KIMMER AND MOM'S BUS TRIP TO LELAND MICHIGAN 9-21-19

My Mom invited me to go on a day trip to Leland, Michigan with the Westminster Presbyterian church group from Harrisville, Michigan. An 11 hour trip by bus! The folks on the bus played Bus Bingo all the way! I love Bingo so it was a great distraction.  Church organizers went all out to make this trip fun for all of us. Thanks so much to the ladies who entertained us all. Special thanks to Linda Knight, her helpers and Faye the Bingo caller!

My Mom Gay Maki-McCormick

Leland, Michigan is located in Leland Township, which provides local government services. It is on M-22, at the mouth of the Leland River (also known as the Carp River) on Lake Michigan.

Leland is the departure point for ferry service to both North and South Manitou Islands. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is nearby and Traverse City is about 25 miles to the southeast. Leaving Leland, going south on M-22, there is a sign that reads "45th Parallel Halfway Between the Equator and the North Pole."

Leland is built on the site of one of the oldest and largest Ottawa villages on the Leelanau Peninsula. Where the Leland (Carp) River flows into Lake Michigan, there was a natural fish ladder (which was a traditional Native American fishing grounds).

Mom and pal Sandy Young

The settlement was called Mishi-me-go-bing, meaning "the place where canoes run up into the river to land, because they have no harbor" or alternatively Che-ma-go-bing or Chi-mak-a-ping.

Fishtown is home to a working fishery and a thriving charter fishing business. The riverfront is lined by a boardwalk and quaint shacks that have been converted into tourist shops.

Around 1900, wealthy individuals from Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and other Midwestern industrial centers began to visit Leland and build summer cottages, arriving by Lake Michigan passenger steamer or by Lake Leelanau steamer from the railhead near Traverse City. This led to the construction of resort hotels, and the growth of Leland as a summer resort.

The Cove restaurant is located above and below the Leland Dam at the head of Leland's Historic Fishtown overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands.

There was a car show going on that day and we saw a cool Amphibious car coming out of Lake Michigan!

Waiting for seafood chowder and taking photos of The Cove

Cha-Cha and her fun sister Ilene were my favorite bus mates on the trip to Leland!

View of Fishtown from the Cove

The Cove has these cool outboard motors

Thanks again to Mom, Wesminster Presbyterian, The Cove and the great bus driver. xK