Glen Haven, Michigan

Glen Haven is a harbor village along Lake Michigan with preserved wooden buildings including a general store and canning factory. These structures date from the steamship era and show the functional layout of a working port settlement.

The settlement began in 1857 as a port village named Sleeping Bearville supplying cordwood fuel to steamships on the Great Lakes. After steam navigation declined in the late 1800s, the village lost importance but its buildings survived largely unchanged.

The village name Glen Haven reflects its role as a sheltered port, and the wooden structures show how residents lived directly from the lake. Visitors can observe the boats and storage buildings that tied daily life to the water.

The buildings are mainly open from late May through Labor Day, and many rooms have limited visiting hours that vary by the week. Plan enough time to walk through the different museums and buildings at your own pace.

The cordwood storage facility here is one of the most complete wood stacking stations remaining on Lake Michigan's eastern shore from the steamship era. These specific structures were built to keep firewood stacked and ready to be loaded onto passing boats.

Location: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Inception: 1857

Website: http://nps.gov/slbe

GPS coordinates: 44.89886,-86.03023

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:02