[5] The village is the site of the earliest European-American settlement in Oronoko Township.

The site had been a village under the leadership of a Potawatomi chief named Wolf.

[6] The first permanent settlers (according to European-American terms), John Pike and his family, did not arrive until 1829.

)[8][9] In 1831 he built a two-story log house, which is the oldest surviving example of its kind in Michigan.

The Greek Revival-style courthouse emulated the architecture of ancient Greece with its large columns, triangular pediment and white paint.

After the county seat was moved in 1894, the building was put to various uses and briefly was vacant.

[12] The restored courthouse square also features the Midwest's most complete surviving mid-nineteenth century county government complex.

The courthouse serves as headquarters for the Berrien County Historical Association.

Its original buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The property is dedicated to the preservation of Berrien County's history and does this through permanent and temporary exhibits, programs, events, and community outreach.

They featured parades, games, activities, and a Pickle Prince and Princess contest.

[13][14] In 2021, the Pickle Festival was revived by the Village, the BCHA, and the Berrien Springs Community Library.