Beach, 2011
Welcome to the Cottage Wiki[]
This is an online collection of stories, pictures, and other information about the history of the cottages and characters of the South Highland Association in Grand Haven, MI.
Some of the information on this Wiki draws on the excellent work of Mike Terry, in his "South Highland Association 1900-1997" booklet.
South Highland Association Cottages[]
The South Highland Association refers to a group of cottages on Lake Michigan, approximately 2 miles south of Grand Haven, Michigan. Google Map
As of January 1, 2012, the following are the cottages typically referred to in this group:
- James DePersia/ Miller/ Malloy Cottage
- Steere Cottage
- DePersia Cottage
- Lang Cottage
- Carlston Cottage
- Cooper Cottage
- Nardin-Kern Cottage
- Gretchen Zoerner Cottage
- Pat Loughlin Cottage
- Buzz Loughlin Cottage
- Ty & Pat Zoerner Cottage
- Dune a Vista
- Jandernoa Cottage
- Stille Cottage
- Carnegie Cottage
- Blackall Cottage
- Jennings Cottage
Many of the cottages have been owned within the same group of families, over approximately six generations. At least thirteen of these cottages are historically related to the Vogelsang family and their friends.
The Beach Community[]
Swimming, sailing, volleyball, fishing, beachfires, and sand castle construction are some of the key cottage recreational activities.
Community Organization and Projects[]
The South Highland Association (the "Association") is an unincorporated association that undertakes certain activities on behalf of the community's cottage owners.
The Association comprises the 17 cottages identified above.
The Association holds annual meetings of the member cottages, on the Fourth of July of each year.
Photographs of attending representatives of the cottages attending recent Association annual meetings can be found here.
The cottage community has created and maintained a system of boardwalks and stairways that allow access to the various cottages and to the beach. Some parts of the boardwalk have been widened or expanded to create "lookouts" which community members have used to view the beach and the lake, particularly at times like sunset.
The community also maintains an access road, from Brucker Road, and a parking lot.
History of the Boardwalks, Lookouts and Stairs[]
The construction of the boardwalks and stairs have represented major community projects.
The north, central, and south groups of South Highland cottages each maintain a separate stairway.
[North]
Central - The current central stairway, which crosses from the Kern-Nardin property to the Lang property, comprises 88 steps. This stairway was the result of a [2010] project, designed and planned primarily by Jerry DePersia and Bob Cooper.
[South]