Local/Regional Resources

Local and regional materials are housed in history organizations, libraries, and other institutions that maintain and collect historic documents and records.  Their staff can provide services and assistance in your research. Property tax records may be held at township, village, or county clerk offices.  If your property was ever a publicly owned building, information may exist in the minutes of governmental or public and private agencies.

Bookstores offer numerous local history books by authors and historians in your area.



LCHPS published this book:

Historic Leelanau: Recognized Sites and Places of Historical Significance by M. Christine Byron and Thomas R. Wilson was published in 2019. This work reviews the forty-two historic sites and buildings recognized at the time of publication by the Michigan Register of Historic Sites or the National Register of Historic Places.



Leelanau regional organizations, collections, and activities to consider

Benzie Area Historical Society and Museum – https://www.benziemuseum.org/

Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan(Mt. Pleasant) https://digmichnews.cmich.edu

Empire Area Museum – http://empiremimuseum.org

Explore Historic Leelanau – https://explorehistoricleelanau.org/

Glen Lake Community Library – https://glenlakelibrary.net

Historic Aerial Photography Imagery for Leelanau County – https://msustatewide.msu.edu/Programs/Details/521

Leelanau Historical Society and Museum – https://www.leelanauhistory.org
Note: Leelanau Poor Farm – special collection

Leland Township Library – https://www.lelandlibrary.org

Northport Area Historical Association Museum – https://www.northportmuseum.com

Omena History Society – www.omenahistoricalsociety.org

Osterlin Library at Northwestern Michigan College – http://www.nmc.edu/library/ Note: This library has an extensive collection of Leelanau County and Traverse City newspapers available on microfilm.

Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library – https://www.sbbdl.org/

Traverse Area District Library- https://www.tadl.org   Note: TADL has the Traverse City papers available on microfilm, from to 1859 to the present, and online (1858 through 1913). (Very difficult to access online).