BlockBefore

Leelanau County, Michigan

57 topographic sheets cover 30 settlements here, and 25 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

25 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Leelanau County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 387 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 25 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 12 districts, 11 buildings and 2 structures.
  • 5 of the 25 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 30 populated places in this county; 30 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

25

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Bingham District No. 5 Schoolhousebuilding199191000353
Campbell-DeYoung Farmdistrict201111000634
William and Margaret McFarland Core Farmdistrict200504001579
Empire Schoolbuilding200808000222
Fishtown Historic District (Additional Documentation)district2022100006765
Fountain Pointdistrict200303000623
Glen Haven Village Historic Districtdistrict198383000882
Grand Traverse Light Stationbuilding198484001799
Grove Hill New Mission Churchbuilding197272000631
Hutzler's Barnbuilding197878000375
George Conrad Hutzler Farmdistrict199191000466
Lake Leelanau Narrows Bridgestructure200099001732
Leelanau Transit Company Suttons Bay Depotbuilding199797000929
Leland Historic Districtdistrict197575000951
Morgan-Copp-Mervau Buildingbuilding200000000219
North Manitou Island Lifesaving Stationdistrict199898001191
North Manitou Shoal Light Stationstructure200505000981
Omena Historic Districtdistrict2017100000534
Port Oneida Rural Historic Districtdistrict199797000563
Riverside Innbuilding200303000386
Saint Joseph's Catholic Churchbuilding199291001997
Sleeping Bear Innbuilding197979000284
Sleeping Bear Point Life Saving Stationbuilding197979000285
South Fox Island Light Stationdistrict2021100006861
South Manitou Island Lighthouse Complex and Life Saving Station Historical Districtdistrict198383003782

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

85 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 85 of them, burning about 180 acres. 14 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined25
Natural14
Debris and open burning13
Equipment and vehicle use8
Power generation/transmission/distribution7
Misuse of fire by a minor6
Recreation and ceremony5
Fireworks4
Smoking3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
28 October 2008Debris and open burning48 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLEELANAU 03
12 April 2015Debris and open burning44 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLEELANAU 01 - WALTERS RD
14 April 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined9.9 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLEELANAU 02 - COUNTY RD. 616
16 April 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined6.5 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLEELANAU 01
11 May 2009Power generation/transmission/distribution6.4 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLEELANAU 01
18 May 2018Recreation and ceremony6.0 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesLELAND TOWNSHIP FIRE AND RESCUE 4521 - 2018
3 April 1995Debris and open burning5.5 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
16 May 1996Debris and open burning2.5 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1975 to 2025

60 of 99 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 99 reports for this county, causing no deaths, no injuries and about $24,680,000 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind52
Hail37
Flash Flood4
Tornado3
Lightning2
Flood1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
August 2015Thunderstorm WindGlen Haven$18,800,000An NWS storm survey team estimated winds in excess of 80 mph crossing much of southern Leelanau County. Thousands of trees were downed in this swath, from the Sleeping Bear Dunes to Grand Traverse Bay. Many homes and vehicles were damaged by falling trees. Area roads were closed for days, in some cases weeks. Glen Arbor was inaccessible via road for two days, until M-22 could be cleared of trees and reopened. The county established drop points for residents to leave storm debris; these remained open for seven weeks after the storm. Across Leelanau County, two homes were destroyed, and over 700 were damaged in some way.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindLeland$5,200,000Trees and power lines were downed in northern Leelanau County, though the damage was not as extensive as further south. Still, multiple vehicles and homes were damaged by falling trees.
August 1978Tornadonot stated$250,000no account filed
July 2016HailEmpire$85,000Hail to golfball-sized was reported in Empire, and up to three inches in diameter in Glen Arbor. Some vehicles were damaged, and a few homes lost windows and skylights. Considerable damage was done to orchards and vineyards in the area.
September 2000Flash FloodCountywide$50,000Flooding of roads and area basements.
August 2007LightningGreilickville$40,000A lightning strike ignited a fire, which destroyed a three-car garage and a boat that was inside, and melted vinyl siding on an adjacent home.
July 1977Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
June 2017Thunderstorm WindLake Leelanau$20,000A boat was flipped, and the dock it was attached to was destroyed. This occurred on Lake Leelanau, along South Sandy Beach Drive.
June 2011Tornado (EF0)Leland$20,000A tornado touched down near the west shore of Lake Leelanau, then moved out onto the lake and quickly dissipated. Docks and boats were damaged along a short stretch of shoreline, and a few trees were downed in the area.
August 2015Thunderstorm WindLake Leelanau$18,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed in central Leelanau County.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindMaple City$13,000Multiple trees downed, some onto power lines. One grass fire resulted.
September 2023FloodLake Leelanau$10,000Multiple basements flooded in Lake Leelanau area. Private weather station measured 5.95 inches of rain.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindEmpire$10,000Trees and powerlines down countywide between approximately 1017 PM and 1040 PM.
September 2019Thunderstorm WindLeland$10,000Several trees were downed. Some power lines near the Leland Library were downed by falling trees.
August 2013Thunderstorm WindGlen Lake$10,000Scattered pockets of downed trees and power lines occurred in western Leelanau County.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindGreilickville$10,000Several trees were blown down, and a fruit stand was destroyed along M-72.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindNorthport-$10,000Trees and power lines were downed along the west shore of the county between Northport and Glen Haven.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindSuttons Bay-$10,000Trees and power lines were downed along a path from two miles south of Cedar, through Fouch and Bingham, to Suttons Bay.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindSuttons Bay$8,000Several trees were downed. One large downed tree blocked M-22 north of Suttons Bay.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindGlen Haven$8,000Multiple trees were downed in Glen Haven.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindBurdickville$6,000A road was blocked by fallen trees.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindMaple City$6,000Sporadic tree damage, including a few roads blocked by fallen trees.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindNorthport$6,000Numerous trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindLeland$6,000A number of trees and power lines were downed.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindCedar$5,000Trees were downed across a road.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindSolon$5,000Several trees downed near Hoxie and Lautner Roads.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindLake Leelanau$5,000Trees and power lines were downed in Lake Leelanau. The Inland Seas Academy in Suttons Bay measured a 60 mph gust, while a nearby ship measured 56 mph.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindEmpire$5,000Several trees downed by wind.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindNorthport$4,000Multiple trees were downed at M-22 and Lee Mann Road.
August 2010Thunderstorm WindLeland$4,000A few trees were downed.
October 2007Thunderstorm WindGlen Arbor$4,000Numerous trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2017Thunderstorm WindIsadore$3,000Two trees downed on Good Harbor Trail south of Gatzke Road.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindNorthport$2,000One large tree was downed at Carlson Road and M-22.
August 2018Thunderstorm WindEmpire Arpt$2,000One large tree was downed on South Plowman Road near Breeman Road.
September 2005Thunderstorm WindCedar$2,000Trees were downed across M-72 just west of County Road 651.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindGlen Arbor$2,000Large tree limbs and power lines were downed by the wind at both locations.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindEmpire$2,000Large tree limbs and power lines were downed by the wind at both locations.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindGlen Arbor$1,000County dispatch reported tree down blocking S. Glen Lake Rd. Time estimated via radar.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindLake Leelanau$1,000Tree down blocking Popp Rd. Time estimated via radar.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindLake Leelanau$1,000A large tree was blown down.|
December 2001Thunderstorm WindEmpire$1,000A strong area of low pressure moved across the western Great Lakes region on the 5th. Ahead of the system, unseasonably warm and moist air moved into Michigan, causing showers and thunderstorms to develop. A few strong to severe wind gusts were associated with the thunderstorms, with a television station west of Traverse City reporting damage to a satellite dish. As the low passed east of Michigan strong non-convective wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common, causing some power outages across northern Michigan.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindGlen Arbor-Multiple trees and powerlines reported down in Glen Arbor.
June 2025HailBingham-Employees at the Northwest Michigan Horticultural Research Station in the Leelanau Peninsula, northwest of Traverse City, MI, reported hail up to the size of golf balls, leading to damage of some cherry and apple orchards in the area, impacting sale of some fresh market apples as processing apples instead.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindFouch-Delayed report relayed by broadcast media. Pontoon boat flipped over on far south end of Lake Leelanau.
August 2023HailMaple City-Social media report with pic. Mainly nickel sized but some larger than a quarter.
August 2021Flash FloodSolon-Water rushing over the road roughly 6 inches deep at the intersection of Gallivan and Alpine roads. Report from 7/4 News.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindBingham-Mesonet station minwm 0.8 NE Bingham.
August 2021HailGreilickville-Report from 7/4 News.
August 2021Flash FloodEmpire-Water up to 6 inches deep flowing over some roads around Empire.
July 2016HailBocus-Considerable damage done to area fruit crops, cherries in particular.
July 2016HailSuttons Bay-Considerable damage done to fruit crops, especially cherries.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindNorthport-A single orchard had about a hundred cherry trees damaged or destroyed by thunderstorm winds.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindGreilickville-A spotter estimated 60 mph wind gusts.
July 2006HailLeland-Substantial damage done to fruit crops, including tart cherries, apples, and peaches.
June 2004HailLeland-Considerable damage was done to fruit trees and other crops in the Leland area. Damage estimate is conservative.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindNorthport-Trees were downed.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindSuttons Bay-Trees down on roadways.
August 2001Thunderstorm WindNorthport-Trees down.
July 1999Flash FloodCountywide-Several secondary roads throughout the county were washed out.
June 1999Thunderstorm WindCedar-Trees Down

Mines and quarries

6 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 6 workings inside this county. 5 still produce and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction5
Clay1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Markham's Clay PitClayPast Producer
Banasiak PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Kasson Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Leelanau County Pit & MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Leelanau County Road Comm. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Niedzielski PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every populated place in the county

30

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.