Leelanau County, Michigan | |
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 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: "Michigan's Little Finger" | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMichigan | |
| Coordinates:45°08′N86°02′W / 45.13°N 86.03°W /45.13; -86.03 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
| Founded | 1840 (created) 1863 (organized)[1] |
| Named after | Leelanau Peninsula |
| Seat | Suttons Bay Township |
| Largest settlement | Greilickville Suttons Bay (incorporated) |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,532 sq mi (6,560 km2) |
| • Land | 347 sq mi (900 km2) |
| • Water | 2,185 sq mi (5,660 km2) 86% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 22,301 |
• Estimate (2024) | 22,871 |
| • Density | 63/sq mi (24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Leelanau County (/ˈliːlənɔː/LEE-lə-naw) is acounty located in theU.S. state ofMichigan. As of the2020 census, the population was 22,301.[2] Since 2008, thecounty seat has been located withinSuttons Bay Township, one mile east of the unincorporated village ofLake Leelanau.[3] Before 2008, Leelanau County's seat wasLeland.[4] Leelanau County is included in theTraverse City metropolitan area ofNorthern Michigan. The largest settlement in Leelanau County by population isGreilickville, itself a suburb ofTraverse City.
Leelanau County is coterminous with theLeelanau Peninsula, a roughly triangular-shaped peninsula that extends about 30 miles (50 km) off Michigan'sLower Peninsula intoLake Michigan. East of Leelanau County isGrand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan.
In 2011, theSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located in the county, won the title of "Most Beautiful Place in America" in a poll by morning news showGood Morning America.
Traditionally, the county's name was said to be aNative American word meaning "delight of life",[1] but it is aneologism from Indian agent and ethnographerHenry Schoolcraft, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created manyfaux Indian place names in Michigan, using syllables of Ojibwe, Latin and Arabic,[5] neglecting the fact that theOjibwa language lacks any of the phonemes associated with the letter 'L' in English.[6]
More recently, however, scholars have established thatLeelinau was first used as a pen name by Henry's wife,Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, in writings forThe Literary Voyager, a family magazine which they co-wrote in the 1820s.[7] 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, 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.[8]
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Leelanau County was separated as an unorganized county in 1840 by theMichigan Legislature.[1][9] In 1851, it was attached theGrand Traverse County for governmental purposes, and was temporarily given the name "Leelanau Township". In 1863, Leelanau County was organized in its own right.[1] The same year, the southern portion of Leelanau County was separated asBenzie County, and was subsequently attached to Grand Traverse County until 1869.[10]
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1970, protecting much of the natural scenery of the area at thefederal level.[11]
In 2008, thecounty seat moved fromLeland to a site inSuttons Bay Township, near the town ofLake Leelanau.[4][3]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,532 square miles (6,560 km2), of which 347 square miles (900 km2) is land and 2,185 square miles (5,660 km2) (86%) is water.[12]
Leelanau County comprises the entireLeelanau Peninsula, a roughly triangularpeninsula that extends about 30 miles (50 km) from the western side of theLower Peninsula of Michigan intoLake Michigan. The peninsula forms the western shore of theGrand 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 includingHuron andKeweenaw counties elsewhere in Michigan, nearbyDoor County inWisconsin, andSan Francisco inCalifornia.
The county has the second-highest proportion of water area of any county in the United States, behind onlyKeweenaw County, Michigan.Lake Leelanau is the county's largest body of inland water, empties intoLake Michigan through theLeland River.Glen Lake, located within the boundaries ofSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world[citation needed]. A substantial portion ofSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies within the county's borders, includingNorth Manitou andSouth Manitou Islands. Leelanau has been party to substantial efforts to protect itself from growth, and to foster a nature conservancy.[13]
Extreme southeastern Leelanau County, specifically portions ofElmwood Township, are urbanized due to their proximity toTraverse City, which itself extends partially into the county. Traverse City is the largest city inNorthern Michigan by population.
By land
By water
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,158 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,576 | 112.0% | |
| 1880 | 6,253 | 36.6% | |
| 1890 | 7,944 | 27.0% | |
| 1900 | 10,556 | 32.9% | |
| 1910 | 10,608 | 0.5% | |
| 1920 | 9,061 | −14.6% | |
| 1930 | 8,206 | −9.4% | |
| 1940 | 8,436 | 2.8% | |
| 1950 | 8,647 | 2.5% | |
| 1960 | 9,321 | 7.8% | |
| 1970 | 10,872 | 16.6% | |
| 1980 | 14,007 | 28.8% | |
| 1990 | 16,527 | 18.0% | |
| 2000 | 21,119 | 27.8% | |
| 2010 | 21,708 | 2.8% | |
| 2020 | 22,301 | 2.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 22,871 | [14] | 2.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15] 2010-2018[2] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 22,301. The median age was 55.1 years; 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 32.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.8 males age 18 and over.[16]
The racial makeup of the county was 89.9%White, 0.3%Black or African American, 3.0%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race, and 4.9% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.1% of the population.[17]
12.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 87.6% lived in rural areas.[18]
There were 9,728 households in the county, of which 20.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 58.9% were married-couple households, 15.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
There were 15,421 housing units, of which 36.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 87.4% were owner-occupied and 12.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.1%.[16]
As of the2000 United States census,[19] there were 21,119 people, 8,436 households, and 6,217 families residing in the county.
There are 26 wineries on the peninsula.[20] The Leelanau Peninsula sits astride the45th parallel, a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The twoGrand Traverse Bays provide the ideal maritime climate, and the rich soil does the rest. Northern Michigan specializes in growing white grapes, and is known for itsRieslings, 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 whichice wine is made. These wineries are in theLeelanau Peninsula AVA.
(information as of September 2018)
Leelanau County had historically been aRepublican stronghold since its founding, but has shiftedDemocratic in the 2020s. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 30 of 36 national elections through 2024. In 2016, the county shifted to the left against the state's strong turn to the right. This would continue in 2020 and the county voted forJoe Biden. In2024,Kamala Harris won the highest percentage of the vote for a Democrat in the county's history since 1964, became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the county while losing the presidential election, and 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 DemocratJennifer Granholm in 2006, RepublicanRick Snyder in 2010 and 2014, and DemocratGretchen Whitmer in 2018 and 2022.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 594 | 48.61% | 545 | 44.60% | 83 | 6.79% |
| 1884 | 811 | 57.80% | 571 | 40.70% | 21 | 1.50% |
| 1888 | 899 | 55.49% | 673 | 41.54% | 48 | 2.96% |
| 1892 | 769 | 53.63% | 492 | 34.31% | 173 | 12.06% |
| 1896 | 1,402 | 64.25% | 690 | 31.62% | 90 | 4.12% |
| 1900 | 1,468 | 68.41% | 634 | 29.54% | 44 | 2.05% |
| 1904 | 1,464 | 75.27% | 416 | 21.39% | 65 | 3.34% |
| 1908 | 1,258 | 66.35% | 566 | 29.85% | 72 | 3.80% |
| 1912 | 621 | 35.42% | 344 | 19.62% | 788 | 44.95% |
| 1916 | 984 | 53.89% | 763 | 41.79% | 79 | 4.33% |
| 1920 | 2,156 | 82.26% | 406 | 15.49% | 59 | 2.25% |
| 1924 | 1,792 | 75.36% | 301 | 12.66% | 285 | 11.98% |
| 1928 | 1,521 | 62.41% | 903 | 37.05% | 13 | 0.53% |
| 1932 | 1,527 | 46.09% | 1,746 | 52.70% | 40 | 1.21% |
| 1936 | 1,692 | 49.69% | 1,542 | 45.29% | 171 | 5.02% |
| 1940 | 2,405 | 66.09% | 1,223 | 33.61% | 11 | 0.30% |
| 1944 | 2,063 | 68.24% | 944 | 31.23% | 16 | 0.53% |
| 1948 | 1,928 | 69.01% | 835 | 29.89% | 31 | 1.11% |
| 1952 | 2,926 | 74.38% | 999 | 25.39% | 9 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 2,987 | 69.82% | 1,287 | 30.08% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 1960 | 2,730 | 60.05% | 1,810 | 39.82% | 6 | 0.13% |
| 1964 | 2,074 | 46.60% | 2,369 | 53.22% | 8 | 0.18% |
| 1968 | 2,798 | 60.06% | 1,562 | 33.53% | 299 | 6.42% |
| 1972 | 3,809 | 65.82% | 1,855 | 32.05% | 123 | 2.13% |
| 1976 | 4,240 | 62.33% | 2,437 | 35.82% | 126 | 1.85% |
| 1980 | 4,585 | 57.78% | 2,348 | 29.59% | 1,002 | 12.63% |
| 1984 | 5,356 | 67.62% | 2,498 | 31.54% | 67 | 0.85% |
| 1988 | 5,215 | 60.51% | 3,331 | 38.65% | 73 | 0.85% |
| 1992 | 3,993 | 39.20% | 3,445 | 33.82% | 2,749 | 26.99% |
| 1996 | 5,155 | 50.36% | 4,019 | 39.26% | 1,063 | 10.38% |
| 2000 | 6,840 | 56.96% | 4,635 | 38.60% | 534 | 4.45% |
| 2004 | 7,733 | 55.57% | 6,048 | 43.46% | 136 | 0.98% |
| 2008 | 6,938 | 47.97% | 7,355 | 50.85% | 171 | 1.18% |
| 2012 | 7,483 | 52.63% | 6,576 | 46.25% | 160 | 1.13% |
| 2016 | 7,239 | 48.61% | 6,774 | 45.49% | 879 | 5.90% |
| 2020 | 7,916 | 46.84% | 8,795 | 52.04% | 189 | 1.12% |
| 2024 | 8,035 | 45.34% | 9,406 | 53.08% | 279 | 1.57% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 8,102 | 46.15% | 9,164 | 52.20% | 289 | 1.65% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2022 | 6,752 | 43.63% | 8,540 | 55.19% | 182 | 1.18% |
Leelanau County operates the county jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, andvital records, administerspublic 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 the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
Leelanau County is one of the most highly educated counties in Michigan. A majority of adult residents over age 25 have Bachelor’s degrees.[citation needed]
TheNorthwest Educational Services, based inTraverse City, services the students in the county along with those ofAntrim,Benzie,Grand Traverse, andKalkaska. Theintermediate school district offers regionalspecial education services,early education andEnglish learner programs, andtechnical career pathways for students of its districts.[24]
Leelanau County is served by the following regularpublicschool districts:[25]
The county also has the followingindependent charter districts:
Leelanau County has the followingprivate schools:[26]
M-22 /LMCT is a highway that follows the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The highway enters Leelanau County from the southwest nearEmpire, and runs northeasterly through the communities ofGlen Arbor andLeland before reachingNorthport. At Northport, M-22 turns back southward, and runs throughOmena,Suttons Bay, andGreilickville before exiting intoTraverse City. The highway reaches its terminus atUS 31/M-37 about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) southeast of the Leelanau County line.
M-72 is an east–west highway that follows the base of the Leelanau Peninsula. The highway begins at M-22 in Empire, and continues easterly across the southern tier of the county for about 22 miles (35 km) before reaching M-22 again in Traverse City. The highway continues southeast intoGrand Traverse County, and runs across theLower Peninsula before terminating inHarrisville, onLake Huron.
M-109 is a highway in the northwestern part of the county. The highway begins at M-22 north of Empire, and continues north along the west side ofGlen Lake. South ofGlen Haven, the route turns east, and enters Glen Arbor, where it terminates once more at M-22.
M-201 is a short highway in the north of the county. The route begins at M-22 south of Northport, and runs north into the village. The highway terminates immediately north of the village, and connects with various county roads that can be used to accessLeelanau State Park and theGrand Traverse Light.
M-204 is a highway that serves as an east–west connector about halfway up the peninsula. The highway begins at M-22 south of Leland, and continues east into the community ofLake Leelanau. The highway passes the Leelanau County Governmental Center before terminating once more at M-22 in Suttons Bay.Additionally, another highway,M-209, ran from M-109 to the Coast Guard Life Saving Station in Glen Haven. Until it wasdecommissioned in 1995, it was Michigan's shortest highway.[27]
USBR 35 enters Leelanau County from the southwest, and follows M-22 and M-109 up the west side of the Leelanau Peninsula. The route then turns east along M-204, then south again along M-22 in Suttons Bay. The route then follows theLeelanau Trail south into Grand Traverse County..jpg)
The nearest airport with commercial service to Leelanau County isCherry Capital Airport in Traverse City. Leelanau County is home to a number of local airstrips, includingWoolsey Memorial Airport.
Places adjacent to Leelanau County, Michigan | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLeelanau County, Michigan,United States | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Central cities | |
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