Sharon Halliburton, Broker Associate, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, ASP

...Specializing in Unforgettable Sunsets from Lake MI Beaches of SW Michigan...

St. Joseph, MI Area Guide

St. Joseph is nestled on the southern tip of what has been termed “The Riviera of the Midwest.” Located just 90 miles from downtown Chicago, St. Joseph is a quaint community. The lakeshore is peppered with remarkable sand dune formations and lined further inland with a lush countryside that produces some of the nation's finest orchards and vineyards.

St. Joseph has prospered over the years by encouraging a balanced mix of industrial, commercial, and residential development. The city has become well known for its beautiful location along Lake Michigan, its quality public school system, its health care system, its beaches, parks and its affluent community. The presence of many large corporations causes the city's population to triple during the average workday. St. Joseph has become the ideal location for many second-home buyers, with a strong attraction from the Chicago area.

Tourists come to St. Joseph every year to enjoy the beaches, Lake Michigan, the St. Joseph River, downtown shopping, festivals and more. Silver Beach County Park in downtown St. Joseph attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually, and the number of visitors continues to grow. Annual festivals in St. Joseph continue to draw increasing numbers of tourists to the community.

History

The mouth of the St. Joseph River at present day St. Joseph was an important point of travel and commerce, as it lay along a key water route between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. In 1669, the mouth of the river was discovered by European explorers. French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle built Fort Miami on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. In 1679, he waited for the ship Le Griffon which never returned. Once the ship was deemed lost, LaSalle and his men made the first land crossing of the lower peninsula by Europeans.

The next permanent white settler in St. Joseph was William Burnett. In 1780, Burnett started a trading post. The post traded food, furs and goods with places including Detroit, Mackinac and Chicago. In 1829, Calvin Britain, who had come from New York, came to the site of St. Joseph. He laid out the plat of the village, then known as Newburyport, named after a coastal city in Massachusetts. Britain was influential in attracting other settlers to the area. Lots sold rapidly and the village flourished.

The St. Joseph River mouth was straightened through a channel and piers were added later. Newburyport changed its name to St. Joseph when it was incorporated in 1834.

Attractions and Activities

St. Joseph is home to numerous attractions and activities that will be sure to entertain your entire family throughout the year. Come listen to the beautiful sounds of the Southwestern Michigan Symphony Orchestra or visit the Silver Beach Carousel Museum and more. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture all the great memories you’ll be making here in St. Joseph’s!

Southwestern Michigan Symphony Orchestra

The Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra was created to provide the southwest Michigan region with exceptional live music year-round, both culturally and educationally. The Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra has evolved with its ever-expanding and diverse audience. Under the direction of Music Director Robin Fountain, the SMSO has acquired a reputation in the tri-state area for featuring new, surprising, and challenging works in a non-traditional repertoire. Educationally, the programs supported by the SMSO have strived to bridge the economic gap in southwest Michigan schools. These include The Lake Michigan Youth Orchestra, the Young People’s Concert, Master Classes and Musicians in Schools.

Silver Beach Carousel Museum

Riding the carousel is just one of the fun things you can do at Silver Beach. Behind the carousel is Michigan’s tallest kaleidoscope and Curious Kids’ Discovery Zone by Curious Kids Museum, an entertaining place for toddlers to teens to explore water exhibits, a climbing wall and traveling exhibits. Next door to us is the beautiful, new Silver Beach Shadowland Ballroom, where special celebrations and wedding dreams come true. Across the road is the Whirlpool Compass Fountain where you can splash in the mist on warm days.

Box Factory for the Arts

The Berrien Artist Guild, through its multi-use facility, the Box Factory for the Arts, chooses to create an outstanding place to practice and celebrate artistic diversity. The Berrien Artist Guild is committed, focused and driven to continuously generate opportunities to regional artists while interacting, educating, learning and growing within the community at large.

For a detailed list of entertainment in the area, please visit http://www.swmichigan.org/entertainment.html

Events

Come experience all the entertainment that St. Joseph has to offer you! From ice carving to luminaries to sailing, there is something to please everyone in your family. You won’t want to miss out on any of these great events while in St. Joseph’s!

Magical Ice Carving Festival
The Magical Ice Carving Festival is a weekend event featuring over 120 blocks of ice carved by professional carvers. Sanctioned by the National Ice Carving Association, the festival will feature competitions during the weekend. Magicians entertain the young and old while activities are provided for the children.

Luminary Festival
Luminary Festival is a holiday open house. Come enjoy over 800 luminaries as they illuminate the downtown area. Take a free horse drawn trolley ride and listen to the live music. Stroll from shop to shop and enjoy refreshments and holiday goodies.

Tri-State Regatta and Sailing Festival
The four day long Tri-State Regatta sailboat race attracts boaters from far and wide. Beginning in Chicago, the boaters race to St. Joseph, head on to Michigan City, and then complete the final leg and return to Chicago. While docked in St. Joseph, sailors and visitors can enjoy free horse-drawn trolley rides, the farmer's market, arts and crafts and more.

Save a Stray

Save a Stray is a volunteer organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and home finding of homeless pets. Their goal is to work with the community and other local pet welfare groups to improve the canine and feline condition within the St. Joseph area.

For a detailed list of community events, please visit http://sjcity.com/inside.php?a=CALENDAR

For more details about St. Joseph, MI please visit: http://sjcity.com/