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History

History

Over the past several decades, Ox Creek and its surroundings have been damaged by pollution from industrial sites, illegal dumping, historical disinvestment in local infrastructure, and increased flooding, sedimentation, and nutrient loading due to changing land uses and weather patterns. Below are photos and newspaper clippings that capture some of this history:

A historic photo of a flood downtown Benton Harbor with a car stuck.

In the 1930s, George R. Fox of the Chamberlain Museum at Three Oaks wrote an article titled, “Place names of Berrien County”. The article ultimately was published in Michigan History Magazine, but earlier versions of the article/list appeared in area newspapers. Here is the Ox Creek entry from that version of the article that appeared in the Herald-Press on December 31, 1938.

Before another spring, Ox Creek is expected to be thoroughly tamed. … Benton Harbor News-Palladium, October 2, 1948.
3 clipping from the newspaper “City Moves to Prevent Flood Loss”, Benton Harbor News-Palladium, August 7, 1948.
“City Moves to Prevent Flood Loss”, Benton Harbor News-Palladium, August 7, 1948.
Two cars parked near the Morris Pritchard residence were wrecked by water, a caved-in embankment and falling trees. The upper car is owned by Willis R. Barker of 291 Ross Street. The Ford crushed beneath the debris is owned by Pritchard. 
Flooded Ox creek undermined this home at 297 Ross Street, forcing Morris Pritchard and family to evacuate the dwelling early today. 
View looking west on East Main Street, Benton Harbor, this morning. When Ox Creek surged out of its banks, flood waters covered the street and flooded nearby buildings. (News-Palladium photos).