Sh-amp artist, Tyler Vorhees, is painting a mural depicting the history of South Haven in workers of its storied past. This first section completed during school hours in the fall 2018, focuses on the lumber industry as well as fruit farming.
A pair of crosscut sawyers take down a giant maple, a log driver maneuvers massive logs down the Black River, and a towering lumberjack stands proudly while an empty Potawatomi wigwam lingers in the background. The Forest House, South Haven’s first hotel is also featured.
The fruit industry sprouted next in South Haven and this is represented by the apple and peach orchards, as well as the blueberry bushes. Vestiges of Liberty Hyde Bailey and Stanley Johnston, two brilliant local scientists in botany and horticulture, sit beneath the trees and share some fruit and observations.
Work will commence on the rest of the mural this fall/winter.
Thank you to the wonderful folks at Baseline Middle School for welcoming SHAMP into their halls and to the Historical Association of South Haven (HASH) for their help with research.
