Eden Springs Park

Eden Springs Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Interactive map
Location	789 M-139 Benton Harbor, Michigan
Coordinates	42°6′12″N 86°26′5″W
Built	1908
Architect	Peter Muller
NRHP reference No.	100009649
Added to NRHP	December 26, 2023

Eden Springs Park is an amusement park and associated structures located at 789 M-139 in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.

History

The House of David commune was formed in 1861 by Benjamin Franklin Purnell. After a career as itinerant preachers, Purnell and his wife settled in Benton Harbor in 1903. After arriving, the group grew quickly, from an original seven members to over 700 in 1907. In 1908, Purnell opened an amusement park and zoo known as Eden Springs Park. A baseball stadium was added in 1910. Local teams played there through the Great Depression.

However, after World War II, societal changed caused fewer people to visit Eden Springs. The zoo was closed in 1945, baseball teams disbanded in the 1950s, and stage shows that had previously been put on halted in the 1960s. The park closed in 1973.

Description

Eden Springs Park contains the historic Eden Springs amusement park, as well as zoological gardens, rental cabins, and a baseball field. In all, the site has 58 buildings and structures, of which 49 (13 buildings and 20 structures, plus 15 objects, and 1 site) contribute to the historic significance of the property.