Fishtown

Fishtown, in Leland, Michigan, is a rare and vibrant maritime landscape of weathered fishing shanties and fish tugs, tucked in along the Lake Michigan shoreline in view of the Manitou Islands. Fishtown has witnessed the heyday of fishing and the trials of the changing Great Lakes, but above all, it has continued to be an active place for commercial fishing.


In her new book, Fishtown: Leland, Michigan's Historic Fishery, author Laurie Kay Sommers tells the story of this beloved place’s past and present through the remembrances of the commercial fishermen and ferry captains who have worked out of Fishtown since 1900. There are harrowing tales of rough seas, near misses and devastating loses, and the reasons why so many fishermen would choose this life all over again. She also shares the story of a community determined not to lose this historic and picturesque attraction, and the triumphant efforts of a non-profit organization to purchase and care for a key portion of Fishtown. Numerous photographs of Fishtown illustrate the text.


Laurie Kay Sommers is a freelance folklorist and historic preservation consultant based in Okemos, Michigan. She has been writing about Michigan history and culture since the 1970s.