Schooners rigged for sailing and steam-driven freighters were once common sights at St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. Fruit, lumber, and manufactured goods made up much of the port's early trade. By the 1870s, vessels were regularly carrying thousands of summer "day trippers" from Chicago. These visitors came to enjoy the community's beaches, orchards, and amusement parks, giving rise to a thriving tourist industry.

In the early 20th century, goods increasingly moved by rail and truck, and tourists traveled more by automobile. Still, the harbor's terminals and strategic location remain for bulk freighters carrying cargo in local, regional, and even international trade.

(Lower Left Photo Caption)
Early commercial carriers line the Benton Harbor Ship Canal in the 1890s. Private investors expanded the port in the 1860s by digging the canal, making it one of West Michigan's busiest harbors.
Postcard: The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center

(Upper Right Photo Caption)
A commercial freighter prepares to dock at a St. Joseph shipping terminal, circa 1955.
Photo: The Herald-Palladium

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Show me all markers in:  St Joseph, MI  |  Berrien County  |  49085  |  Michigan  |  United States of America

Recreational Boating
Shipbuilding in the Twin Cities
U.S. Lighthouse Supply Depot
St. Joseph Maritime Heritage
Boatbuilding Industry
St. Joseph River Swing Bridge
Commercial Fishing
Creating a Harbor
St. Joseph's Firemen
Fort Miami

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