Behind the Book

Pictures from my research on Braving Fiery Waters.

South Haven
The sign Claire sees in the bathroom of Clementine’s is real.
farmers market, south haven
This is the farmer’s market that Claire shops at in Braving Fiery Waters.
south haven

The view from the farmer’s market in South Haven, MI. I was there during the 4th of July weekend, so there were more people than normal, but summer weekends can get pretty crowded there. 

Clementines, ceiling, South Haven
The ceiling at Clementine’s. Isn’t it fun?
Black River, Lake Michigan, South Haven

South Haven, MI is situated where the Black River spills into Lake Michigan. This is the river.  

marina, South Haven, Black River
Boats, boats, and more boats. The marinas in South Haven are packed.
South Haven, Black River
The view of the marina from uphill. In the spirit of Marina in the book, I embarrassed my teens by going into the building and asking the person who worked there a bunch of questions.
boats, marina, Black River, South Haven
Look at all those boats! Do you see the Duncan Delight? No, because that boat is a figment of my imagination.
South Haven, Lake Michigan, lighthouse

The South Haven lighthouse is beautiful. We didn’t go all the way out there because I was 8 months pregnant at the time, and it was already a lot of walking. But it’s fun to see from a distance, too. 

lighthouse, South Haven, Black River, Lake Michigan
A beautiful little replica of the lighthouse.
beach, South Haven, Lake Michigan
South Beach in South Haven, MI.
beach, Lake Michigan, South Haven
Another view of the beach at Lake Michigan. South Haven is a popular tourist spot, especially in the summer.
South Haven
Can’t you just imagine a group of teens playing volleyball right here? Watch out for Jack.
South Beach, South Haven
South Beach in South Haven. Such a fun place.
4th of July, crowds, South Haven
We were there for the 4th of July weekend. On July 3rd, they put on an amazing fireworks display from the lake. It was perhaps the best fireworks I’ve ever seen. Afterward, this mass of humanity made its way from the beach to their cars. The news said there were 70,000 people there!
South Haven

A neat place to take pictures. Me and my baby belly. 

South Haven, hat
There are many touristy shops. Did Bearett get his hat from here?
South Haven

This street is lined with a ton of cute little shops. Plenty here for tourists and locals alike. 

splash pad, South Haven
This splash pad is close to the beach. I *may* have visited to cool myself down. (“Move over, kids. This pregnant lady is HOT.”)
South Haven
I absolutely love cute little towns with fun shops. South Haven was the perfect getaway for me.
shirt, South Haven, tourist
Did Aiden buy Neveah’s shirt from this shop?
South Haven map
In this map, you can see how the Black River splits South Beach from North Beach. On the south side of the river, there are shops and restaurants. On the north side, there’s the Michigan Maritime Museum. There are marinas on both sides.
ice cream, South Haven
Ice cream, anyone? Aiden and Neveah grabbed a sweet treat here.
ice cream, South Haven

There are several ice cream places in South Haven. I chose to place Aiden and Neveah here because it was unique (and less crowded.)

parfait, South Haven
Six Chicks Scratch Kitchen is a popular dining spot in South Haven. Their yogurt parfaits are delicious.
Menu, south haven

We had to wait outside for a table to open up at Six Chicks Scratch Kitchen. It rained. Still worth it!

maritime museum, Michigan, South Haven, steamboats

I loved the Michigan Maritime Museum. Such interesting displays about steamboats and more. It’s not a huge museum, but if you’re in the area and you like that kind of thing, definitely check it out.

maritime museum, steamboats

Can’t you just picture yourself as a captain? 

whistle, steamboat, maritime museum
A steam whistle!
water pump, cholera, 1849, St. Louis
Switching gears to the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis – They have a wonderful display about the cholera epidemic and Great St. Louis Fire of 1849. This is a depiction of the water they would have pumped in St. Louis at that time. Want a drink?
trunk
When Marina time-sailed to 1849, people would have had trunks instead of suitcases. Her rolling suitcase would have been quite a sight!
Missouri History Museum, Great St. Louis Fire 1849
The Great St. Louis Fire of 1849 is behind me in this picture. I never know what to do in these pictures. Smile? So much destruction happened there. But it’s fascinating to see how my city rallied and rebuilt.
Great St. Louis Fire, 1849, Missouri History Museum

Behind the blackened wall is a replica of an old fire engine.  

Great St. Louis Fire, 1849, Missouri History Museum
See the fire trumpet? Marina used one of those in the book.
fire hat, Great St. Louis Fire, 1849, Missouri History Museum
An old fire hat. At that time, all fire departments were volunteer. They often competed against each other, but during the Great Fire of 1849, they banded together to save the city.
fire hat, 1849, Great St. Louis Fire, Missouri History Museum
Another fire hat.