The Hidden History of Here is a resource for the community of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, to teach us more than the usual history accounts. In local history books we learn about the famous citizens who created fortunes or left their mark on the community. Less do we hear about the people who lived quietly heroic lives in our towns—going to work, raising families, and often, having their lives altered by decisions made by those who made it into the history books.
The writings here will challenge the conventional wisdom of the times. What if what “everybody knows” isn’t exactly true?
A Different Kind of Local History
Open any local history book written in the last 50 years and you will read a familiar tale: Once there were two fine little cities, but now only one remains. The other one, Benton Harbor, has faded from its once-great status and now is an economically depressed, hollowed-out remainder of its former self.
“What Happened to Benton Harbor?” is a question those histories don’t answer, even as they reminisce about Benton Harbor’s “best” days.
It’s not that the question isn’t worth asking, but we invite you to keep asking different questions:
- What happened outside Benton Harbor that created Benton Harbor’s downturn?
- Why did the downturn happen in Benton Harbor and not in St. Joseph, Benton Township, and St. Joseph Township?
- Who were the intentional and unintentional winners and losers?
- So, what can we do about it now?
Who We Are
The Hidden History of Here is the passion of Jeannette Holton, an amateur local historian. You can read more about Jeannette here.
“What if what ‘everybody knows’ is wrong?” is the key question driving this work. We’re approaching this question with humility and a commitment to fairness. Beyond that, we have these commitments:
- We are in it for the answers, not for income.
- We include links here only to enhance your learning, not our bank account.
- You will never have to pay or subscribe to access all the content.
- We want your comments and ideas—whether we agree or not—so long as they are truthful and respectful.
We are on a journey of discovery together. Welcome!