Fishtown is a unique historical attraction composed of weather-beaten fishing shanties and small shops lining the mouth of the Leland River. The site has endured and adapted over the last 150 years as an ever-evolving working waterfront that still operates as one of the only unmodernized commercial fishing villages in the state of Michigan.
Click to see the shanty photo gallery
One of the most important characteristics of Fishtown is its core of historic shanties. Though only a few are still used for commercial fishing operations, most of the structures in Fishtown had their origins as commercial fishing buildings. These buildings served many purposes, including net-mending sheds, ice houses, smoke houses, and storage. Though processes like ice-making are now mechanized in a commercial fishery, running a fishery still requires extensive space for equipment storage and net repairs.
Many buildings have come and gone from the Fishtown landscape with the changing fortunes of the industry, yet Fishtown survives as a rare working waterfront and an authentic and active commercial fishing village.
Piping Plover Project Gabrielle Grobbel – Fishtown Preservation This week I wanted to talk about birds because I really like birds. Let me explain why. Birds are some of the most frequently studied animals in Biology. In fact, not many topics in Biology haven’t been studied in terms of birds. Birds are easy to observe […]
Common Fishtown Questions Gabrielle Grobbel – Fishtown Preservation While working in the Fishtown Welcome Center this summer, I have been asked a wide range of questions. Some visitors ask for more details on the history of Fishtown, while others are interested in the ecological factors that influence the commercial fishery. I have enjoyed getting to […]
Leland Blue Stones   Gabrielle Grobbel – Fishtown Preservation  I spent countless summer days as a child exploring rock beaches around Michigan’s coastline. If it was colorful or had an interesting pattern, I added it to my collection. I loved finding bits of frosted sea glass as well, each one a small treasure. It wasn’t until […]
A Busy Time in Fishtown Gabrielle Grobbel – Fishtown Preservation It is the height of the season in Fishtown, and Leland is at its busiest. In my experience this summer, I have found that each week is a new adventure. There are new opportunities, new people passing through, and few quiet moments. After such a […]
