Presented by Peter Cook
The Jacobia Estate in Hagar Township was the brainchild of inventor and entrepreneur Henry Jacobs, who foresaw Southwest Michigan’s potential to become a tourist mecca. The 180-acre retreat was located along the shore of Lake Michigan. The best remembered structure associated with the property was Jacobs’ Tower, a 160-foot water tower with an observation deck. Other structures included a chapel, dance pavilion, cottages, farmhouse, barns, and a 150-foot stairway to the beach known as Jacobs’ Ladder.
Although Jacobia only existed for a handful of years in the first quarter of the twentieth century, its legacy still endures. Using research and images, Peter Cook, the Programs Director at the North Berrien Historical Society in Coloma, will detail the rise and fall of Jacobs and his towering ambition.
