Douglas

History

Douglas, originally known as Dudleyville, was first settled by European-Americans in 1851 as a lumber mill town. In 1861, residents changed the name to Douglas. Reportedly the name was chosen to honor the American statesman Stephen A. Douglas, but other reports indicate that a relative of the original owner of the land also suggested the name because he came from Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man. Douglas was incorporated as a village in 1870. Area sawmills provided much of the lumber used to rebuild Chicago after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. After most of the harvestable trees in the area were cleared by the lumber industry, the area became a center for growing and shipping fruit, especially peaches. Tourism and resorts also became an important part of the area economy.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The city has over 1.5 miles of coastline along the shores of Lake Michigan, and over two miles of frontage along the meandering Kalamazoo River and Lake Kalamazoo Harbor.

Race & ethnicity