Michago

From Sf3am.com/wiki

Michago is a private property in Michigan along the east coast of Lake Michigan between White Lake and Benona Shores at the intersection of Webster Drive and Scenic Drive, which is divided into numerous lots containing houses and cabins that are used mainly as vacation destinations.

Michael Blecha and his daughter Tricia with their dog Sugar, and Joseph and Patricia Chaput on the porch at their cottage, summer 2008

Michago Beach Estates

Michago is on 88 acres near Lake Michigan, divided into numerous properties with cabins and beach houses. The full name of the area is Michago Beach Estates.

Being located right on the coast of the lake in western Michigan, Michago is well positioned to feel the benefits of favorable geography. As weather systems tend to move from west to east, propelled by the jet stream, the unique north-south alignment of Lake Michigan makes its east coast (the western Michigan side) a land of beautifully sandy and accessible beaches up and down that side of the lake. The winters are extreme (as in the rest of Michigan), but during the summertime the cool breezes off the lake and the fresh summer air make the region highly attractive for vacationing.

The major town to the north is Ludington, while the largest nearby center to the south is Muskegon. Smaller towns in the area are listed in the nearby communities section.

Michago evolved during the 20th Century from farmland next to dunes alongside the lake in the early years of the 1900s to the vacation escape that it had become by the 1980s. Today it continues to serve as a destination for several families during the summer, the older generations of whom still remember much of the place's history. Patricia Chaput, one of the founders of Michago and the Grandmother of this site's admin, helped create and refine the Timeline section.

Timeline

1921-lake tour by Fr. Furman--found and bought house in Montague on White Lake--where Elizabeth Furman & Albert Furman had honeymmon--and also on that trip came 'Uncle Eddie,' Uncle Mike and Fr. Furman and his cook--left at 6 am and it took until 2am the next morning.

c. 1929: First Furman/Chicago ancestor--Father Furman purchases farmland which included an old house, chicken coop, wood shed, and a barn on the property.

c. 1930: Father Furman dies, leaving the house and land to his brother John.

1931: The wedding of Ed and Pearl is held at a Church in Montague. Patricia Chaput, 4 years old at the time, and cousin Charlotte were flower girls. Dinner was then held at the Colonial Inn hotel in Whitehall, then the party went back to Michago. In a time before electricity in the area, light was provided for the reception held in the field outside the house by circling the cars and turning the headlights on. Every radio was tuned to the same station so everyone would dance.

1934: Albert Furman acquires the property after John's death.

1930's and 40's: Visiting frequently with his wife Elizabeth, son Albert (Bud) and daughter Patricia as well as many friends, Albert modernizes the old house when electricity came to the area by the lake.

early 1940s: Albert builds the big house, currently blue, on the foundation of the old barn.

1959: Albert Furman dies. Shortly after, Elizabeth Furman puts the property up for sale.

c. 1963: Chaputs and Nickels and Dieschbourgs form a partnership and purchase the property, planning on subdividing and selling lots. The families share the houses with an eye to building their own in the future.

c. 1965: Nickels buy the big house.

c. 1966: Tom Dieschbourg builds his house on the beach.

1967: Joe Chaput builds his cottage on the bluff with the help of 3 summer apprentices and his sons, Peter and John.

1969: Joe Chaput purchases farm in Shelby, MI

c. 1969: purchase of Annex Cottage

1981: Chaput Beach house built before a law forbidding the building of such types of lakeside cottages goes into effect in the state of Michigan.

notable properties at Michago

The Beach House

The Cottage

The Annex

The Farm

After Joseph and Patricia Chaput bought the farm in Shelby (a few miles down the road from Michago) in the late 1960s, the family would be there often, harvesting the cherries and peaches from the orchard and selling them along the road in a stand.

Later on, John Chaput oversaw the asparagus growing season at the farm for several years.

roads inside Michago

Michago Drive

Michago Drive is the main (north-south) dirt road running into Michago that connects to the paved county streets Scenic Drive and Webster Road.

Sunset Drive

Sunset Drive is the road that runs parallel to but west of Michago Drive--along it are the sites of the old houses like the "big house" from the Albert Furman era. (see timeline)

Toboggan Drive

Toboggan Drive is the dirt road that crosses Michago Drive and runs east-west down along the creek to Surfside Drive.

Surfside Drive

Surfside Drive runs north-south along the lake; it is the dirt road along which the beach houses are built. It crosses Toboggan Drive

bodies of water

Lake Michigan

White Lake

White River

Stony Lake

Silver Lake

Pentwater Lake

nearby communities

South

Whitehall and Montague are both situated on White Lake.

North

Claybanks is the township of Oceana County that includes Michago

Stony Lake (the village) is a small village on Stony Lake that is part of Benona Shores

Silver Lake (the town) is set right along Silver Lake

Pentwater is a town along Pentwater Lake

East

Shelby is a farming community that includes Joe Chaput's asparagus farm

Rothbury

New Era

Montague

Whitehall

Benona Shores

Claybanks

Claybanks Township is a civil township of Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 831 at the 2000 census. source: en.wikipedia.org

Stony Lake (the village)

Silver Lake (the town)

Pentwater

Shelby

is a village in Oceana County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,914 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Shelby Township. (source: en.wikipedia.org 12/12/2007)