Bay View, Michigan

Bay View

Crouse Chapel and some of the main Association Grounds
Nearest city Petoskey, Michigan
Built 1876
Architect Eastlake, Stick, Queen Anne, Shingle.
Architectural style Colonial Revival, Late Victorian, Other
NRHP Reference # 72000613
Significant dates
Added to NRHP March 16, 1972[1]
Designated NHLD December 23, 1987[2]
Designated MSHS June 15, 1992[3]

Bay View is an unincorporated resort community and census designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Bear Creek Township, Emmet County on Little Traverse Bay and abuts the east side of the city of Petoskey along U.S. Highway 31. The ZIP code is 49770 and the FIPS place code is 06260. It was originally formed as part of the Methodist Camp Meeting movement and later adapted to the precepts of the Chautauqua movement. As of the 2010 census the population of the CDP was 133.[4]

History

Cottages in Bay View

The Bay View Association of the United Methodist Church was founded in 1875 by a group of Methodists to be a retreat. The group considered multiple locations, and eventually struck a deal with the citizens of Petoskey and the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, where the Petoskey citizenry would pay to extend the railroad line from their town to Bay View, the railroad would purchase the site, and the Methodists would agree to improve the location and hold camp meetings there over the next fifteen years.[5] In 1876, the first group of Methodists travelled to the site, cleared an area of underbrush, and built a preaching stand and an audience area under the trees.[5] On August 2, 1876, the first meeting was held at the site.[6] Shelter at the time was only in tents. Construction of cottages began almost immediately, and by 1881 there were about 150 at the site.[5]

In 1879, an artesian well water system was installed, providing spring water to the cottages. However, the pipes were laid very shallowly, and had to be drained in the winter months to prevent freezing. Then, as now, the community closed from November through April, during which time the residences must be vacated.[5]

A Chatauqua program, a series of educational of lectures and music, began in 1886, and the community developed around these activities.[7] These programs, along with programs for children and a variety of classes, run from May through October of each year. The program was immensely successful, and the number of cottages in the community soared, with 200 in 1887, 400 in 1895, and 500 in 1901. Many of these newcomers were from other, non-Methodist denominations, and many stayed all summer rather than for only a few weeks of the year. In the late 1880s, the Bay View Summer University opened. The University was absorbed into Albion College about 1918 and remained open into the 1960s.[5]

The local camp was listed as a National Historic Landmark district in 1987 as one of the best-preserved examples of the Methodist Camp Meeting movement, as originally built in 1876, and adapted to the Chatauqua movement in 1885 through 1915.[2]

Controversy

Although Bay View has opened its membership to include those of other Christian-based faiths and those of different races and gender orientation, Bay View, currently, does not allow non-Christians to join the association. Membership in the Bay View Association is required to own a cottage in the community.[8]

The Bay View Association has, in the past, had other discriminatory prerequisites in its membership requirements. Although, when the association was founded in 1875, no such requirements existed the By-Laws were amended in 1940's. In 1942 the Bay View Board adopted the following resolution: "No person shall be accepted as a member of this association or be allowed to rent or lease property or a room, for longer than a period of one day, unless such person is of the white race and a Christian who must provide acceptable and good recommendations. This resolution does not apply to servants within a household or to employes”(sic)

In 1947 the By Laws were revised to add "Any person twenty-one years of age and good moral character, by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Trustees, may be accepted as a member of this Association provided that he or she is of the Caucasian race and of Christian persuasion." The two provisions Caucasian requirements were removed in 1959.[9]

From the 1960's through to the 1980's there was a quota on how many Catholics were allowed to be members. Membership of Catholics was not to exceed 10% of the total membership. Once the quota was met additional Catholics applicants were rejected. This quota requirement was abandoned in the 1980's.[10]

On August 6, 2011, the Bay View Association members voted on a proposal that would remove the Christian affiliation requirement. The proposal was defeated by a vote of 52% (381 members) opposed to 48% (346 members) in favor of the proposal. The proposal needed a two thirds majority to pass.[11]

On August 3, 2013, another vote was taken to change the membership qualification requirements to include non-Christians. The proposal was again defeated by a vote of 51.85% (364 members) for the change to 48.14% (338 members) opposed to the change. A two-thirds majority is required to pass the amendment.[12]

On July, 2017, a civil rights and religious discrimination lawsuit was filed by The Bay View Chautauqua Inclusiveness Group against the Bay View Association of the United Methodist Church in the U. S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.[13] [14]

Description

Bay View is modeled on Methodist camp meeting resorts, such as Wesleyan Grove on Martha's Vineyard, Ocean Grove, New Jersey, or Lakeside, Ohio.[6] The structures on the Bay View community consist of approximately 440 cottages and 30 community-owned buildings. There are two hotels on premises: Stafford's Bay View Inn (1886), and The Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant. Other facilities include a post office, beach with a swim area, children's pool and a sail house.[15] The community is located on about 340 heavily wooded acres (140 ha), dropping in a series of terraces from a 200-foot elevation (61 m) to the shore of Little Traverse Bay.[6]

Nearly all the structures in the community were built in the 1875-1900 time period. Most buildings are Eastlake and Stick style, with some Queen Anne and Shingle style architecture.[5] Cottages are set on 50-foot lots (15 m) along gently curving streets running along the natural terraces. In the center of the community is The Campus (originally Tabernacle Park). Many of the larger communal structures are located here, including the original 1877 preaching stand, as well an 1880 book store and multiple educational buildings constructed around 1890.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. 1 2 "Bay View". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
  3. ↑ State of Michigan (2009). "Bay View Association". Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bay View CDP, Michigan". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 William Lowery (October 19, 1971), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Bay View
  6. 1 2 3 Ellen Weiss (April 1986), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Bay View Association
  7. ↑ Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.
  8. ↑ Bay View Members, Family, and Friends, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? THOUGHTS ON INCLUSIVENESS (PDF)
  9. ↑ Arthur Anderson, THE FACTS: Bay View’s Membership History
  10. ↑ Arthur Anderson, THE FACTS: Bay View’s Membership History
  11. ↑ Bentley, Ryan (12 August 2011). "Bay View votes to keep Christian membership requirement". PetoskeyNews.com.
  12. ↑ Ryan Bentley (Aug 8, 2013), "Religious membership restriction remains after Bay View vote", Petoskey News-Review
  13. ↑ Arielle Hines (Jul 14, 2017), "Prejudice? Lawsuit claims Bay View religious requirement is discriminatory", Petoskey News-Review
  14. ↑ Connor Hansen (Jul 17, 2017), "Group files lawsuit against Bay View Association for "religious discrimination"", UpNorthLive.com
  15. ↑ History of The Bay View Association, Bay View Association

Bay View Association, State of Michigan (archived), archived from the original on 2012-05-11 

Coordinates: 45°23′08″N 84°55′49″W / 45.38556°N 84.93028°W / 45.38556; -84.93028

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