Grand Haven is a city of 

 about 5,000 inhabitants, is one 

 of the most important places, 

 and has the best harbor on the 

 eastern shore of Lake Michi- 

 gan. It is the western ter- 

 minus of the Detroit & Mil- 

 waukee rail-road, which con- 

 nects bere with a line of 

 steamers to Milwaukee, There 

 are two lines of propellers to 

 Chicago, by which two boats leave for Chicago every evening 

 during navigation, and arrive there next morning. There are 

 also two boats daily, during navigation to Grand Rapids, run- 

 ning on Grand river. Visitors will find immediately at Grand 

 Haven, barren sand-banks, such as exist all along the eastern 

 shore, but back two or three miles the soil becomes loamy, and 

 the country beautiful. 



About a mile from Grand Haven on the North side of Grand 

 s-iver, is the village of Ferrysburgh. On the opposite side of the 

 river, or rather of the channel which constitutes the outlet of a 

 beautiful little lake, called Spring lake, lies the village of Spring 

 Lake with 1,500 inhabitants. At these villages are some of the 

 largest manufacturing establishments in the country, and sur- 

 rounding them are orchards and gardens of the finest description. 

 Spring Lake, just alluded to, is a lovely sheet of water, stretch- 

 ing inland, about five miles in length, and from one-half to ore 

 mile in width. Along its banks are numerous streams of pure 

 cold water. The banks rise precipitously from the water,* from 

 thirty to sixty feet, and nearly anywhere a vessel can run so near 

 the shore as to load up from the beach. The lake is of ample 

 depth for the largest lake propellers and vessels to navigate,^ av- 

 erjiging about fifty feet in depth. On its banks are extensive 

 beds of pure, fine, fawn-colored clay, excellently adapted for 

 bricks and pottery. There are also deposits of valuable white 

 marl in the vicinity. The elevated shores are being rapidly 

 covered by handsome residences and thrifty orchards, vine- 

 yards and gardens. At the head of the lake, and commanding 

 a magnificent view of nearly its whole length, as it stretches 

 away like a thread of silver, is laid out a charming town-site 

 called Fruitport, and this must soon become the centre of one of 

 the most prosperous fruit-growing communities in the country. 

 It is laid out with unusual liberality. The streets are of more 

 than ordinary width, and ample appropriations are made for 

 public-squares, school-grounds, fine public park, &c. 



An extract is here given from a private letter written by F. J. 

 Hough, Esq., of Adrian — a gentleman who is thoroughly familiar 



