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The first Dickinson Stadium
 In the mid 1940's the St. Joseph School system acquired the title to a
40 acre parcel of land known as the Dickinson Estate. The area is
where the current high school now stands. Around that same time the
citizens of St. Joseph recognized the need for a new athletic and
recreation area. The St. Joe football team played their games at
Wells field (where Jefferson elementary currently sits). There was
no parking for the fans, except on the neighboring streets, and the wooden
grandstands were in danger of collapse. It was then that the St. Joe
residents got the ball rolling for a new facility. After receiving
numerous recommendations by various experts, the planning committee,
commissioned architect Robert V. Knox to develop the sketches and
conceptual drawings of the stadium. The Board of Education would
take these plans to the various service clubs around St. Joseph to rally
the community involvement in the project, Every group that were
presented the plans went on record as supporting it. The voters
overwhelmingly passed the $170,000 bond proposal on July 25, 1949 for the
new stadium and track. A little over a year later, on September 22,
1950, the original Dickinson Stadium opened. Dickinson Stadium held
it's last event on October 19, 2001. In the 51 year history of the
stadium it was the home to thousands of events, including football games,
track meets, soccer games, band competitions, and commencement ceremonies.
The new Dickinson Stadium
The idea for a new stadium came about when a commission was charged
with reviewing and making recommendations on the future of the facilities
of the St. Joseph Public School system for the next 30-40 years. After a
review of the old stadium it was determined that to bring the stadium's
aging and deteriorating steel support and infrastructure up to code would
be a very expensive project. The commission visited newly
constructed high schools around the Midwest and made recommendations for
the St. Joe schools, including a new football stadium. In
March of 2001 a plan for a bond proposal was presented to the St. Joe
taxpayers, which not only included the new stadium, but also a new
athletic fieldhouse and other various projects at the high school, and a
new auxiliary gym, offices, library and orchestra room at Upton Middle
School. The bond issue passed on September 25, 2001, less than
a month later, the last game at the old Dickinson Stadium would be played
and demolition would begin.
While construction continued during the 2002 football season the
varsity team played their "Home" games at Lakeshore's Al Stockman Stadium,
Benton Harbor's Filstrup Field and at Bridgman High School. Upton
Middle School was the home site for the JV and Freshman teams. The
new stadium still has one feature from the old stadium, and that is the
electronic scoreboard/message center that was installed prior to the 1998
season. The scoreboard was dismantled and moved 200 feet from it's
previous location to where it currently stands. The stadium now also
has an 8 lane running track, the old stadium had 7 and only 6 were
useable.
 The first games were played on Thursday, September
4th, by the Freshman and JV teams who gave the stadium it's first shakedown
before the Grand Opening a week later. The official dedication was
prior to the game between St. Joseph and Kalamazoo Central which St. Joe
won 34-13. Less than a year after the opening, the new Dickinson
Stadium had the honor of hosting country music and TV star Reba McIntyre
for a performance benefiting Harbor Habitat for Humanity, The
concert was part of Reba's 2004 tour which was sponsored by Whirlpool
Corporation. The concert was held in front of over 6,500 on July 20,
2004. The first touchdown scored in the new stadium came on a 9 yard
touchdown pass from Andy Schueneman to Charlie Lavelle in the first
quarter of the Stadium's first game on September 12th 2003. Nick
Sherrill added the extra point on the first score in the new stadium.
Schueneman is the only player that has played a varsity game in both the
old and new stadiums.
North East (Detroit, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Mattawan, Battle Creek,
Richland)
- I-94 West to Exit 27
- Turn Right on Niles Ave. (M-63)
- Continue along Niles Ave to Hilltop Road, turn left (Walgreens on
the corner).
- Continue along Hilltop to second light (KFC on the corner)
(Cleveland Ave.) turn right.
- Cleveland Avenue will end at the stadium, turn right onto Lakeshore
drive, pass the stadium and turn right onto Kingsley (florist on the
corner)
- Right on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
East (Sturgis, Coldwater)
Coldwater start here
- I-69 South towards Indiana, go West on Indiana Toll
Road(I-80/90)
Sturgis Start here
- I-80/90 (Indiana toll road) West towards Chicago, exit 72
(US-31) go north on US-31
- US-31 to Berrien Springs (exit 15B, second of the two exits)
towards St. Joe
- Continue on M-139 turn left at Niles Rd (M-63) (True Value
Hardware store on corner)
- Continue along Niles Ave to Hilltop Road, turn left (Walgreens
on the corner).
- Continue along Hilltop to second light (KFC on the corner)
(Cleveland Ave.) turn right.
- Cleveland Avenue will end at the stadium, turn right onto
Lakeshore drive, pass the stadium and turn right onto Kingsley
(florist on the corner)
- Right on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
North (Benton Harbor) (please note this is one of
many possible routes depending on your starting point in BH)
- Colfax south to Napier
- Turn Right on Napier (head west)
- Right on Niles
- Turn Left on Kingsley.
- Turn Right on State Street
- Turn Left on Wallace
- Turn Left on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
North (Holland, South Haven, Grand Rapids) Grand Rapids start here
Holland and South Haven start here
- I-196 south to I-94 West (towards Chicago)
- I-94 West to Exit 27
- Turn Right on Niles Ave. (M-63)
- Continue along Niles Ave to Hilltop Road, turn left (Walgreens on
the corner).
- Continue along Hilltop to second light (KFC on the corner)
(Cleveland Ave.) turn right.
- Cleveland Avenue will end at the stadium, turn right onto Lakeshore
drive, pass the stadium and turn right onto Kingsley (florist on the
corner)
- Right on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
Southeast (Niles, South Bend)
- US-31 to Berrien Springs (exit 15B, second of the two exits)
towards St. Joe
- Continue on M-139, turn left at Niles Rd (M-63) (True Value
Hardware store on corner)
- Continue along Niles Ave to Hilltop Road, turn left (Walgreens
on the corner).
- Continue along Hilltop to second light (KFC on the corner)
(Cleveland Ave.) turn right.
- Cleveland Avenue will end at the stadium, turn right onto
Lakeshore drive, pass the stadium and turn right onto Kingsley
(florist on the corner)
- Right on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
South (Stevensville, Baroda)
- Take Cleveland Avenue North
- Cleveland Avenue will end at the stadium, turn right onto
Lakeshore drive, pass the stadium and turn right onto Kingsley
(florist on the corner)
- Right on Stadium Drive into parking lot.
When attending a game at Dickinson Stadium, there should be ample
parking in the student lot. There is a side lot that is reserved
for box seat holders. Parking in the
circle by the school is not recommended. If you find that the lots
are full, you can either try parking along the side streets along
Stadium drive, Kingsley Drive, or Wallace Avenue. You can park at
the High School's Lakeview avenue lot and walk up the ramp and then
around the school to the stadium.
Tailgating is permitted before games, however if you plan to
tailgate, please plan to arrive early and park in the secondary lot next
to the practice field. We would ask that you not consume
alcoholic beverages in the school parking lots, also please make
sure you clean up your area when you're completed. We do not have
any "Charcoal" bins for your to dispose of your used charcoal for
grilling.
Following the game, St. Joseph Public Safety will be directing traffic
around the stadium to try to get you on your way as quickly as possible.
If you are in the main student lot, go towards the
baseball field along Stadium Drive. or if you are in the lot next to the
practice field, there is a gate that opens to Lakeshore drive, St. Joe
Public Safety will be there to direct
traffic. This is your best option for access to North and
Southbound Lakeshore Drive. If you're headed towards the
I-94 or old US-31, you will want to head east on Wallace, South on State
Street and then East on Kingsley. This will allow you to go East
on Napier Avenue or south along Niles Avenue, which will allow you to
catch I-94 or M-139/Old US 31 towards Niles. Please note that this
is one lane and there will be police directing traffic at the corner of
Wallace and Lakeview, it might take a little while to exit this way.
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Advance Ticket Sales
Only certain games will there be advance sale on tickets, usually
for the Lakeshore game and any possible playoff games. If
there will be a game that we will be selling advanced tickets for, it
will be announced in the newspaper, radio, school website, and here on
www.stjoefootball.com
Aisle Traffic/Section Entry
Guests are urged to arrive at their seats well in advance of
kickoff. As a courtesy to other guests, please remain at your seat
until the play has ended.
ATM
Sorry but there are no ATM's located inside Dickinson Stadium.
The closest ATM's are located on State Street at Fifth Third Bank,
United Federal Credit Union. There is also a Bank of America
ATM located on the corner of Cleveland and Hilltop Road.
Berrien Teachers Credit Union has an ATM near the corner of Lakeview
and Hilltop. First Source Bank has an ATM located in the
Martins Plaza on Hilltop Road at the corner of Cleveland Avenue.
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Baby Changing Areas
Changing Tables are located in all restrooms at Dickinson Stadium.
Banners and signs
Signs and banners are allowed inside Dickinson Stadium, but please
make sure they are not blocking the view of any other spectator.
Signs that may be offensive or in poor taste can be taken away... so
don't bring them.
Box Seats
Box Seats are sold through the athletic office. Deadline for
renewal of your existing box seats are usually in July. More
information is available in the high school athletic office.
Broadcasts - Radio
See Radio Broadcast
Broadcasts - Television
On occasion there have been some St. Joseph football games that have
been televised, no live television coverage is permitted under MHSAA
Broadcasting Regulations. Usually televised games are done by the
MHSAA Network, those games will appear at a later date at
www.mhsaa.tv. MHSAA-TV is available on
Comcast Cable systems around the state with the exception of Customers
in the Southwest Michigan Coverage area. Comcast considers this
area to be a part of the Northwest Indiana market.
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Cameras and Video Equipment
Fans are encouraged to take
pictures at Dickinson Stadium, but please do not block the view of other
fans. Fans are NOT permitted field access for taking photos.
Only authorized persons are allowed on the field.
Fans taking video are permitted to take the video from their seat,
the use of tripods are not allowed. The camera decks on each side
of the pressbox are for team/media video taping only
Concessions
Concession stands are located under the home
seating area as well in the northwest corner of the stadium. The
Northwest stand and on the south end of the home stands are operated by
the St. Joseph Band and Orchestra Parents. The other concession stand under
the home stands are operated by the St. Joseph football boosters.
Both stands will sell drinks, popcorn, and candy. However certain
hot foods are available only at the band stands and other hot foods are
only available from the football boosters stands. Please look for
the selections at each stand.
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Diaper Changing
See Baby Changing Areas
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Emergencies
In case of an emergency in the stadium, St. Joseph staff members as well
as St. Joseph Public Safety Officers will help to direct you out of the
stadium. Please find your nearest exit when you find your seat.
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Fan Conduct
In order to keep St. Joe football games as enjoyable as possible for
all, we ask that you display good sportsmanship and respect the
officials, your
fellow fans as well as the fans of the visiting team. If a patron
displays conduct which endangers or disrupts players, coaches,
officials or other patrons, you can be removed from Dickinson
Stadium. You are encouraged to wear maize and blue and cheer
for the Bears, but please respect your fellow fans, the officials
and the fans, players and coaches of the visiting team. You
are representing St. Joseph, so show a good example.
First Aid
See an usher or a St. Joseph Public Safety Officer.
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Game Start Times
Beginning with the 2010 season, all Big-16
Conference games will start at 7:00 PM. This is 30 minutes earlier
than in previous seasons. Any possible playoff games will be determined at a later time.
Gate Openings
Dickinson Stadium gates open 90 minutes prior to kick-off.
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Hospitals
Lakeland Hospital-St. Joseph is only a few blocks
from Dickinson Stadium. Lakeland-St. Joseph is located at 1234
Napier Avenue.
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Internet/WIFI
There is no public wifi in Dickinson Stadium,
there is wireless and wired internet available to members of the press
in the pressbox. See the pressbox attendant for connection and
passkey information
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K
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Lost and Found
Any items lost
and found will usually be turned in to one of the concession stands or taken to the Athletic Office for pickup the next school day. Call ahead if you want to see if your item might have been turned in.
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Media Credentials
Media should contact the high school athletic office to inquire
about space in the pressbox as well as parking information.
Visiting Radio Stations who need telephone access should contact the
high school athletic office. Internet access is available in
the pressbox via wired network cable, wireless access is also
available. If internet access is needed see the pressbox
attendant for information on proper connection settings.
Merchandise
St. Joseph football apparel is available at the St. Joseph football
boosters concession stand under the home seating area.
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Noisemakers
There are no restrictions to cowbells, airhorns,
thundersticks, shakers, and clappers inside Dickinson Stadium, but
please keep in mind that not all fans enjoy it. Please be
respectful for other fans.
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Parking
Parking is available in the student lot to the north of the stadium
as well as along Stadium Drive. There is no charge for
parking. Tailgating should be done in the secondary student
lot directly north of the practice field. There is reserved
parking in the secondary student lot for Box seat holders.
Parking is not allowed on Circle Drive due to the construction. Additional parking can be found along the side streets, but please be considerate of the people who live along those streets and make sure you are parking in a legal spot, you can also park in the Lakeview side parking lot and walk around the school to the stadium.
Personal Announcements
Announcements are made over the public address system only in case
of emergency.
Pets
Animals, except for service animals assisting visitors with
disabilities, are not permitted inside Dickinson Stadium.
Programs
Game programs are sold at the main ticket booth as well as various
other locations.
Public Phones
There are no public telephones inside Dickinson
Stadium
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Radio Broadcasts
Each St. Joseph varsity game is broadcast live on WSJM-AM 1400, also
games are broadcast live on the internet at
www.wsjmsports.com.
Additionally on occasion, the visiting team will have broadcasts
originating from the stadium.
Reserved Seating
Reserved seating is sold through the Athletic Office. Renewals
will be handled first followed anyone wishing to purchase reserved
seats.
Restrooms
There are four restroom areas around Dickinson Stadium.
Two sets of men's and women's restrooms are located under the home
stands, also in the northwest concession area as well as in the
field house behind the visiting stands, there are entrances to the
restrooms behind the stands. All of which contain
baby-changing stations
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Scoreboard Messages
Dickinson Stadium does not display birthday, anniversary, or other
personal messages on the scoreboard.
Seatback Chairs
Stadium chairs are allowed inside Dickinson Stadium, if you are
using them on a reserved seat, please make sure you are placing it
on your assigned seat.
Severe Weather
In case of a chance for severe weather, we will provide
announcements on the PA system about possible threatening weather
where your safety could be compromised. If the game is
delayed, fans can return to their vehicles until the weather passes.
Updates may also be relayed on the message board in case of weather
delays or any other information. While in your vehicle, you
can also turn on your radios to WSJM-AM 1400 for the latest updates
on the weather and status of the game.
Smoking
For the health and enjoyment of all guests and by
Michigan State Law, smoking is prohibited in
all St. Joseph school grounds. The enforcement of this
regulation depends on the cooperation, consideration, and good faith
of smokers and nonsmokers alike. It is the responsibility of all
fans to observe the no-smoking regulation.
Student seating
There are two area designated for St. Joseph students, High School
students are to use the north end of the home stands. Students
from Upton Middle school should use the south end of the home
stands.
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Tailgating
Tailgating is allowed in the parking lot north of the practice
fields, we would request that you do not use charcoal grills to cook
with, as there is no safe place to dispose of the charcoal and even
items that appear to be extinguished may remain flammable and cause
fires. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited as well. If
you have music playing in your vehicle keep it at a tolerable level.
There is a St. Joseph city ordinance that prohibits loud music, which
can be punished by a $100 fine.
Tickets
- General Admission ($5) admission can be purchased at the
gate or in advance for certain games only.
- Reserved seats ($40) includes admission to all JV and
Freshman games at Dickinson Stadium.
- All Season pass ($75) includes one reserved seat and
admission to ALL St. Joe regular season home games for that school
year.
- Family pass ($150) includes 2 reserved seats, and an all
sports pass to all home games for immediate family members living at
home.
- Child's reserved seat ($10) 10 years old and younger,
Children 10 and over are full price ($40)
- Student pass ($50) admission to all St. Joe home athletic
events for that school year.
- Football Box Seats ($300) includes seating for 6, 3
reserved parking passes, box nameplate, and admission to all fall
home athletic events.
- Senior Gold Card (FREE!!) free admission to all home
events (age 62+), reserved tickets and be purchased for only $20
with gold cards. (Gold cards are only available at the
superintendants office at the administration building at North
Lincoln School)
- Reserved, All-Season, Family, Child's Reserved, Student, and Box
Seats are available at the Athletic Office. ALL passes exclude
admission to MHSAA playoff games and games played at Dickinson
Stadium that are not St. Joseph games.
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Umbrellas
Umbrellas are allowed in Dickinson Stadium, however please do not
use then in a way that it blocks the vision or in anyway interferes
with other fans.
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Water Fountains
There are two water fountains under the home stands
Wheelchair/Handicap Access
Wheelchair seating is available in the front rows of both the home
and visiting seating areas, the only places where they are not are
in the student sections as well as in front of the Band.
Handicap parking is located on the south end of the student lot next
to the main ticket booth.
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