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51-463: Benton Harbor Fruit Market began in 1860 as an outlet for Southwest Michigan farm products. By 2020, it operated four types of businesses including high volume wholesale produce, small wholesalers, retail, storage, and a market restaurant. Benton Harbor, Michigan is located in Michigan's fruit belt and is situated part way between Chicago and Detroit . The market operates seasonally. At inception,

102-481: A barnstorming baseball team which toured rural America from the 1920s through the 1950s, playing amateur and semi-pro teams in exhibition games . They were motivated by the need to make money for their families and colony back home and by the opportunity to share their beliefs. The team members wore long hair and beards as they played. By the late 1920s, needing more skilled players, the House began hiring professionals,

153-625: A $ 2.25 million compensation to the Market. Benton Harbor, Michigan Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan . It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids . According to the 2020 census , its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, of the two principal cities in the Niles –Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area , an area with 156,813 people. Benton Harbor and

204-419: A berthing area for ships. The canal, originally 25 feet (7.6 m) wide but expanded to 50 feet (15 m) in 1868, led to the town's becoming a shipping and manufacturing center for the area. In 1866, the settlement's name was changed to Benton Harbor in honor of Thomas Hart Benton , a Missouri Senator who helped Michigan achieve statehood. In 1836, Benton Harbor was organized as a village and in 1891 it

255-423: A canal was built, hence the "harbor" in the city's name. In 1860, the village was laid out by Brunson, Morton, Hull and others, and given the name Brunson Harbor. Brunson, Morton, and Hull also donated land and solicited subscriptions for construction of the canal, which was completed in 1862. It had long been recognized that a canal would be crucial to the town's development, both to drain the marsh and to provide

306-525: A few known American amusement parks to have been successfully reopened. One of the main attractions at The Springs of Eden Park was the coal powered miniature locomotives, purchased in 1908. Members of the commune originally observed similar locomotives at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis. The trains were used to carry people to the amusement park from the main entrance to the commune on Britain Avenue. In 2000, one of

357-468: A handful of members, who kept the premises open to the public. A second faction maintained the original commune, the Old House of David led by Judge T. H. Dewhirst, had 350 members in 1935, 24 of whom were clergy, and in 1955 had 150 members with 10 clergy. (As of 2010, the group was reported to have three surviving members. ) Dewhirst's faction believed that Mary Purnell had no right to usurp authority over

408-415: A native of Kentucky, published a book entitled The Church Ages in which he claimed to be the seventh and final messenger of the church ages, as foretold in the book of Revelation. A similar claim a decade earlier by Charles Taze Russell concerning himself may have been an influence on Purnell. The House of David colony soon had several hundred members. In 1907, the House owned about 1,000 acres, on which

459-713: A new Riverview campus near the St. Joseph River in Benton Harbor and the Technical Center in St. Joseph. Black Autonomy Network Community Organization (BANCO) is a political and social justice coalition working in Benton Harbor. Spanning the Paw Paw River and providing an additional connection to St. Joseph, the Charles Freeman Joseph bridge on Whitwam Drive, is named for Benton Harbor's first black mayor, opened in late 2005. The Amtrak station in St. Joseph

510-529: A new law signed in March 2011 by Republican governor Rick Snyder . Harris was previously the chief financial officer for the city of Detroit . On April 14, 2011, Harris suspended the decision-making powers of Benton Harbor's elected city officials, who can hold meetings but are not allowed to govern. The Michigan AFL–CIO president called the move "sad news for democracy in Michigan", but at least one city official, City Commissioner Bryan Joseph, supported it, saying

561-479: A police officer, crashed into a building and died. As many as 300 state troopers and law enforcement personnel from neighboring communities were called to Benton Harbor. Indirectly, the riot contributed to the Jimmy Carter Work Project's 2005 activities being held in Benton Harbor and Detroit . A state task force produced a report in 2003. As with the 2014–2019 public health crisis involving

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612-614: A riot began after a meeting discussing recreational facilities and police relations with respect to black residents. During the riot, a black 18-year-old named Cecil Hunt was killed in a drive-by shooting ; suspects were arrested but the assault charge was later dismissed. Governor George W. Romney dispatched troops from the Michigan National Guard , who stood down on September 5 when the riot dissipated. In June 2003, several citizens in Benton Harbor demonstrated for two days when black motorcyclist Terrance Shurn, being chased by

663-470: Is served by The Herald-Palladium newspaper, whose offices are in nearby St. Joseph Township , and is part of the South Bend/Elkhart television market . The Benton Spirit community newspaper has also served the community for the past 10 years. The paper was acknowledged by former Governor Granholm's 2003 Benton Harbor Task Force Report as a key communications stakeholder that "proactively assists in

714-807: Is served daily by Amtrak's Pere Marquette passenger train. Twin Cities Area Transportation Authority (TCATA) provides bus transit throughout Benton Harbor and the surrounding areas. Originally strictly a dial-a-ride service, it has recently expanded to include three fixed routes—Red Route, Green Route and Blue Route. Red Route serves Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, St. Joseph Charter Township, Lincoln Township, and Royalton Township. Blue and Green routes operate throughout Benton Harbor and Benton Township. Southwest Michigan Regional Airport provides non-commercial air service. Both Benton Harbor and neighboring St. Joseph are commercial ports that receive bulk goods from lake freighters . Benton Harbor

765-607: The Benton Harbor Public Library . The town has a police department. The city is served by two institutions, Benton Harbor Area Schools within the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency , and Lake Michigan College , a two-year community college just east of Benton Harbor. Whirlpool Corporation , the world's largest manufacturer of major home appliances, has its corporate headquarters in nearby Benton Charter Township , along with

816-494: The census of 2010, there were 10,038 people, 3,548 households, and 2,335 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,265.9 inhabitants per square mile (874.9/km ). There were 4,329 housing units at an average density of 977.2 per square mile (377.3/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 89.2% African American , 7.0% White , 0.3% Native American , 0.1% Asian , 0.8% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of

867-509: The city of St. Joseph are separated by the St. Joseph River and are known locally as the " Twin Cities ". Fairplain and Benton Heights are unincorporated areas adjacent to Benton Harbor. Benton Harbor was founded by Henry C. Morton, Sterne Brunson and Charles Hull, who all now have or have had schools named after them. Benton Harbor was mainly wetlands bordered by the Paw Paw River , through which

918-446: The drinking water in Flint , in 2018 higher-than-acceptable levels of lead were found in Benton Harbor's tap water . Water was starting to appear "bubbly and white" to "brown", with a "horrible" taste and poor smell. This was due to lead-based water service lines. Testing found the samples returned lead levels of 22 parts per billion, greater than the 20 parts per billion in Flint and

969-480: The 1930s and then sponsored weekend semi-professional teams until the 1940s. Mary's City of David sent out barnstorming teams from 1930 until 1940 and then again from 1946 until 1955. Throughout this period, there were numerous teams which bore the House of David name and wore beards. The most famous was probably the Black House of David, an all African-American "Barn-storming" team that played solely against teams of

1020-660: The Negro leagues. The House of David was the inspiration behind the James Sturm graphic novel , The Golem's Mighty Swing (in which the team was called the "Stars of David") as well as Harry Turtledove 's fantasy novel The House of Daniel . The House of David was also featured in a segment of Ken Burns ' Baseball and in the movie The Winning Team (1952) about the life of pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander . A vintage base ball club (the House of David Echoes BBC ) has been honoring

1071-716: The Premiere Basketball League for the 2012 season. Jack Dempsey defended his heavyweight title on September 6, 1920, in Benton Harbor, defeating Billy Miske . The city hosts the Maytag Ironman 70.3 Steelhead triathlon, a qualifying event for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. The city is the birthplace of Iris Kyle , the most successful professional bodybuilder ever, with ten overall Ms. Olympia wins and two heavyweight wins, along with seven Ms. International wins and one heavyweight win. Benton Harbor co-hosts

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1122-457: The administration building and men's dormitory for the House of David colony, a communal religious group; Morton House (on Morton Hill), built in 1849 by Eleazar Morton, which now houses a museum; Jean Klock Park on Lake Michigan ; and the Golf Club at Harbor Shores . In neighboring Benton Township is a large fruit market that replaced the fruit market in the "flats" area of Benton Harbor, which

1173-726: The annual Blossomtime Festival with St. Joseph. House of David (commune) In 1888 the Purnells discovered a group of preachers extolling a man named James Jershom Jezreel as the Sixth Messenger. Jezreel had published a series of sermons in three volumes (842 pages) titled Extracts from the Flying Roll (1879-1881). While the preachers were in Richmond, Benjamin and Mary joined their group, known as "the Visitation Movement", which

1224-400: The average family size was 3.53. Age distribution was 39.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.7 males. The median household income was $ 17,471, and the median family income

1275-568: The city had been mismanaged for decades. On January 4, 2012, city commissioners Marcus Muhammad and MaryAlice Adams held a press conference where they stated that if there was still an emergency financial manager administering the city when Benton Harbor hosted the Senior PGA Championship in May, an " Occupy PGA movement should sit in on the golf greens and driving ranges in protest." Occupy PGA did hold protest marches on multiple days during

1326-429: The city. The population density was 2,545.7 inhabitants per square mile (982.9/km ). There were 4,492 housing units at an average density of 1,022.7 per square mile (394.9/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 92.40% African American , 5.48% White , 0.15% Native American , 0.13% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 0.14% from other races , and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.58% of

1377-441: The colony harvested fruit from a dozen orchards and cultivated grain. The commune had its own cannery , carpenter shop, coach factory, tailor shop, and steam laundry. They also owned and operated their own electricity plant, providing lighting to the community. It had three brass bands and two orchestras, and a zoological garden . Accusations arose in the 1920s towards Benjamin F. Purnell by 13 young women testifying, under oath to

1428-529: The community, as it was led by his own self-appointed council of elders. Purnell was a sports enthusiast and encouraged the members of the Israelite Community to play sports, especially baseball , to build physical and spiritual discipline. In 1913, the Israelite House of David began to play competitive baseball and by 1915, they were following a grueling schedule. The House of David became famous as

1479-618: The country almost non-stop on the three top vaudeville circuits: the Pantages, the Keith and the Orpheum. The House of David operated a world-famous zoo and amusement park in Benton Harbor, Michigan . It also established "The Springs of Eden Park" which became a popular Michigan vacation spot in the 1930s. A revamped version, Eden Springs Park, opened in late 2011, making it at the time one of only

1530-474: The courts, that they had sexual relations with the patriarch while still minors. As soon as this became public knowledge, the Detroit Free Press and other newspapers ran critical articles about Purnell. The news brought national attention to the group. The trial was lengthy, with over 300 witness testimonies and 15,000 pages of documentation. In the end, Purnell was convicted of fraud, but not convicted on

1581-440: The federal lead action level of 15 parts per billion. High levels of copper were also noted in the annual consumer confidence reports that have been required by Environmental Protection Agency . Concerns were with the health impacts of lead poisoning . As a result, residents were supplied with free bottled water , including for use with brushing teeth and cooking, for residences and schools. In September 2021, $ 10 million

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1632-518: The legacy of the House of David teams since 2001, playing vintage base ball under the 1858 rules while growing their beards and playing at historic Eastman Field near Benton Harbor, Michigan. Starting with the 2016 season, the Echoes moved to the original 1914 baseball field at Eden Springs Park, and will continue to use the field for the foreseeable future. The organization also fielded nationally known musical bands between 1906 and 1927. These bands toured

1683-498: The market accommodated 293 buyer stalls on a 16-acre facility which included wholesale and retail markets, a restaurant, and a migrant labor camp. The principle products sold at that time were strawberries, peaches and tomatoes, representing half of the entire United States sales of these crops. The market was owned and operated by the City of Benton Harbor, but today it is owned and operated by Benton Harbor Fruit Market Inc. On July 20, 1970,

1734-402: The market operated from the city wharves on Lake Michigan . When the primary mode of transport shifted from ships to trains and trucks, the market moved to the north side of Benton Harbor. In the 1940s the market had grown to the point that it was called "the largest cash-to-growers outlet in the world". The market supplied produce to restaurants, grocery stores, and retail customers. In 1960

1785-544: The market was the destination for a protest march organized by Michigan labor activists in support of the California Grape Boycott organized by Cesar Chavez , Dolores Huerta , and the United Farm Workers . In 2010, the nearby Southwest Michigan Regional Airport sued the Market for eminent domain to gain five acres of the fruit market's land. In 2011 A Berrien County Circuit Court lawsuit resulted in

1836-463: The most notable being Grover Cleveland Alexander , Satchel Paige , and Mordecai Brown . Some professional players grew their beards out to show respect towards the God of Israel, while others wore false beards. They were known for their skill and played against some of the greatest teams in the country. The House of David played against Major League, Minor League, independent and Negro league teams, with all

1887-441: The population. There were 3,548 households, of which 44.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 17.0% were married couples living together, 43.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

1938-404: The population. There were 3,767 households, of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.8% were married couples living together, 42.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and

1989-464: The same spirit of competition and fair play. At one point, the community had three separate barnstorming teams touring the country, playing and evangelizing wherever they went. The House of David teams were famous for inventing "pepper" baseball tricks, along the lines of the fancy basketball moves of the Harlem Globetrotters . The House of David continued to sponsor barnstorming teams well into

2040-506: The sex charges. Purnell was sick with tuberculosis during the trial and died in 1927, before he could be sentenced. The sensation created by the trial caused a division in the group. One group, headed by Mary Purnell, remained together and in 1930 were given half of the land next to the original commune. There they rebuilt and reorganized the New Israelite House of David, better known as Mary's City of David; as of 2017, it maintained

2091-525: The total development of Benton Harbor". Benton Harbor is served by sister radio stations WCXT , WCSY-FM , WQLQ , WIRX , WQYQ , WSJM-FM , and WYTZ , as well as WHFB and some in the South Bend market . Additionally, most of the Chicago market TV and radio stations are available from 60 miles (97 km) across the lake. Sites of interest in Benton Harbor are Shiloh House , built in 1910, which served as

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2142-599: The tournament, but did not disrupt the tournament. On January 11, 2013, the Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board (ELB) voted to replace Harris as the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) for the city. On February 1, 2013, the ELB appointed Tony R. Saunders II as the youngest Successor-Emergency Financial Manager for the city of Benton Harbor. Library service for the city is provided by

2193-400: The type and also less cold winters than many climates of the classification. Due to lake-effect snow there is very high snowfall relative to precipitation in winter, but far lower than some locations that are farther north in the state. Summer high temperatures range from 77 to 83 °F (25 to 28 °C) from June to August, but the apparent heat is normally moderated by mild nights. As of

2244-413: Was $ 19,250. Males had a median income of $ 27,154 versus $ 20,105 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 8,965, the lowest in Michigan. About 39.6% of families and 42.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 52.5% of those under age 18 and 29.7% of those age 65 or over. The Michigan Treasury Department in 2009 sent a team to look into the city's finances. The team's report

2295-432: Was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.41. The median age in the city was 28.3 years. 35.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 7.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female. At the 2000 census , there were 11,182 people, 3,767 households and 2,557 families residing in

2346-400: Was a long list of mismanagement to the point that budgets were "effectively meaningless as a financial management tool." The city was $ 10 million underfunded in its pension fund and increasing budget deficits. In April 2010, Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Joseph Harris as Emergency Financial Manager. City staff was reduced by 30 to 70. Harris was given expanded powers under

2397-601: Was budgeted to replace the lead service lines. All lead pipes had been replaced by December 1, 2023, per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 4.68 square miles (12.12 km ), of which 4.43 square miles (11.47 km ) is land and 0.25 square miles (0.65 km ) is water. Benton Harbor has a humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa) that has very warm summers for

2448-462: Was formed by Benjamin and Mary Purnell in 1903 after settling in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Prior to that, the Purnells lived in Fostoria, Ohio and had two children, one of whom died in a fireworks factory explosion at the age of 17. The Purnells were looked down upon by residents of the city when they decided to forego the funeral due to their beliefs of not having anything to do with the dead. Purnell,

2499-441: Was incorporated as a city. Benton Harbor's retail establishments started relocating outside of the city starting in the 1950s, and the city experienced an economic downturn between 1970 and 1985. The House of David religious group was founded there and once ran a local amusement park. Benton Harbor has had two major riots, one in 1966 and one in 2003, with smaller ones occurring in 1960, 1967, and 1990. On August 30, 1966,

2550-563: Was started by a woman named Joanna Southcott, the First Messenger (Angel), in 1792. While studying the writings of Jezreel they noticed that he said that the Seventh and last Messenger was soon to emerge, allegedly mentioned in Revelation 10:7. On March 12, 1895, the Purnells announced that the spirit of Shiloh had grafted with them to become the seventh and last messenger. The House of David

2601-625: Was torn down during an urban renewal project in 1967. The main shopping center is The Orchards Mall . An American Basketball Association team (ABA), the Twin City Ballers , played in Benton Harbor for a few games in November 2006, but left the city due to poor attendance at games. Another ABA team, the Lake Michigan Admirals , began play in 2009. The Admirals switched from the ABA to join

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