable pride is most evident during the Flag Day celebration, one of the largest of its kind in the nation. The holiday movie “Prancer” was filmed on location in tranquil Three Oaks, immortalizing the area’s natural charm.
Union Pier
Municipal Offices
269-469-1676
www.chikamingtownship.org
Chamber of Commerce
269-469-5409
www.harborcountry.org
The unincorporated village of Union Pier in Chikaming Township is home to a township beach that is reserved exclusively for property owners and their guests. Situated along the banks of the Green River near the shore of Lake Michigan, Union Pier is just six miles north of the Indiana-Michigan border. With only a scattering of quaint commercial development, the modern village remains one of the most pristine and desirable resort areas in Michigan. The surrounding area encompasses wooded shoreline, majestic dunes, resort amenities, wine country, miles of trails, and Lake Michigan’s blue waters. The state parks in this region feature sand dunes that tower as high as 250 feet, while Warren Woods offers a primeval forest with hiking trails along the winding Galien River.
