Vintgage Boats in Leland

We’re finding that many of these Michigan towns have a rich history – normally associated with lumber and maritime activities – that they present at their local museums. These museums are definitely worth visiting and Leland’s was no exception.

During one of our shorebound days, we stopped by the Leland Historical Society. Aside from the typical exhibits, there was a special exhibit on the wooden boats of Leelanau County.

According to the exhibit, many of the vacation homes along Lake Leelanau have been in the same family for many years. And many of the owners of those homes bought powerboats. The families kept up the cottages – and the powerboats – over the years and across generations. Because of this there are currently a relatively large number of vintage boats on Lake Leelanau that are in excellent condition.

When we were at the museum, that just seemed like an interesting little historical tidbit. But when we took a walk, that history came alive. It seemed as though there were vintage powerboats everywhere! Many of them were kept at Stander Marine.

And they aren't kept permanently in boathouses – we saw several of them cruising along the river to the the lake. Here are a few pictures.