by Lucia Athens
Where does a sense of community come from? How are community economies sustainable over time? How can we create sustainable transport systems?
These questions were on my mind while I was visiting the shores of Lake Michigan, Northeast of Chicago. The little community of Saugatuk has a rich sense of history which has been maintained into today. The many small scale historic buildings are clustered along the edges of the water. The pedestrian environment is splendid, with a wonderful sense of scale, tree-lined sidewalks, and outdoor cafes. My accommodations, in a tiny little historic home, was within walking distance of everything. I could explore the entire community on foot. Many bicyclists also pedaled past my house and further afield, exploring the larger environs. I couldn’t help but think that this was the kind of community that New Urbanism was based on. A model for a livable, walkable, human-scaled place to live. All this, and also extremely memorable!
One of the historic remnants of the community represents the most sustainable form of urban transit I have ever seen. An old chain ferry connects the banks of a the waterway that leads to Lake Michigan. About 20 people (and their bikes) can be ferried across, all powered by one strong human cranking a large wheel and chain that pulls the ferry across. Human-powered transit can take on forms I have never even seen before!
The last historical tidbit that I will share represents a parable for our times. The region was formerly a vast forestland, with mills that gobbled up the trees for lumber, creating a busy local economy. The neighboring town of Singapore was founded in 1836 on the shores of Lake Michigan by a New York land speculator. At its height, it had three sawmills, two hotels, two general stores, and a renowned bank. Lumber was ferried across the lake to Chicago and beyond. Once all the trees were removed, the ecological systems became destabilized. One of the four great fires (the most famous being the Great Chicago Fire) ravaged the town on October 8th, 1871. With nothing to stop the fires, and the winds that must have whipped through, the entire town was razed to the ground. The ruins are entirely buried under huge sand dunes which were formed because of the loss of the once protective tree cover. Once the lumber was all tapped out, the area had to search for another economic base. Singapore is the most famous Ghost Town in Michigan, and its story is a tale of ecological and economic collapse caused by overburdening of our natural resource base.