The South Haven lightkeeper's dwelling was built by the United States Lighthouse Service in 1871-1872, when South Haven's first lighthouse was constructed. The dwelling was last occupied by a lightkeeper in 1940, when technical changes eliminated the need for a lightkeeper. From the 1940s until the 1980s, the United Stated Coast Guard used the lightkeeper's dwelling for its personnel. The lightkeeper's dwelling is now in the custody of the Michigan Maritime Museum. Its preservation provides residents and visitors with a tangible link to South Haven's maritime past.