From History to OUR Story
blue) was as well-known for its jazz
as it was for the bouncer/host who
monitored the front door. The Blue
Tempo was sadly destroyed by fire in
1969 and not rebuilt, leaving the town
without a place local LGBT residents and
visitors could call their own.
By the 1980s, increasing numbers of
LGBT people discovered that Saugatuck
and Douglas were places they could
be more out—and more themselves—
than virtually
anywhere in the
Midwest.
So the
community
kept building
and growing.
LGBT individuals
and families were not
just visiting—they were putting
down roots and enhancing the
fabric of the community with
vibrancy and diversity.
Throughout Saugatuck and
Douglas, galleries, restaurants,
and stores that were LGBT
owned and operated started
opening for business. In 1981
the former Amity Motel,
located on the Blue Star Highway,
was purchased and rechristened the
Douglas Dunes, once again providing
the area with a bar & hotel that catered
to LGBT residents and tourists. Around
the same time, Campit Campground
was established as an LGBT camping
resort destination in the nearby village
of Glenn.
In 1999, the Douglas Dunes came
under new ownership, and with
extensive addition of buildings and
services, grew into what you now
know as the current Dunes Resort—
the Midwest’s largest LGBT Resort &
Entertainment Complex.
Which brings us to today—and to you.
The history of Saugatuck and Douglas is
a rich tale of beauty, diversity, discovery,
and acceptance. With every refreshing
swim in Lake Michigan, every world-
class meal eaten, every dance, another
line in our story is written. Every year,
with each wine glass raised, with each
extraordinary sunset witnessed, another
chapter in the book is complete, and
we are honored that
from the beginning of
our story, LGBT persons
have been some of our
very best writers.
We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Saugatuck and Douglas. Rich with
history. Excited about the future. Glad
you are here to be part of our story.
Throughout time, LGBT individuals have
searched for places they could find
acceptance. Places where they could
build friendships. Places to enjoy their
lives. Places to tell their stories. Places
they could call home.
Throughout its history, Saugatuck
and Douglas have been proud to
welcome people from all walks
of life. Over the years, the shared
experiences of both villages have
allowed them to become one of
the top vacation destinations for
LGBT individuals and families in
the US.
From the moment Saugatuck and
Douglas were founded, surrounded by
nature at its most unfiltered and serene,
it was clear that these places would
be unlike any other. At first a thriving
lumber town in the mid-19th century,
Saugatuck was one of the busiest ports
on Michigan’s west coast, teeming
with sailors, mill workers, and laborers;
however, both Saugatuck and Douglas
were not subjected to the urban growth
and expansion that the railroad brought
to many other surrounding towns in
Michigan.
Soon, many of the trees were gone,
and the lumber barons had moved on
to other places. Luckily, a new chapter
was about to start; around this time,
in the late 1890s, folks from Chicago,
Detroit, Grand Rapids, and St. Louis
were transforming Saugatuck and
Douglas into major weekend arts and
recreation destinations.
Perhaps not coincidentally, around
this same time, LGBT visitors started
to make their presence known;
records show that by the beginning
of the 20th century, young men had
taken to sunbathing
nude in a popular
section of what is
now known as Oval
Beach.
Soon the roaring
20s arrived, and so
had the LGBT crowd;
many gays and
lesbians were
spending their summers vacationing
here. While some—such as Florence
Hunn, a leading interior designer—were
well-known most were just folks
looking for a place to be themselves,
have fun, enjoy their lives, and find
acceptance.
And where one finds acceptance, one
can start building a community!
Sure enough, in the 1960s, gay-friendly
bars and clubs started to open—flying
in the face of then-current State of
Michigan liquor laws. The most popular
of these early hangouts was the Blue
Tempo House of Music, which operated
on Culver Street in Saugatuck. The Blue
Tempo (which was, of course, painted
