Benton Harbor, Michigan - Religious Communes (2) and Amusement Park

This is part of an old religious commune that split into two groups about 70 years ago. No one there tried to interest anyone on the tour in becoming members. The tour is free of any sort of sermonizing, or any sort of excessive elaboration on their dogma. The original group that is next to it is The House of David. Just briefly -- There are only about 6-8 members of the Mary's City of David at this time, although the way the place is kept up you might think there were more.

They just opened the grounds to the public for tours about three years ago. There is a museum, a gift shop, and a restaurant. The tour also includes a slide show covering the history of the group and how it eventually split. They had Jazz bands, baseball teams, and much more including and amusement park and gardens. It was all very popular in it's time. Among other places you tour a small garden and several different buildings, such as the printing shop and power house.

Next door is the original group -- what is left -- about 6-8 members also I believe. They do not give tours, although much of what is there can be seen by driving around in your car. An amusement park and gardens was run by the group from 1908 or 09 until somewhere around 1974-75, and has been closed and falling into decay since then. This is not part of the tour, as it belongs to the separate House of David group. Walt Disney once visited, in the 5's and purchased one of the locomotives that was built by members for the park, and took it back to California. The architecture of some of what is still there is really great.

The front gate to it is open, but behind the old park and gardens is a trailer/camping park, in current use, where some of the old amusement park buildings that remain can be easily seen and accessed. [Jeff, 10/01/2000]