Description: The House of David, Michigan, Images of America, Paperback With rare photos and glimpses of its eccentric founder, discover the curious, fascinating history of the religious society that drew thousands of international visitors to the shores of Benton Harbor.In 1903, Benjamin Purnell, a long-haired, bearded itinerant preacher, arrived in Benton Harbor. He and his wife, Mary, stepped out of their covered preacher's wagon, and gazing across a thriving summer resort, they saw their long-awaited paradise. Acquiring this paradise, they established a religious colony called the House of David, which grew to over 1,000 members from around the world, with phenomenal talents in music, sports, entertainment, and architecture. A pre-Disneyland-type amusement park was constructed, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. As the colony's leader, the very charismatic and convincing Purnell called himself a brother to Jesus, and members flocked in, handing over their homes, wealth, and worldly possessions for the promise of everlasting life, creating huge wealth. Soon they built exquisite mansions, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, factories, and miniature railroads. Holdings included diamond and gold mines, an island in Lake Michigan, thousands of acres of farmland, an Australian resort, an art studio, orchestras, vaudeville acts, a famous bearded baseball team, and more. This book will take readers on the fascinating journey of the House of David.
Price: 16.24 USD
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
End Time: 2024-08-20T16:19:50.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money back or replacement (buyer's choice)
Brand: Unbranded
MPN: 9780738550824
Book Title: House of David
Item Length: 9.2in
Item Height: 0.3in
Item Width: 6.5in
Author: Not Available
Format: Perfect
Language: English
Topic: Subjects & Themes / Regional (See Also Travel / Pictorials), United States / State & Local / MidWest (IA, IL, in, Ks, MI, MN, MO, Nd, Ne, OH, Sd, Wi), General, United States / MidWest / East North Central (IL, in, MI, OH, Wi)
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Publication Year: 2007
Genre: Photography, Travel, Religion, History
Item Weight: 0.7 Oz
Number of Pages: 128 Pages