Fennville is a city in Allegan County, Michigan. According to the 2020 census, the population was 1,745. Fennville is located on M-89, which is the boundary between Manlius Township to the north and Clyde Township to the south. It is about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Saugatuck and about 13 miles (21 km) west-northwest of Allegan. The city is also about 13 miles (21 km) south of Holland, 16 miles (26 km) northeast of South Haven, and roughly 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Grand Rapids.

Fennville was first settled in the middle of the 1800s. At first, the settlement was built around the edge of a swamp until a fire destroyed the town in 1871. After the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad was built in the late 1800s, the area grew into an agricultural village. In the middle of the 1900s, Fennville became a city and grew further after the construction of Interstate 196. By the end of the 1900s, Fennville started to become known for agritourism after the Fennville AVA was created to support the local wine industry. In the 2000s, Fennville continued to see steady population growth.

History

Fennville was first a small settlement at the crossing of two wooden roads. The first road was built by Harrison Hutchins and James McCormick in 1837. Elam Atwater Fenn from New York arrived in the nearby town of Manlius in 1851.

The town received its name because Fenn built a sawmill nearby in 1860. People began calling the settlement "Fenn's Mill," which became the name for the local post office. Some early documents used "Fenn's Mills" instead. In the 1860s, Fennville had a swamp in the center, and buildings were built on higher ground around it. A fire, possibly linked to the Great Chicago Fire or the Great Michigan Fire, destroyed the town in 1871.

After the town was rebuilt, the Chicago and Michigan Lake Shore Railroad built a train station. The railroad named the town Fennville with help from local residents. By the late 1800s, farmers drained the swamp in the middle of Fennville. On February 20, 1889, Fennville officially became a village.

The Stevens Hotel was built downtown in 1910. In the early 1920s, the train station became busy with transporting farm products like fruit and mint. Like many places, Fennville faced economic challenges during the 1930s Great Depression.

The village grew in the 1950s and 1960s after the construction of nearby Interstate 196, part of the new Interstate Highway System. The Hispanic community also grew as the village expanded. Fennville officially became a city in 1961.

In 1981, the U.S. Department of the Treasury named Fennville an American Viticultural Area (AVA). After this designation, wine from Fennville became popular and won awards.

In the 2010s, the state of Michigan gave Fennville a grant to improve downtown walkability. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the historic Stevens Hotel closed. In 2025, Fennville started building City Square Park, a $1 million project with an amphitheater, outdoor fireplace, and splash pad fountains. In June 2025, the Conagra Brands food facility, which had operated for nearly a century, closed, and 85 workers lost their jobs. Later in 2025, construction began on the Wine Trail Inn, located in the former Stevens Hotel building.

Geography

The United States Census Bureau reports that the city has a total area covering 1.11 square miles (2.87 km²), which includes 1.10 square miles (2.85 km²) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) of water.

Demographics

In 2010, the census showed 1,398 people, 505 households, and 346 families living in the city. The population density was 1,270.9 people per square mile (490.7/km²). There were 588 housing units, with an average density of 534.5 per square mile (206.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city included 72.6% White, 1.9% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 20.7% from other races, and 4.2% from two or more races. People who identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 39.1% of the population.

Out of 505 households, 45.9% had children under 18 living with them. 42.2% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder without a husband, 8.5% had a male householder without a wife, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.7% of households had only one person, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.36.

The median age in the city was 28.7 years. 34.9% of residents were under 18, 8.5% were between 18 and 24, 28.4% were aged 25 to 44, 20.7% were aged 45 to 64, and 7.7% were 65 or older. The gender makeup was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

In 2000, the census showed 1,459 people, 484 households, and 349 families living in the city. The population density was 1,378.4 people per square mile (532.2/km²). There were 552 housing units, with an average density of 521.5 per square mile (201.4/km²). The racial makeup included 73.27% White, 3.15% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 19.81% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. People who identified as Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 32.63% of the population.

Out of 484 households, 48.8% had children under 18 living with them. 50.4% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder without a husband, and 27.7% were non-families. 23.3% of households had only one person, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.01, and the average family size was 3.53.

In 2000, the population was distributed as follows: 38.0% under 18, 10.7% aged 18 to 24, 29.8% aged 25 to 44, 15.1% aged 45 to 64, and 6.4% aged 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

In 2010, the median income for a household was $39,013, and the median income for a family was $40,875. Males had a median income of $32,833, while females had a median income of $25,556. The average income per person in the city was $16,127. About 9.7% of families and 12.2% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 15.5% of those under 18 and 9.5% of those aged 65 or older.

Education

The first library in Fennville was established by the Fennville Women's Club in 1922. In 1925, the club moved the library to an Italian-style house at 415 East Main Street. In 1990, the library was relocated to a new building, and city residents carried each item by hand from the old location to the new one.

Fennville has local schools, including an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.

The Fennville Public Schools district currently includes the following schools:

• Fennville High School (grades 9–12)
• Fennville Middle School (grades 6–8)
• Fennville Elementary School (kindergarten through grade 5)
• Pearl Alternative/Adult Education School (grades 9–12)

Discovery Elementary School, a chartered public school academy in Fennville, closed after the 2009 school year.

Tourism

Fennville is known as an agritourism destination in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. It is located ten minutes from Saugatuck, a scenic coastal city in Michigan. Fennville is recognized for its small town charm, which includes local shops, restaurants that use ingredients from nearby farms, and vineyards. In autumn, visitors enjoy activities such as corn mazes, you-pick fruit harvesting at orchards, and the annual Goose Festival.

Each October since 1984, Fennville has hosted the Goose Festival. This event highlights the area’s wildlife, especially the thousands of Canada geese that pass through the Todd Farm Unit of the Allegan State Game Area during their migration. One goal of the festival was to encourage train travel through Fennville via Amtrak. Thousands of people visit the town each year to enjoy activities organized by the volunteer-based Goose Festival group. In 2025, the festival was paused, but a smaller celebration took place. The community hopes to restart the festival in 2026.

Fennville and its surrounding area are part of the Fennville AVA, an American Viticultural Area known for producing Michigan wine. Local residents began growing grapes and selling them to wine merchants in Chicago as early as the late 1800s. Many farms in the region historically grew grapes for juice, jelly, or wine.

In 1973, William Welsch purchased a 230-acre (93 ha) fruit farm that had been neglected. He later transformed it into Fenn Valley Vineyards. In 1981, the Fennville AVA was officially recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Department of Treasury after Welsch submitted a petition on behalf of local winemakers. The soil in Fennville is primarily glacial sandy soil, which differs from surrounding areas. The region’s climate is influenced by nearby Lake Michigan, and summer temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32 °C). Grape growers in the area have successfully grown both Vitis vinifera and Vitis labrusca wine grape varieties.

Notable people

• Patricia L. Birkholz – Michigan State Senator
• Edward Hutchinson – U.S. Representative for Michigan's 4th Congressional District, served from 1963 to 1977