Michigan
Saugatuck (Mich)
Allegan County (Mich)
Snow
Black-and-white photography
Black and white photograph featuring two individuals standing outside of the Saugatuck Rest Area while taking a look at the Travel Service Directory and the Public Recreation Facilties information posters. A pay phone can also be seen outside the building. The ground if covered in snow and both individuals are wearing winter coats.
Digital file contributed by the Saugatuck Douglas History Center as part of the Stories of Summer project.
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
Copyright Undetermined
Black and white photograph of the Saugatuck Rest Area as seen from a distance on a winter's day. The building is located in a wooded area with an empty parking lot in the background.
Boats
Docks
Lakes
Outdoor recreation
Black and white photograph featuring a variety of boats in the bay of Lake Kalamazoo near downtown Saugatuck, Michigan. Two of the boats have large American flags displayed proudly. The lake is very busy with boaters and there are buildings and a forest in the distance. Coral Gables and its neighboring dock can be seen in the back left corner.
Churches
Black and white photograph of All Saints Episcopal Church blanketed with snow in Saugatuck, Michigan. The church is located on Grand Street in a wooded area close to downtown.
City halls
Black and white photograph of Saugatuck Village Hall, located across the street from the Kalamazoo River waterfront in downtown Saugatuck, Michigan. The building is surrounded by trees and a famiy appears to be walking by on the sidewalk out front.
Douglas (Mich.)
Kalamazoo River (Mich.)
Aerial views
Black and white photograph of an aerial view of the Saugatuck-Douglas shoreline from what appears to be the summit of Mt. Baldhead. The picture features a beautiful view of where the Kalamazoo River and Lake Kalamazoo meet and the buildings along the waterfront are surrounded by forested areas in all directions. The bridge leading to Douglas can be seen in the distance.
Families Enjoying an Outdoor Swimming Pool
Swimming pools
Families
Black and white photograph featuring a young family enjoying their time spent at the pool located along the Kalamazoo River in Saugatuck, Michigan. There are tables with umbrellas located in the patio area and there is only one child in the pool. The handwriting at the bottom of the picture reads: "Photo #2 Reduce to Size, #2."
Restaurants
Black and white photograph of the Coral Gables Ballroom located along the waterfront in downtown Saugatuck, Michigan. The ballroom is full of dining tables covered in white tablecloth and features an amazing shoreline view of where the Kalamazoo River meets Lake Kalamazoo.
Advertising fliers
Gay bars
Gay culture
Advertisement flier featuring the All-Star Jazz Combo playing at The Blue Tempo "House of Music" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The flier reads: "6 nights weekly. Jazz sessions Saturday, Sunday 3 P.M. 'Till 9." Also listed are the members of the band and at the bottom it reads: "The Blue Tempo. 'House of Music' Saugatuck." It is known as being one of West Michigan's first gay bars and had its peak popularity, circa the 1960s.
Hotels
Typed letter from The Blue Tempo Resort addressed to potential resorters ahead of their stay in Saugatuck, Michigan. The letterhead reads "The Blue Tempo, House of Music" in cursive lettering. The letter covers the rates for a stay in The Blue Tempo Hotel and cabin rates on the Kalamazoo River. It also covers the activities available in Saugatuck, the restauraunt within the Hotel, and the need for identification to drink legally. Circa the 1960s.
Advertisement flier featuring jazz musician, Ira Sullivan, playing at The Blue Tempo "House of Music" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The description reads: "Chosen out of America's Top Jazz Musicians to do the Charlie "Bird" Parker Memorial Record Album (Released soon). Ira has played with the best Jazz Musicians of our times. To mention a few: Art Blakey "Jazz Messengers," Stan Getz, "Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Horce Silver, Oscar Pettiford, Joe Jones, Max Roach, Miles Davis, Roland Kirk, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, and Many Many More." The flier is brown with age and the bottom highlights the different band members of the Blue Temp All Star Jazz Combo as well as dates for the music. Circa the 1960s.
All-Star "Jazz Festival" at The Blue Tempo
Music festivals
Advertisement flier featuring the All-Star "Jazz Festival" held at The Blue Tempo club in Saugatuck, Michigan. The flier is a more simplified version which is advertising Ira Sullivan's performance at The Blue Tempo club on September 22. Circa the 1960s.
Jazz poster for A Touch of Chicago's "Old Town" performed every weekend at The Blue Tempo in Saugatuck, Michigan. The advertisement mentions a jam session every Sunday and there is a phone number listed at the bottom which says "Call 857-2629." Circa the 1960s.
Beaches
Michigan, Lake
Front cover advertisement for The Blue Tempo "The House of Music" in Saugatuck, Michigan. The background photograph is a sepia-colored image of a crowded beach, which is most likely Oval Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Community newspapers
Summer theater
Volume ninety-six and issue thirty-one of the community newspaper, The Commercial Record, serving Saugatuck-Douglas since 1869. The newspaper is dated ast Thursday, July 30, 1964 and has a variety of articles covering the winners of Venetian Events from the Festival of the same name. Events highlighted are related to automobiles and parade winners. Additionally, articles cover an ice cream social, a closing of public swimming pools, as welll as dead alewives littering the shores of Lake Michigan. Additionally, there are a variety of advertisements surrounding the articles, the biggest of which is one for The Blue Tempo. Articles cover the Venetian Festival and growing crowds, the opening of "My Fair Lady" at the Barn Theatre, the near completion of Douglas School, an opening of a Church Arts Show, stringent rules for Labor Day Weekend proposed by citizens, the opening of the I-96 Freeway, as well as the hosting of the Michigan PGA Tourney by the Hamilton Lake Golf Club. The advertisements cover The Blue Tempo Jazz Club, E.R. Launderette, Furniture, and the Forest Grove Mill.
Newspaper advertisement for The Blue Tempo Jazz Club in Saugatuck, Michigan. It also features Ray Murphy's Jazz Group whose modern jazz and dancing takes place every Saturday night and country music featuring Glenn Owens of Allegan every Friday and Sunday night.
The Commercial Record - November 4, 1970
Interior page of the Saugatuck-Douglas community newspaper, The Commercial Record, dated Friday, November 4, 1960. Articles feature the Junior Garden Club hosting a campout, a ban of All-Star teams of the Al-Van League, and the price reduction of a ranch-style home. There are advertisements for businesses as well as ads encouraging voting for State Senator and Representative candidates.
Issue number thirty of community newspaper, The Commercial Record, dated July 22, 1976 and written in its 109th year of serving the Saugatuck-Douglas community. The front page features an article on the devastating fire which broke out at The Blue Tempo, along with a brief history of the local landmark, and news of the Red Barn Theatre reopening. The newpaper has become discolored from age and there appears to be water damage.
The Commercial Record - September 3, 1964
Arts centers
Volume ninety-six and issue thirty-six of the community newspaper, The Commercial Record, serving Saugatuck-Douglas since 1869. This issue is dated September 3, 1964 and has a series of different stories, sports news, changes in labor day weekend for schools, local politics, as well as local news of a death and Ox-Bow's 54th season. A spread which includes advertisements for the Blue Tempo, as well as news that the lounge plans to have a jazz festival. The advertisement features the different names which are performing at the festival.
Gay men
An advertisement for the Berry Cove Country Club in Saugatuck, Michigan. It features an illustration of the upper half of a naked man with a towel or bandana around his neck. Membership is advertised as being a dollar and in the bottom right hand corner there are summer rates listed for the year 1975.
Pamphlets
Publication from Douglas Dunes resort titled "Michigan's Escape" dated May 7, 1982 and labeled Volume 1, Issue Number 6. It features the front and back cover pages which include advertising for the first annual beach party, Mr. Legs contest, and a photo of the Douglas Dunes co-owners, Larry Gammons and Carl Jennings.
Postcards
Motels
Automobiles
Black and white photo postcard of Douglas Dunes Resort featuring three outdoor scenes. The first is a picture of the pool, the second below it is of the outdoor patio and dining area, and the bottom photograph is of the parking lot and motel rooms. There is a small border which is decorated with little trees. The postcard is blank aside from the small typed writing in the top left corner which reads: "Douglas Dunes Resort. Deluxe motel, a/c, heated pool, and cable TV. Sir Douglas fine dining, Disco and Patio bars. P.O. Box 365 Douglas, MI 49406. (616) 857-1401."
Advertisement flier for Douglas Dunes resort located off Blue Star Highway in Douglas, Michigan. The flier reads: "Douglas Dunes *Honors All* Bartenders, Waiters, & Bar Owners. Oct. 11, 12 & 13 1982." The flier also includes the prices of rooms and amenities included.
Advertisement flier for the 2nd Annual Invitational Volleyball Tournament at The Dunes resort in Douglas, Michigan, which took place on June 12-13, 1982. The flier includes information about tournament registration as well as booking rooms for the weekend.