NPS Photo / M. Adams
Navy beans are a common bean variety that are small and white. They are great for canning, drying, or cooking, and they are the typical variety used in baked beans. Yet, navy beans are susceptible to disease and discoloration. In the mid-1900s, researchers around the country experimented to invent better bean strains. The Michigan Agricultural College invented and sold many new strains of navy beans. One of these was named "Michelite," which combines the words "Michigan" and "elite." Michelite beans have high yields, uniform coloration, and disease resistance. Their flowers cross-pollinate easily with other strains, which makes their seeds less valuable. Researchers searched the state for farms with low exposure to other bean pollens. They selected a few South Manitou Island farms to grow most of the Michelite seed crop. Many Midwest farms bought and planted these seeds from South Manitou Island. They were the most widespread bean grown in the region by the 1940s. This period coincided with American involvement in WWII. Countless tons of Michelite beans went abroad to feed the troops. Most of these beans descended from the parent stock on South Manitou Island. New bean varieties arose several years later, which made Michelite obsolete. |
Last updated: July 10, 2025