Located just west of downtown Douglas, at the corner of Ferry and Center Street, stands an enormous wooden barrel. This local icon, a favorite spot for summer treats, was almost lost to history.
Built in 1952, the barrel was originally a root beer stand designed to attract beachgoers. Over the years, it changed hands and eventually fell into disrepair, sitting abandoned and deteriorating in the Michigan weather for decades. The barrel was even slated for demolition until the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society intervened with a plan to save it.
The community rallied, raising funds and providing over 600 hours of volunteer labor. In 2011, the barrel’s lead paint was removed, and it was dismantled and moved to a garage. Volunteers repaired and sealed the 120 wooden staves, while students from the Saugatuck High School Industrial Arts Program fabricated a new steel base ring and support structure.
In June 2015, ownership officially transferred to the City of the Village of Douglas. By 2016, the beloved barrel was back in business, once again welcoming tourists and selling them treats.
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