Saugatuck-Douglas History Center

The mission of the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center is to preserve local history and inspire learning to inform and improve our community.

SDHC operates two public facilities: the S-D History Museum at 735 Park Street in Saugatuck near Mt. Baldhead, and the Old School House and Garden at 130 Center Street in downtown Douglas. Both have hours open for the public in season. Learn more about each here: http://sdhistoricalsociety.org/sites/sitesindex.php

The Museum is open to the public throughout the summer and fall seasons with a new major thematic exhibit every other year. The Old School House is home to most of our popular presentations, is the home of our archive and research center, and features rotating and seasonal exhibits and a local art gallery. Due to the largely seasonal nature of our communities, our public exhibits are not generally open during the winter months.

The 1866 Old School House (formerly the Douglas Union School), was purchased by the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center in 2006 and has become the nerve center of SDHC's operations. This stately landmark is the oldest multi-classroom school building in Michigan and one of the finest examples of 19th century school architecture in America. It is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

The former schoolyard surrounding the building has been reshaped into the Back-In-Time Garden, where Saugatuck-Douglas citizens and visitors can benefit in a multitude of ways from the area's rich natural history and culture. It is augmented by the Francis Metallic Surfboat, centerpiece of our outdoor shipwreck exhibit in the boat barn building, open in season.

The History Center Archives - A safe, climate-controlled home for the SDHC's ever-expanding collection of historically important objects, paper, memorabilia, artwork, and photographs. The archives are available to assist the public with research about Saugatuck, Douglas and vicinity historical and cultural topics. Call 269-857-7901 to reach the archive directly and schedule an appointment.