Israelite House of David - Internet Presence
In May 1903, Benjamin Purnell established the Israelite House of David in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Soon, hundreds of others came -- from Australia, England, and all over America. They considered themselves among the 144,000 "which were redeemed from the earth," according to Revelations 14:3.
- Shiloh House in the early days, with the Print Shop to the left.
- Famous colony made Jams & Jellies at 1104 Broad Street facility in St. Joseph.
- Prize-winning float made with real flowers in the 1918 4th of July Parade.
- Members of the House of David Baseball Team, 1916.
- Girls Band in front of Shiloh as it looked prior to 1916.
- With some of the brothers and the lovely plants surrounding Bethlehem & Jerusalem.
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Soft-spoken, hard-working, and highly talented, the growing community needed a way to support its members while also fostering good relations with Berrien County locals unused to such colorful strangers. They built houses, bought farmland, and raised fruits, vegetables and dairy cattle. In a characteristically astute move, Benjamin decided that the best way to foster good public relations was to provide public entertainment. So he built an amusement park-a wooded paradise where families could stroll, ride the miniature steam trains built by colony members, eat delicious homemade ice cream, buy concession souvenirs, watch the famous House of David baseball team in action, and perhaps pick up a few pamphlets to learn about the faith. Tourists came by the thousands--on steamers from Chicago across Lake Michigan, by train, by bus, and later by automobile. There was music everywhere: hymns, popular tunes, jazz, quartets-performed by colony men and women.
Eden Springs Park was recently purchased by a group of train enthusiasts. Hard-working volunteers and descendants of the original Colony members have lovingly restored the beautiful gardens and ground, as well as some of the original trains. Their weekend train rides have become a popular attraction for visitors of all ages.
We remain among America's oldest practicing Christian communities. Working closely with local artisans, craftsmen, and dozens of dedicated workers, we are restoring our most beautiful buildings to their former grandeur and preserving our heritage.
As this work is still ongoing, and we remain a private, residential religious community, we are regrettably not open to the public. But you are welcome to email us or phone (269) 363-1474 if you would like more information. If you would like to learn more about the religion, here are some of our publications explaining the basics.
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