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34-500: Most of the peninsula is politically part of the eponymous Leelanau County , which also administers the nearby Manitou Islands and Fox Islands . The base of the peninsula, at its southern end, is divided between Benzie County and Grand Traverse County . Traverse City , the largest city in Northern Michigan , is located at the southeastern end of the peninsula, at the head of Grand Traverse Bay. The Leelanau Peninsula

68-579: A 17-mile (27 km) recreational rail trail . The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , the most renowned part of the peninsula, was authorized on October 21, 1970. The park's creation was controversial because it involved the transfer of private property to public ownership. The federal government's stance at the time was that the Great Lakes were the "third coast" and had to be preserved much like Cape Hatteras or Point Reyes , which are National Seashores . Native Americans who first inhabited

102-601: A bridge along M-22 . Lake Leelanau and Glen Lake are the 14th and 18th largest lakes in Michigan , respectively. These lakes are drained by the Leland River and Crystal River , respectively. Communities on the Leelanau Peninsula include: The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians are a federally-recognized tribe located on the peninsula around Peshawbestown. Their ancestors were among

136-479: A family magazine which she and her husband wrote together and circulated among friends in the 1820s. She and her siblings were well-educated and she wrote in Ojibwe and English. While her writing was not published formally in her lifetime (except as her husband appropriated it under his own name), since the late 20th century Jane Johnston Schoolcraft has been recognized as "the first Native American literary writer,

170-471: A family magazine which they co-wrote in the 1820s. Jane Johnston was of Ojibwa and Scots-Irish descent, and wrote in Ojibwe and English. While her writing was not published formally in her lifetime (except as Schoolcraft appropriated it under his own name), Jane Johnston Schoolcraft has been recognized as "the first Native American literary writer, the first known Indian woman writer, the first known Indian poet,

204-523: A few miles south of the base of the Leelanau Peninsula. The entire Leelanau Peninsula lies within a warm-summer humid continental climate , or Dfb under the Köppen climate classification . Also known as a hemiboreal climate, the peninsula is subject to generally warm, mild summers, and severe winters. The location of the peninsula along the 45th parallel is tempered by the strong and moderating effects of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, which allow

238-506: Is Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. Leelanau County is home to a number of local airstrips, including Woolsey Memorial Airport . 45°08′N 86°02′W  /  45.13°N 86.03°W  / 45.13; -86.03 List of lakes of Michigan This is a list of lakes in Michigan . The American state of Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes . The number of inland lakes in Michigan depends on

272-586: Is Grand Traverse Bay , a bay of Lake Michigan. In 2011, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , located in the county, won the title of "Most Beautiful Place in America" in a poll by morning news show Good Morning America . Traditionally, the county's name was said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a neologism from Indian agent and ethnographer Henry Schoolcraft , who sometimes gave

306-661: Is a roughly triangular-shaped peninsula that extends about 30 miles (50 km) off of Michigan's Lower Peninsula into Lake Michigan . The peninsula forms the western shore of the Grand Traverse Bay . At its base, the peninsula is about 20 miles (30 km) wide. Nearby the peninsula, in Lake Michigan, lie North Manitou and South Manitou islands, as well as the smaller Fox Islands , all of which are under jurisdiction of Leelanau County. In Grand Traverse Bay lie two islands, Bellow Island and Power Island ,

340-587: Is served by the following regular public school districts : The county also has the following independent charter districts: Leelanau County has the following private schools : Additionally, another highway, M-209 , ran from M-109 to the Coast Guard Life Saving Station in Glen Haven. Until it was decommissioned in 1995, it was Michigan's shortest highway. The nearest airport with commercial service to Leelanau County

374-399: The 2000 United States census , there were 21,119 people, 8,436 households, and 6,217 families residing in the county. By the 2020 census, there were 22,301 people in the county. There are 26 wineries on the peninsula. The Leelanau Peninsula sits astride the 45th parallel , a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The two Grand Traverse Bays provide the ideal maritime climate, and

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408-720: The Algonquian -speaking tribes that largely occupied this area prior to European colonization. The first peoples of Northern Michigan were the Odawa , Ojibwe , and Potawatomi , collectively known as the Council of Three Fires . The Leelanau Peninsula, as well as much of Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula , was ceded from the first peoples to the United States in the 1836 Treaty of Washington . Leelanau County

442-536: The county seat moved from Leland to a site in Suttons Bay Township , near the town of Lake Leelanau . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 2,532 square miles (6,560 km ), of which 347 square miles (900 km ) is land and 2,185 square miles (5,660 km ) (86%) is water. Leelanau County comprises the entire Leelanau Peninsula , a roughly triangular peninsula that extends about 30 miles (50 km) from

476-505: The Manitou Islands. 45°03′00″N 85°39′18″W  /  45.05°N 85.655°W  / 45.05; -85.655 Leelanau County, Michigan Leelanau County ( / ˈ l iː l ə n ɔː / LEE -lə-naw ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan . As of the 2020 census , the population was 22,301. Since 2008, the county seat has been located within Suttons Bay Township , one mile east of

510-673: The Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 30 of 35 national elections through 2020. However, in 2020 the county voted for Joe Biden , after it voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election. In 2024 , it was one of the few counties in Michigan to move to the left compared to 2020. In gubernatorial races, Leelanau County has become a bellwether, backing the statewide winner in every election since 2006. The county voted for Democrat Jennifer Granholm in 2006, Republican Rick Snyder in 2010 and 2014, and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer in 2018 and 2022. Leelanau County operates

544-501: The area called this land "ke-ski-bi-ag," which means "narrow body of water." "Leelanau" was traditionally said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life," but the name was more likely invented by Henry Rowe Schoolcraft , the United States Indian agent for the territory in the early 19th century, or his wife Jane Johnston Schoolcraft . Henry also used the name Leelinau for a character in his writing. Jane

578-468: The county jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records , administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are

612-486: The county's borders, including North Manitou and South Manitou Islands. Leelanau has been party to substantial efforts to protect itself from growth, and to foster a nature conservancy. Extreme southeastern Leelanau County, specifically portions of Elmwood Township , are urbanized due to their proximity to Traverse City , which itself extends partially into the county. Traverse City is the largest city in Northern Michigan by population. By land By water As of

646-537: The east of the peninsula from the rest, and forms an isthmus with Grand Traverse Bay. The lake is traversable via the M-204 Lake Leelanau Narrows Bridge in the community of Lake Leelanau . The narrows, within the eponymous community, separate the lake into a North and South basin. Glen Lake , in the southwest of the peninsula, is also separated into two basins, known as "Big" and "Little" Glen Lake. Its narrows are also traversable, via

680-511: The first known Indian woman writer, the first known Indian poet, the first known poet to write poems in a Native American language, and the first known American Indian to write out traditional Indian stories." In 2008 Jane Johnston Schoolcraft was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame. Much of the Leelanau Peninsula is protected as parkland. The southwest of the peninsula is home to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore . Within

714-556: The first known poet to write poems in a Native American language, and the first known American Indian to write out traditional Indian stories. In 2008 Jane Johnston Schoolcraft was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame. Leelanau County was separated as an unorganized county in 1840 by the Michigan Legislature . In 1851, it was attached the Grand Traverse County for governmental purposes, and

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748-582: The lakeshore is the Port Oneida Rural Historic District , which preserves a historic ghost town . The northern tip of the peninsula is home to Leelanau State Park and the Grand Traverse Light . Tourists often visit communities such as Glen Arbor , Leland , Northport , and Suttons Bay . Leland is home to Fishtown , a historic commercial fishing area. Leland also is home to ferries that can be used to access

782-590: The latter of which is administered by Grand Traverse County. Traverse City , the largest municipality in Northern Michigan, is located at the base of the peninsula on the east side, at the head of Grand Traverse Bay. East of the Leelanau Peninsula is the smaller Old Mission Peninsula . This peninsula, which is part of the neighboring Grand Traverse County, is much thinner than the Leelanau, only about 3.2 miles (5 km) at its widest, and only about half

816-538: The length, at 17 miles (27 km). M-22 is a famous highway that runs along the coast of the Leelanau Peninsula, as well as further south down Lake Michigan. M-72 and M-204 are other highways that cross the Leelanau Peninsula west–east; M-72 runs across the base of the peninsula from Empire to Traverse City, while M-204 crosses roughly halfway up the peninsula, from Leland to Suttons Bay via Lake Leelanau. Another highway, US 31 between Beulah and Chums Corner , runs parallel to M-72 and M-204, although it lies

850-566: The name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many faux Indian place names in Michigan, using syllables of Ojibwe, Latin and Arabic, neglecting the fact that the Ojibwa language lacks any of the phonemes associated with the letter 'L' in English. More recently, however, scholars have established that Leelinau was first used as a pen name by Henry's wife, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft , in writings for The Literary Voyager ,

884-503: The peninsula to play host to an agricultural mecca. These conditions allow apple and cherry production to flourish on the peninsula. Additionally the Leelanau Peninsula AVA is known for being one of the best Michigan wine regions and is a designated American Viticultural Area (AVA). The Leelanau Peninsula is home to a number of lakes and rivers. Lake Leelanau, at nearly 21 miles (34 km) long, separates much of

918-505: The responsibility of individual cities and townships. The Northwest Educational Services , based in Traverse City , services the students in the county along with those of Antrim , Benzie , Grand Traverse , and Kalkaska . The intermediate school district offers regional special education services, early education and English learner programs, and technical career pathways for students of its districts. Leelanau County

952-635: The rich soil does the rest. Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes, and is known for its Rieslings , which grow well in the summer months and late fall. The local wineries host an annual harvest fest in October. Some Riesling grapes are spared being picked in the fall, to be picked instead when they freeze, from which ice wine is made. These wineries are in the Leelanau Peninsula AVA . (information as of September 2018) Leelanau County has been reliably Republican since its organization, but appears to be becoming more Democratic . Since 1884,

986-529: The second-highest proportion of water area of any county in the United States, behind only Keweenaw County, Michigan . Lake Leelanau is the county's largest body of inland water, empties into Lake Michigan through the Leland River . Glen Lake , located within the boundaries of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore , is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world . A substantial portion of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies within

1020-661: The unincorporated village of Lake Leelanau . Before 2008, Leelanau County's seat was Leland . Leelanau County is included in the Traverse City metropolitan area of Northern Michigan . The largest settlement in Leelanau County by population is Greilickville , itself a suburb of Traverse City . Leelanau County is coterminous with the Leelanau Peninsula , a roughly triangular-shaped peninsula that extends about 30 miles (50 km) off of Michigan's Lower Peninsula into Lake Michigan . East of Leelanau County

1054-650: The western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Michigan . The peninsula forms the western shore of the Grand Traverse Bay . At its base, the peninsula is about 20 miles (30 km) wide. Leelanau County is one of a handful of counties in the United States that is entirely peninsular, a list also including Huron and Keweenaw counties elsewhere in Michigan, nearby Door County in Wisconsin , and San Francisco in California . The county has

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1088-471: Was set off in 1840 and organized in 1863. The first railroads on the peninsula were built in 1892. Additional railroads would snake up the peninsula with lines from Lake Ann and Traverse City to Provemont , Suttons Bay , and Northport . The last railroad on the peninsula, from Traverse City to Northport via Suttons Bay, was removed in 1996. It was subsequently replaced with the Leelanau Trail ,

1122-421: Was temporarily given the name "Leelanau Township". In 1863, Leelanau County was organized in its own right. The same year, the southern portion of Leelanau County was separated as Benzie County , and was subsequently attached to Grand Traverse County until 1869. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1970, protecting much of the natural scenery of the area at the federal level . In 2008,

1156-580: Was the daughter of a prominent Scots-Irish Canadian fur trader and an Ojibwe chief's daughter based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and Michigan, and Henry learned about the Ojibwe (or Chippewa) through his wife's and mother-in-law's family. See Leelanau County for a more complete discussion of the etymology of the name. Scholars have established, however, that Jane first used Leelinau as a pen name for her writings in The Literary Voyager ,

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