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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 second wave came to join the scouting families. Many of these new families moved to Isadore. At that time Cedar was a nearly a ghost town, bereft of the trees that had led to the founding of the town. As the first generation of Polish immigrants began to retire the younger Poles moved to Cedar, building a thriving town known as Cedar City. Today Cedar is Leelanau County's central hub. People stop by Pleva's Meat for some nationally known PlevaLean burgers and cherry sausage, or Cedar City Market for its huge selection of fine wines, liquor, organic local foods, and local eggs, or just to chat with owner Phil Thiel. Blue Moon Ice Cream is easily recognizable with its bright blue roof and some of the best ice cream around; make sure to try the Grasshopper Shake, or a Morel soft serve cone. The historic railroad depot is now a great antique shop, and Inish Knits is a great place to stock up on yarn. Cedar celebrates its Polish history every year with the Cedar Polka Fest.

Wikipedia on Cedar, Michigan

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 fact. Greilickville is part of Elmwood Township and escapes the notice of most.

Greilickville was first settled in 1852 when Seth and Albert Norris moved the the area and built a gristmill. In 1858 Seth Norris built a tannery, and in 1864 Albert Norris built a brickyard on 40 acres. Due to the profusion of the Norris family, the village was known as Norristown. In the 1870s Charles Norris built the first grocery store.

In the mid 1850s a Bohemian immigrant, Godfrey Greilick built a water-powered sawmill, which soon became one of the most important on the Grand Traverse Bay. In 1862 the Greilicks built a brewery, which soon produced the most favored beer in all of Traverse City. In 1874 James W. Markham bought the brickyard and expanded it. Traverse City was rebuilt from a wooden city to a brick city because of the Markham Brickyard. On the 17th of January 1879 the Norristown post office was opened. By 1883 Godfrey Greilick's sawmill produced eight and a half million feet of hardwood lumber in just one year. From 1882 until 1885 Markham bricks were shipped to Traverse City to build the first section of the Northern Michigan State Hospital. The State Hospital was the largest single project with Markham Bricks. At that time the economy of the village consisted of Godfrey Greilick's sawmill and lumbering, The Markham Brickyard (at what is now Pathfinder School, a private Kindergarten through Eighth grade school), the Greilick's brewery, and a Seth Norris' tannery.

In 1907 the sawmill was destroyed by a fire and the village began to change from industry to tourism. By that time the village was known as Greilickville. A few years after The Markham Brickyard closed the site was turned into a resort. Steamers would drop guests off at the Greilickville docks. Today the Traverse Tall Ship Co. picks up passengers at the Greilickville docks. The Great Lakes Children's Museum is located across the street from the Greilickville docks.

Wikipedia's Greilickville Entry

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 settlers called the lake Carp Lake. In 1854 a dam was built in Leland, which caused the lake to rise 12 feet. In 1855 the Shaub family arrived in the area and began farming and building a vineyard. In 1867 Andre de Beloit, a French fur trader tried drilling for oil and instead hit an artesian spring at the sight of the present day Fountain Point Resort. The spring is still gushing today.

In 1871 the village acquired a post office with the name "Provement." In 1887 St. Mary of the Assumption, a Catholic school, was built. The two-story wooden building burned down in the 1920s, and a brick building was built where the old wooden building used to stand. Saint Mary of Lake Leelanau Catholic Church and School is still in operation today. In 1924 the post office changed its name from Provement to Lake Leelanau.

Today Lake Leelanau is located in the heart of the Leelanau Peninsula. Located on M-22 between Suttons Bay and Leland it is a great place to stop by for a quick bite to eat, or a look around town. Kejara's Bridge is a great unique, community based business that has fantastic food for vegetarians, vegans, and carnivores alike. Lake Leelanau is know for its antique shops that are always worth a few minutes spent inside.

Photo credit: The Narrows by John Levanen

Wikipedia's Lake Leelanau Entry

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 in 1911 the Detroit Free Press published an article about the village. According to the article in 1911 Peshawbestown "was the only pure Indian village in all of Michigan." The village had "two long rows of log cabins" which showed "the battering of nearly three-quarters of a century of tempestuous northern winds and snows... broken window panes [are] stuffed here and there with rags to keep out the cold... the doors of the houses all fasten with a latch string, a piece of bent wire hooked over a nail or an occasional padlock." The village was originally called Eagle Town and then renamed Peshabestown after Chief Peshaba who was Chief in 1859. Today the Peshawbestown Pow Wow remembers the history and culture of the Ottawa Chippewa Indians.

Wikipedia's Peshawbeston Entry

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 legend has it, services have been held every Sunday since the church was dedicated. That same year a post office was established in the village.

In 1868 Valentine Miller built a dock which was used to fuel passing steamers, and allowed passengers to disembark. By 1884 so many summer tourists came to the area that a group of Cincinnati businessmen purchased what was the mission school and remodeled it. The mission school soon became the Leelanau Hotel, attracting visitors from all over Lake Michigan. In 1903 the Manistee and Northeastern Railroad reached Northport, stopping in Omena which allowed more summer tourists to arrive in the area.

It is said that the name "omena" was an Ojibwe expression that meant "is that so?" or "is that really true." Local tradition says that Rev. Daugherty responded to most statements made by his flock with "omena." Another meaning of Omena is "apple" from the Finnish word, although it is not known if many Finns arrived in the area.

Today Omena is perfectly situated on beautiful Grand Traverse Bay and backed by stunning rolling hills filled with orchards, vineyards, farms, and forests. Many of Leelanau Counties orchards are found near Omena, as are many vineyards. One of The Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association wineries is located in Omena, and many others are just minutes away near Suttons Bay. The Tamarack Gallery must be visited. According to Traverse Magazine, it "has one of the best collections of sculpture to be found anywhere in Northern Michigan."

Wikipedia's Omena entry
Omena Historical Society

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 it was written that "a new village has also sprung into existence near the head of Sutton's Bay, which in honor of Mr. H. C. Sutton… has been christened Suttonsburg… The site of the village is a pleasant one, gradually rising from the bay and extending westward over an even, fertile piece of land." The name Suttonsburg was soon changed into Sutton's Bay.

In 1876 Lars Bahle opened a drygoods and clothing store. The store has been run by the same family for over 125 years and is now known as Bahle's Department Store. In 1903 the Manistee and Northeastern Railroad reached Northport with a stop in Suttons Bay. The railroad connected Northport to Traverse City and brought much trade and many settlers to the area. Sutton's Bay became recognized as the trade center of a considerable agricultural district.

Today Suttons Bay's history can be seen in many of the historic buildings, like the historic The Bay Theater. In 1920 the Bay Theater building was built with wood from the Elmer Peterson Sawmill, at that time it was home to Hansen's Brother's Hardware, which included a blacksmith, next a livery business and Suttons Bay's Fire Department. In 1946 it was transformed into a movie theater. Although the area's fruit production began with orchards, today vineyards are very common around Suttons Bay. Many of The Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association wineries are around Suttons Bay.

Wikipedia's Northport entry
Suttons Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's Suttons Bay page

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 its rustic shanties that are reminiscent of commercial fishing life one hundred years ago.

The town of Leland was originally the site of the oldest and largest Ottawa village on the Leelanau Peninsula. A village on the top of the hill was supported by fishing out of the mouth of the Carp River. White settlers first arrived in 1830 and used the area as a fishing settlement. It was not until Antoine Manseau built a dam and sawmill on the river in 1854 that the town began to grow. Wooden docks were soon built to allow steamers and schooners to dock in order to deliver new settlers and supplies and pick up fuel and provisions.

The village became the county seat in 1882, because of its thriving economy. The village had a booming fishing trade, a canning factory, and shingle and sawmills. Many families moved to Leland from both North and South Manitou Island. Many of the descendants of those families are still around and now own many historic establishments in town.

The Blue Bird Restaurant & Bar, Manitou Island Transit, and Carlson's of Fishtown are all owned by three of the historic families. Leland's beautiful sand beaches along Lake Michigan have been attracting visitors for generations. Lake Leelanau also draws many visitors who enjoy fishing, boating or just relaxing on the inland lake. The Leelanau Historical Museum is a great place to go to learn about the history of Leelanau County, where fantastic displays tell the stories of Leelanau County.

Leland Links

Leland, MI
Leland Chamber of Commerce
Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's Leland page

photo: Sunset, minus power line, by Andy McFarlane

"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 of the Congregational Church, settled near Northport's current site. When Rev. Smith's settlement was just begining it was composed of 15 Anglo-Americans and 50 families of Native Americans.

In 1854 when Deacon Joseph Dame and his son Eusebius platted the area that is now the village and named it Northport. Deacon Dame built a dock in the Northport harbor, and wrote about the area in the New York Tribune. He wrote so glowingly about Northport that many settlers moved to the area after reading the article. H. O. Rose built a sawmill and began to sell wood to steamers for fuel. Soon they had a regular contract to supply the boats of the Northern Transportation Company between Ogdensburg and Chicago. By 1858 they were handling from 13,000 to 15,000 cords of wood on their Northport docks.

In 1855 Northport was organized into the first school district in Leelanau County, and acquired a post office. Like so many other towns in Leelanau County, the area was made up of farmers, lumbermen, and fishers. Because Northport harbor is one of the best harbors in the Grand Traverse Bay and the town had railroad facilities from the Grand Rapids and Indiana Line, it became the focal point of development and government in the County.

When Leelanau County was formed in 1863, Northport served as the first county seat. It continued as such until 1883 when the county seat was moved to Leland. Although Northport was no longer the county seat, it remained a thriving village with active flour and lumber mills, and producing fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grain, and bringing in large catches of fish. The area soon became a popular destination for families from large Midwestern cities. Northport Point (located a few miles north of Northport) soon became a permanent summer mecca for many of the wealthier of these families. Another historical area was the Grand Traverse Lighthouse which stands guard over the mouth of the Grand Traverse Bay. The lighthouse was built in 1852 by the U.S. Lighthouse Service. In 1858 the present lighthouse was rebuilt in a more visible location for the passing ships. Today the lighthouse is open to visitors and is located in the Leelanau State Park. Two of The Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association vineyards are near Northport are well worth the visit. The Kehl Lake Natural Area is also a great place to visit. At the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, the Natural Area "combines the best of Leelanau, with everything from shoreline to towering mixed forest to important wetland habitat."

Wikipedia's Northport entry

photo: Northport Docks, by Andy McFarlane

We have started on a new map of Leelanau County and the nearby area. After looking at the available options, we decided to build it using Google Maps. We're adding short entries on the map that link to longer entries in our Leelanau Blog that will be posted under the map category and feature photos from our Leelanau.com photo group. If you have comments or questions or tips for people exploring that area, you can leave a comment!

There are just a couple of things on the map right now, but we're going to be focusing on the map for the next few months to try and build a whole new way to explore Leelanau County on the internet.

Check out the Leelanau County, Michigan Map!

Glen Arbor is located on a small strip of land between Glen Lake and Lake Michigan in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Glen Lake's natural beauty attracts visitors throughout the summer. Considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire state, local legend says that Glen Lake was recognized as "the most beautiful lake in the world" by National Geographic Magazine (though the magazine denies ever having published such a ranking).

Glen Arbor was first settled around 1848 when John LaRue moved from South Manitou Island in order to set up a trading post on the Sleeping Bear Bay. As other families moved into the area a wooding station was built to provide fuel for passing steamers. In 1856 a dock was built to aid in the loading of the steamers, which soon became known as the Central Dock. By 1868 the township of Glen Arbor had 200 people, three docks, two hotels, four stores, a blacksmith shop, and a copper shop. The Empire and Southeastern Railroad stopped in Empire just a few miles away, providing transportation to the area. It is said that before the 1900s there were numerous cranberry bogs along the banks of the Crystal River. The Crystal River runs from Little Fisher Lake to Lake Michigan. Signs of the old cranberry bogs can still be seen along the banks of the river.

Kayaks or canoes are available to rent from several businesses along the Crystal. If you are feeling really adventurous, either paddle around Glen Lake, or begin your expedition in Big Glen Lake, paddle through Big Fisher, then Little Fisher, then follow the Crystal River all the way to Lake Michigan. The famous Dune Climb is just minutes away from Glen Arbor, and there you can climb up the 150 foot dune.

If a less crowded hike is more to your liking then head on over to Glen Haven for the Sleeping Bear Point Trail. The Glen Arbor area has years and years of history and much can be found at the village of Glen Haven, which has been renovated to look like the town did in the 1920s. The historic Sleeping Bear Point Lifesaving Station, which was built in 1901, can be found just minutes from Glen Haven.

Glen Arbor Links

• Glen Arbor photos & features from Leelanau.com
• Glen Lake / Glen Arbor Chamber of Commerce
• Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce's Glen Lake page
• Glen Arbor Township
• Glen Arbor Art Association
• Glen Arbor Sun Newspaper
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
• Wikipedia's Glen Arbor entry

Photo: Atop the Dunes by Andy McFarlane