Peterson Preserve and area development

Archive

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Saugatuck Douglas Historical Society

Name/Title

Peterson Preserve and area development

Entry/Object ID

2026.16.01

Scope and Content

Collection of newspaper clippings, meeting agendas, minutes, brochures, photos and communications between the citizen organizers of Saugatuck's Mildred A. Peterson Nature Preserve and Interurban Trail. Two versions of a fundraising brochure. Newspaper clippings tracking the development and use of the preserve Photo of Saugatuck High School students from Brad Smit's biology class collecting samples of macro invertebrates at the preserve in 2005 Thirteen photos of the preserve taken in autumn 2005, copied to CatalogIt from a CD.

Context

Text from a fundraising brochure: The Mildred A. Peterson Nature Preserve is a unique natural area of approximately 10-acres located completely within the City of Saugatuck. The parcel encompasses a portion of a small creek that runs from Goshorn Lake into the Kalamazoo River. The site is located just upstream from Holland Street, above Peterson Mill. The preserve is defined as a wetlands and serves as a natural watershed protected by the State of Michigan and the Allegan Drain Commission. The main portion of the preserve was deeded as a gift to the city in 2001 from the family of Mildred A. Peterson, with an additional section from Martha Schoeneich. The Interurban Trail runs along the former tracks of the Interurban Railroad Line, adjacent to the wetlands. The pathway is lined with an assortment of indigenous wild flowers and trees that have been left in their natural state for several decades. The wetland area is a sanctuary for small animals, reptiles, and deer. The trail was made available to the City of Saugatuck by the family of James Boyce III.

Collection

Development, land

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

2026.16

Source or Donor

Bella, Victor "Vic"

Acquisition Method

Donation, unconditional

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Most 8.5x11"

Location

Box

076 Parks and Cemeteries

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Mildred A. Peterson Nature Preserve & Interurban Trail, Spoerl, Karen c1937-2025, Bella, Victor "Vic", Gallagher, Gordon, Peterson, Roland J. "RJ" 1926-2020, Peterson, Erik, Teich, Steven, Johnson, Ruth Ann, Bauer, Robin H., Kinnaman, Linda B., Topliff, Debby, Connor, Barbara, Schoeneich, Martha, Interurban Railroad 1899-1927, Boyce, James "Jim" III 1930-2008

Create Date

June 20, 2026

Update Date

June 27, 2026