Saugatuck Dunes State Park
| Saugatuck Dunes State Park | |
|---|---|
 Shoreline and a large wooded sand dune. | |
  Location within Michigan  Location within the United States | |
| Location | Laketown Township, Allegan County, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest city | Saugatuck, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°42′12″N 86°11′59″W / 42.70333°N 86.19972°W |
| Area | 1,000 acres (400 ha) |
| Elevation | 669 feet (204 m) |
| Established | 1977[1] |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Designation | Michigan State Park |
| Website | Official website  |
Saugatuck Dunes State Park is a public recreation area covering 1,000 acres (400 ha) on the shore of Lake Michigan between Saugatuck and Holland in Allegan County, Michigan.[2]
History
The site was once part of the estate of the inventor of the comptometer Dorr E. Felt, whose summer home, the Felt Mansion, built in 1928, is an in-holding within the state park[3] that is undergoing restoration.[4] The Felt's summer home was sold to the St. Augustine Seminary, at which Pope Leo XIV was educated, in 1949 and used as housing for young students. [5]. Later on the mansion housed cloistered nuns. In the 1970s, the building was purchased by the state of Michigan and used as a state police post, with nearby buildings serving as a prison. The state completed purchasing the site for state park purposes in 1978.[3]
Activities and amenities
The largely undeveloped state park features 14 miles (23 km) of hiking trails, 200-foot-high (61 m) sand dunes covered with trees and grass, and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of beachfront located two-thirds of a mile from the picnic parking area.[2]
References
- ↑ "When were Michigan state parks and recreation areas established?" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- 1 2 "Saugatuck Dunes State Park". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- 1 2 "Saugatuck Dunes State Park General Management Plan" (PDF). Michigan Department of Natural Resources. March 29, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ↑ "Restoration". The Felt Estate. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ↑ "Pope Leo XIV graduated from former seminary at Felt Estate". www.hollandsentinel.com. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
External links
- Saugatuck Dunes State Park Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Saugatuck Dunes State Park Map Michigan Department of Natural Resources
