Pop Culture
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In 1891 Logan Drake and Louis D. Wallace founded the Silver Beach Amusement Co. on this beach. Local concessionaires sold novelties to draw tourists, and in 1902 the company built a bathhouse, roller skating rink, and dance pavilion. During the 1910's and 1920's, Drake and Wallace installed a merry-go-round, roller coaster, and Shadowland Ballroom. Other attractions included a fun house, bumper cars, ferris wheel, and penny arcade. Large passenger ships made daily runs to Chicago and Milwaukee, making it possible to leave Chicago on the morning boat, spend a day at Silver Beach, and return on the evening boat. After the demise of the amusement park, Berrien County purchased the property in 1990 for public park purposes.
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St. Joseph, Michigan · United States
