City of Saugatuck
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History of Saugatuck City Hall

In 1868, the Village of Saugatuck was incorporated by the Board of Supervisors of Allegan County. An incorporation census counting 831 residents was taken on January 8, 1868 and in 1869-70, the Village was reincorporated by an act of the legislature.
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The Fire Department was organized in January, 1871 and the fire house stood on Mason between Butler and Water Streets. A bell and some equipment was purchased and a call went out for volunteers. On October 9, 1871, Fennville and Holland burned to the ground, the same day as the great fire in Chicago. Saugatuck was spared, leading to a greater awareness of fire fighting. Two hundred pails were purchased and distributed around town.
Picture
Photo compliments of the Saugatuck Douglas History Center. 
Impetus for the construction of a new fire house, council chamber, hall and lock up on Butler Street came on July 7, 1879 when it was determined that the old fire house was too small to accommodate the fire equipment. The fire house committee decided to begin construction which was almost completed in 1880 at a cost of $824.33.

The builders were Amos H. Gardner, James G. Williams and Ralph C. Brittain; suppliers were John Nies, Daniel L. Barber and John Priest. The jail was moved from its old location to the northwest corner of the first floor in the new fire hall.

In 1873, the fire equipment consisted of a $2000 Babcock engine which proved a failure. By 1881, the engine company was composed of 32 members with a hand pumper and hose cart replacing the engine. Amos H. Gardner was foreman and J.P. Hancock was in charge of the eight-member hose company which was equipped with hook and ladder. Chief Engineer of the Fire Department was John Wilson.

The council chamber was entered from a double set of outside steps which led to the second floor. These were removed in 1908 and an internal staircase built in the northeast corner, with a door that led to the outside. The building was redesigned and renovated in 1926 by noted local artist Carl Hoerman, who created a new entryway with the distinctive pillars that we see today. The bell was replaced by a siren and the ball rope which always hung at the entrance, disappeared forever. Cost of this work was $1,6682.65.

In 1929, a basement was dug and the jail moved downstairs. Remains and burial articles from a Native American cemetery were excavated in the process of this work. (The early settlers had also buried their dead here until Riverside Cemetery was created in the 1860's.) Cost of digging the basement and building a foundation under the structure was $1,185.00. In 1949, the jail was moved to the public works building. The Fire Department left in 1954, when a new fire house was completed. The Police Department eventually opened an office in the public works building.

The Saugatuck Art Association opened an art gallery in the council chamber in 1931 highlighting Saugatuck’s long time contribution to the arts. The City Council continues to honor the talents of many artists by displaying and rotating works of art throughout the chambers of the City Council.
The interior, where the fire hall had been, was remodeled in 1957 to accommodate the Clerk’s Office, Chamber of Commerce, rest rooms and lounge, serving visitors to the art exhibitions. In more recent years the Police Department office and lock up had returned. The Chamber of Commerce was relocated and their office was used by the Interurban, which provides the area’s public bus service. The need for a second floor fire exit was served by a new staircase at the rear of the building.

Saugatuck became a City in the summer of 1984. In 1988 local architect Richard Rudich was hired to redesign the interior. Modern offices for the Clerk, Treasurer, Police, Mayor and City Manager were provided. The work was completed in the spring of 1989 at a cost of $175,125.00. On July 19, 1990, the building was listed on the Michigan’s State Register of Historic Sites completing 110 years of continuous use.

Since 1988, very little has been done to change the appearance of City Hall. The Saugatuck and Douglas Police Departments combined forces and their office is now located in the Douglas Village Hall on Center Street. The Interurban bus service constructed their own facility and also left Saugatuck City Hall. The entire building now houses the offices of the City Manager, Clerk/Treasurer, support staff and Assessor.

​Saugatuck Village Presidents

Horace D. Moore - 1868-1869
John B. Bacon - 1870
Stephen A. Morrison - 1871
Randolph Densmore - 1872

Isaac Wilson - 1873-1874
Daniel L. Barber - 1875-1876
Lintsford B. Coates - 1877
Horace D. Moore - 1878

Alfred B. Taylor - 1879
James G. Williams - 1880
Wallace B. Griffith - 1881
James G. Williams - 1882

Daniel L. Barber - 1883
Frank A. Winslow - 1884-1885
John F. Henry - 1886-1892
James M. Pond - Nov., 1892

Fred Wade - 1893-1896
Samuel Reed - 1897-1898
Fred Wade - 1899
John H. Pear - 1900-1901

John Koning - 1902
John H. Pear - 1903-1904
Henry Bird, Jr. - 1905-1906
Waterman G. Phelps - 1907-1910

William R. Takken - ​1911-1912
Frank J. Comstock - 1913-1914
Clarence Wade - 1915-1916
William Allen - 1917

Clarence Wade - 1918
Waterman G. Phelps - 1919-1920
Clarence Wade - 1921
Joseph Zwemer - 1922

Clarence A. Lynds - 1923
Herman E. Kreager - 1924-1933
Clarence A. Lynds - 1934-1935
​Frank W. Sewers - 1936-1938

Frank. J. Comstock - 1939
Francis E. Force - 1940-1942
Clarence A. Lynds - 1943-1949
Frank Wicks - 1950-1951

George W. Wright - 1952-1955
Roscoe Funk - 1955-1956
Richard Hoffman - 1957-1960
Lynn McCray - 1961-1970

Julius VanOss - 1971-1973
James Christenson - 1974-1977
DeForest Doerner - 1978-1983
Wayne Entsminger - June, 1984

Saugatuck City Mayors

2022Gerald O’Connell - 1984-1985
Margaret Sanford - 1985-1987
Robert Berger - 1987-1989
David Mocini - 1990-1992

Richard Crawford - 1993-1994
Charles Rickett - 1995-1996
Mark Bekken - 1997-1998
Russell Gardner - 1999-2000

Jeff Spangler - 2001-2001
Henry Van Singel - 2002-2004
Catherine Simon - 2004-2006
Tony Vettori - 2006-2008
Barry E. Johnson - 2008-2010
Jane Verplank - 2010-2012
William Hess - 2012-2015
Chris Peterson - 2015-2017
Ken Trester - 2017-2020
Mark Bekken - 2020-2021
Garnet Lewis - 2021-2022
Scott Dean - 2022-
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Saugatuck City Hall
102 Butler St. 
PO Box 86
Saugatuck, MI 49453
​(269) 857-2603
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8:30 am - 5:00 pm
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Kim Zahnow
Erin Wilkinson.
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©2021 City of Saugatuck, All Rights Reserved. All images are used with explicit permission. 
  • Home
  • About
    • Boards & Committees >
      • Board of Review
      • City Council
      • Eurasian Water Milfoil Study Group
      • Fire District Board
      • Historic District Commission
      • Interurban Board of Directors
      • Kalamazoo Lake Harbor Authority
      • Kalamazoo Lake Sewer and Water Authority Board
      • Saugatuck-Douglas District ​Library Board of Trustees
      • Parks and Public Works Committee
      • Planning Commission
      • Tri-Community Non-Motorized Trail Study Committee
      • Tri-Community Recycling Ad-Hoc Committee
      • Zoning Board of Appeals
    • City Charter
    • City Projects >
      • Strategic Planning
      • Campbell Road Project
    • Employment
    • Floodplain
    • Harbor Management
    • History of City Hall
    • Ordinances
    • Social District
    • Trash & Recycling
  • Parks & Recreation
    • Oval Beach
    • Mt. Baldhead Park
    • Chain Ferry
    • Coghlin Park
    • Cook Park
    • John Woollam Trail
    • Jones Park
    • Mildred Peterson Nature Preserve
    • Riverside Cemetery
    • Rose Garden
    • Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area
    • Village Square Park
    • Wicks Park
    • Willow Park
    • 5 Year Master Plan
  • Calendar
  • Departments
    • City Manager
    • Assessing
    • Building
    • Clerk and Elections
    • Department of Public Works
    • Law Enforcement
    • Planning/Zoning/HDC
    • Treasurer
  • Forms
  • Links
    • Area Information
    • Consumers Energy
    • Fire Department
    • Library
    • Minutes & Meeting Info >
      • 2021 Council Meeting Info
      • 2020 Council Meeting Info
      • 2019 Council Meeting Info
    • Michigan Gas Utilities
    • Michigan Township Services
    • Saugatuck-Douglas History Center
    • Saugatuck Douglas Art Club
    • Schools
    • Sewer and Water
    • Tax Parcel Records Search
    • Tourism
  • Contact