Little Traverse Bay

Michael R. Federspiel

Overview: The railroad's arrival in the 1870s transformed the formerly sleepy Little Traverse Bay region into a tourist mecca. Victorian resort communities and the growing towns of Harbor Springs and Petoskey provided lodging, dining, entertainment, and supplies to an influx of settlers, speculators, and tourists who visited in the summer or stayed year-round. Over the decades, cars have replaced trains and steamships and many structures have been altered or demolished, but Little Traverse Bay, Past and Present shows that the area's history is still very much a part of the present day. Featuring contemporary images by Rebecca Zeiss, over three hundred historic (most never before published) photos, and historical narrative by Michael R. Federspiel, this volume documents the development of the tourist economy and also serves as a snapshot of the region today. Little Traverse Bay, Past...