Van Buren
Van Buren County is located in the southwestern
part of the lower peninsula, bordered on the northwest by Lake Michigan and traversed by
I-94 and I-196. The county
contains 611 square miles and is the 45th
largest in the state. The county seat is in Paw Paw, where one of the area’s fine
wineries is located. About half of the county’s land is in farms and is included in
the state’s fruit and truck belt. Most of the agricultural receipts are from crops,
including apples, blueberries, tart cherries, grapes, asparagus, green beans, and
soybeans. Food processing is the primary manufacturing activity. Additionally, proximity
to the auto industry has stimulated plastic injection and metal fabrication businesses. An
abundance of outdoor activities are available, as are wine tasting tours. South Haven, a
city of 5,700 located on Lake Michigan, is noted for its festivals and tourist
attractions.
| PRINCIPLE EMPLOYERS MANUFACTURING
EMPLOYERS |
|
| SIC |
FIRM |
LOCATION |
EMPLOYEES |
PRODUCT |
| 3089 |
Engineered Plastic
Components |
Mattawan |
700 |
Plastic
electrical engine equipment |
| 2033 |
Minute Maid Co. |
Paw
Paw |
500 |
Bottled
juices, boxes & pouches |
| 2033 |
Welch’s |
Lawton |
325 |
Juices,
drink; jellies & jams |
| 3089 |
Clarion |
South
Haven |
240 |
Custom
plastic injection molding |
| 3444 |
Pullman Industries
Inc. |
South
Haven |
440 |
Metal
rolling, forming & stamp |
| 2033 |
Honee Bear Canning
Co. |
Lawton |
200 |
Vegetable
& fruit canning |
| 2099 |
Knouse Foods Co-op
Inc. |
Paw
Paw |
200
|
Applesauce,
juice; pie filling |
| 2869 |
DSM Chemical Co. Inc. |
South
Haven |
140 |
Organic
chemical & pharmaceutical. |
| 3599 |
Mol-Son Inc. |
Mattawan |
125 |
Tooling
design & manufacturing |
| 2951 |
Klett Construction
Co. |
Hartford |
100 |
Asphalt
paving material |
| 2084 |
St. Julian Wine Co. |
Paw
Paw |
100 |
Wines,
champagnes & juices |
| 2099 |
Triple S Produce
& Orchards |
Bangor |
100 |
Apple
packing |
| 3061 |
Trelleborg Y S H Inc. |
South
Haven |
100 |
Custom
molded rubber products |
| 2033 |
DeGrandchamp’s
Blueberries |
South
Haven |
100 |
Grow
& package blueberries |
| 3442 |
Special Lite Inc. |
Decatur |
125 |
Doors
& frames |
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Harris Publishing Company, 1998 Industrial Directory |
| Public School
District Information |
|
|
|
| School District |
Students |
Instructors |
High
Schools |
| Bangor Township School |
19 |
1 |
0 |
| Bangor Public Schools |
1,700 |
90 |
1 |
| Bloomingdale Public
Schools |
1,300 |
72 |
1 |
| Covert Public Schools |
803 |
54 |
1 |
| Decatur Public Schools |
1,214 |
67 |
1 |
| Gobles Public Schools |
930 |
54 |
1 |
| Hartford Public Schools |
1,400 |
90 |
1 |
| Lawrence Public Schools |
802 |
45 |
1 |
| Lawton Community
Schools |
1,200 |
68 |
1 |
| Mattawan Community
Schools |
2,900 |
143 |
1 |
| Paw Paw Public Schools |
2,213 |
116 |
1 |
| South Haven Public
Schools |
2,901 |
170 |
1 |
Source: MI Department of Education, 1997 |
| Two Year Colleges
& Technical Schools |
|
|
|
| Name |
Location |
Enrollment |
|
| Kalamazoo Valley
Community College |
Kalamazoo
Co. |
11,070 |
|
| Southwestern Michigan
College |
Cass
Co. |
2,758 |
|
| Lake Michigan College |
Berrien
Co. |
3,634 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Four Year Colleges
& Universities |
|
|
|
| Name |
Location |
Enrollment |
|
| Western Michigan
University |
Kalamazoo
Co. |
26,555 |
|
| Andrews University |
Berrien
Co. |
2,869 |
|
| K-College |
Kalamazoo
|
2,000 |
|
Source: MI Department of Education, 1996 |
Lake Michigan (beaches, marinas, parks, camping, and public access facilities); Van
Buren State Park, (Lake Michigan access, beaches, camping, hiking, and cross country
skiing).
34 mile Kal-Haven Trial,
Timber Ridge Ski Resort,
golf, fishing, dunes, and inland lakes.
Wineries— St. Julian Winery, Paw Paw, 269-657-5568
Warner Vineyards, Paw Paw, 269-657-3165
Arts— Village Gallery of Arts & Crafts in Lawton
South Haven
Center for the Arts
Museums: Liberty Hyde Bailey, South Haven, 269-637-3251
Michigan Maritime, South Haven, 269-637-8078
Van Buren County Museum, Hartford, 269-621-2188
Festivals— Paw Paw Wine & Harvest Festival
Bangor Apples Festival
Hartford Strawberry Festival
South Haven Blueberry Festival
Black Arts Fair
South Haven Harbor Festival
Lodging—hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns.
Paw Paw — www.pawpaw.net
South Haven — www.southhavenmi.com
Van Buren County Website: www.co.van-buren.mi.us