The first settlements in Leelanau County were on the Manitou Islands. The islands provided natural safe, deep harbors for schooners and steamers and excellent fishing. Families living on both the North and the South Manitou Islands worked as fishermen, farmers or as lumbermen to supply fuel to the steamers. In 1844 Nicholas Pickard built wooden […]
The Polish community in Leelanau County originally consisted of four small settlements one or two miles apart. These settlements, Shomberg, Bodus, Cedar and Isadore began in 1868 when Polish families first started arriving in the county. The first wave of Poles in the county came to scout out the area. In the 1870s a large […]
Maple City is nestled in the heart of Leelanau County in a grove of grand maples trees. The countryside around Maple City is hilly with many farms, orchards, and lakes. Many Maple City settlers came to the area because of the Homestead Act of 1862 which “allowed anyone to file for a quarter-section of free […]
Greilickville today cannot be distinguished from Traverse City. Located just north of Traverse City on the western shore of the Grand Traverse Bay, Greilickville is the first stop in Leelanau County, and yet there is no village to stop in. The only notice that one has passed into Greilickville is a sign attesting to the […]
The town of Lake Leelanau is located where Lake Leelanau itself narrows. The Native Americans who lived in the area called the lake “lee-lan-au” which means “delight of life.” French settlers were the first to arrive in the area, coming from Canada, in the mid 1900s. They called the settlement Le Naro. The early white […]
Peshawbestown is located just a few miles south of Omena and is part of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians’. The Leelanau Sands Casino is located in Peshawbestown and attracts many visitors every summer. Originally founded as a mission, Peshawbetown’s exact history and dates are disputed. Peshawbestown was established by 1855 and […]
Omena is a small community in Leelanau County located between Suttons Bay and Northport. Omena began in 1852 when Reverend Peter Daugherty brought a band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians from Old Mission and settled in what is now Omena. In 1858 the Protestant Church was dedicated, and is the oldest in Leelanau County. As […]
Suttons Bay is a charming village located on the western shore of Leelanau County. Surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and farms, Suttons Bay’s unique charm reflects these surroundings. In 1854 Harry C. Sutton settled in the area with a crew of woodsmen and soon began supplying fuel to the passing wood-burning steamboats. In January of 1866 […]
Leland is on the western shore of the Leelanau Peninsula, between Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan. The Carp River (known to locals as the Leland River) connects Lake Leelanau to Lake Michigan and runs through the village. Leland is well known for its 140 year old historic fishing village, Fishtown. Fishtown is popular because of […]
“Pleasantly situated on a safe and capacious harbor of the bay,” Northport is located near the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. The surrounding area is filled with cherry and apple orchards, as well as many terrific vineyards. Northport was one of the earliest settlements in Leelanau County. In 1849 Reverend George N. Smith, a minister […]
The Tree of Life Starts Friday, Sept 9 Rated PG-13 Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950’s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he […]
The Help Rated PG-13 146 min Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard Based on The Sensational Bestselling Novel Now through Sept 8 Thurs, Sept 1 – 4:00 & 7:30 Fri, Sept 2 – 1:00, 4:30, 8:00 Sat, Sept 3 – 1:00, 4:30, 8:00 Sun, Sept 4 – 1:00, 4:30, 8:00 Mon, […]