Three Rivers: A City of Delightful Surprises

Three Rivers is named for the convergence of the St. Joseph, Portage, and Rocky Rivers. One of Michigan’s oldest cities, Three Rivers, like its rivers, is on the move. The progress is easily observed as you drive past the edge of town, along Highway 131. Three Rivers offers the conveniences of a larger city while retaining the charm of a small town. It combines modern necessities with a relaxed pace. Progress can be seen in the development at the Airport and Enterprise industrial parks, in new housing and a new high school and expansion and renovation of Three Rivers Health, formerly known as Three Rivers Area Hospital. Marcia Saunders, Community Development Director, has a passion for the city. “We want to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit, and Three Rivers certainly offers a quality of life that only exists in small towns.” Peaceful community living can be found in the lovely Victorian homes, churches and scenic parks. This city combines modern necessities with a relaxed pace. Driving through the heart of the community into beautiful downtown, you can feel the change. This drive shows a peaceful, quieter side of the community, secluded from the rapid pace of the 131 corridor.

Scidmore Park
The crown jewel of the community, Scidmore Park is the winner of the Michigan Municipal League’s Municipal Achievement Award for five years of renovations and enhancements. Key aspects of the park include the lighthouse and historic popcorn stand. Summer festivals, the farmer’s market, picnic areas, and playgrounds make it the centerpiece for community activities. Recently, major renovations have been made to the recreation facilities and zoo. Years ago, this was a traditional zoo, filled with wild animals. While many changes have been made, the deer and exotic fowl remain. A new barn and shelter area provides a home for goats, miniature horses, a donkey and a pair of alpacas. Also on exhibit are snakes, rabbits and a tortoise. The new petting zoo concept allows children to experience a hands-on interaction with farm animals. With no admission charged, Scidmore Park enables families to enjoy a no cost afternoon of educational entertainment -- a rare find in a time of high priced recreation.

Carnegie Center for the Arts
Composed of the old Carnegie library and two adjacent buildings, the Carnegie Center for the Arts reflects the heartbeat of the community of Three Rivers.

Helen McCauslin, a retired Kalamazoo Valley Community College administrator, is a life-long volunteer. After moving to Three Rivers, she volunteered at the Carnegie Center for the Arts and soon became the director. Helen states, "This is my perfect job." By creating art exhibits that fill the walls, and bringing theater, music, and dance to the center, she has created an atmosphere for the arts in Three Rivers.

Through the arts program, Partnership for Education, students have the opportunity to become acquainted with the arts. Programming includes: professional stage presentations for grades 1 through 5 for students in St. Joseph County, as well as several schools in Cass and Kalamazoo counties. The "Fourth Grade Day of Artistic Awareness" is a full school day spent at the Carnegie Center for the 4th graders of the county. In the spring, the walls of the center overflow with over 1000 works from students in the Three Rivers school district, filling it with light, creativity and innocence. Visitors to the Carnegie Center are greeted by cleverly designed caterpillars made by the summer art day camp students. Crafted from radiators from the old Riviera Theatre, they are sure to brighten your day. Adult classes and concerts fill the evenings. Special events, including this fall's Renaissance Harvest Fest and costume ball, are also offered. Last year, 44 cities in Michigan and 41 cities from other states were represented in Carnegie's guest book. Many diverse programs result in the Carnegie Center being a major facet of Three Rivers.

Unique shopping opportunities in downtown Three Rivers
In the elongated block, known as the Historic District, shops are more creative in nature than one would expect. With art galleries, jewelry stores, and a store that sells goods made from recycled materials, downtown Three Rivers offers an unparalleled shopping experience. Jen Brown, director of the Downtown Development authority put it this way: “The downtown is honestly a hidden treasure – almost like a warm coat that you haven’t worn for awhile, and when you finally put it on and reach in find twenty dollars you had forgotten. Many of the stores are like that; you drive by often without realizing what’s inside, and when you actually go in, you are amazed at what you find.”

You will find excellent restaurants, and coffee shops as well as arts and crafts and book stores. Many downtown locations are under renovation with several buildings being restored. The Riviera Theatre, currently under renovation, is scheduled to open in spring 2007. This will bring an additional venue for live theater, movies and other special events to the downtown area. A soda fountain will open soon as well. Capping off the redevelopment, a massive new parking area behind the shops will enable easy access to all the unique shopping, dining, and entertainment downtown Three Rivers has to offer.

The love for Three Rivers runs deep. Its community leaders have made Three Rivers their home for many years. They are very proud of what they have accomplished to keep Three Rivers advancing forward. You can feel the sense of pride in the community as well as the city government and Chamber of Commerce. Bruce Snook, general manager of the Chamber, says, “Our community has made great strides on many fronts in recent years – and there’s growing momentum. I’m proud of what we have to offer, confident of our future, and certainly invite others to check us out.’” Three Rivers is growing and the results are glowing.

Home | Local | Food | Fun | Parents | Kids | Advertise | Customer Service | Subscription | Site Search