Leelanau County ( ) is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,301. Since 2008, the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

has been located within Suttons Bay Township, one mile east of the unincorporated village of Lake Leelanau. Before 2008, Leelanau County's seat was Leland. Leelanau County is included in the Traverse City metropolitan area of Northern Michigan. The largest settlement in Leelanau County by population is Greilickville, itself a suburb of Traverse City. Leelanau County is coterminous with the Leelanau Peninsula, a roughly triangular-shaped peninsula that extends about off Michigan's Lower Peninsula into

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

. East of Leelanau County is Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan. In 2011, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located in the county, won the title of "Most Beautiful Place in America" in a poll by morning news show

Good Morning America ''Good Morning America'', often abbreviated as ''GMA'', is an American breakfast television, morning television program that is broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It debuted on November 3, 1975, and first expanded to weekends wit ...

Etymology

Traditionally, the county's name was said to be a Native American word meaning "delight of life", but it is a

neologism In linguistics, a neologism (; also known as a coinage) is any newly formed word, term, or phrase that has achieved popular or institutional recognition and is becoming accepted into mainstream language. Most definitively, a word can be considered ...

from Indian agent and ethnographer

Henry Schoolcraft Henry Rowe Schoolcraft (March 28, 1793 – December 10, 1864) was an American geographer, geologist, and ethnologist, noted for his early studies of Native American cultures, as well as for his 1832 expedition to the source of the Mississippi ...

, who sometimes gave the name "Leelinau" to Native American women in his tales. He created many ''faux'' Indian place names in Michigan, using syllables of Ojibwe, Latin and Arabic, neglecting the fact that the Ojibwa language lacks any of the phonemes associated with the letter 'L' in English. More recently, however, scholars have established that ''Leelinau'' was first used as a pen name by Henry's wife, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, in writings for ''The Literary Voyager'', a family magazine which they co-wrote in the 1820s. 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. Grand Traverse Light

History

Leelanau County was separated as an unorganized county in 1840 by the

Michigan Legislature The Michigan Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of the Senate (the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber). Article IV of the Michigan Con ...

. In 1851, it was attached the Grand Traverse County for governmental purposes, and was temporarily given the name "Leelanau Township". In 1863, Leelanau County was organized in its own right. The same year, the southern portion of Leelanau County was separated as Benzie County, and was subsequently attached to Grand Traverse County until 1869. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was established in 1970, protecting much of the natural scenery of the area at the federal level. In 2008, the

moved from Leland to a site in Suttons Bay Township, near the town of Lake Leelanau.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (86%) is water. Leelanau County comprises the entire Leelanau Peninsula, a roughly triangular

peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...

that extends about from the western side of the

Lower Peninsula of Michigan The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the Geography of Michigan, two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula of Mic ...

into

. The peninsula forms the western shore of the Grand Traverse Bay. At its base, the peninsula is about wide. Leelanau County is one of a handful of counties in the United States that is entirely peninsular, a list also including Huron and Keweenaw counties elsewhere in Michigan, nearby Door County in

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, and

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The county has the second-highest proportion of water area of any county in the United States, behind only

Keweenaw County, Michigan Keweenaw County (, ) is a County (United States), county in the western Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county's population was 2,046, making it Michigan's least populous coun ...

. Lake Leelanau is the county's largest body of inland water, empties into

through the Leland River. Glen Lake, located within the boundaries of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, is considered one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. A substantial portion of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore lies within the county's borders, including North Manitou and South Manitou Islands. Leelanau has been party to substantial efforts to protect itself from growth, and to foster a nature conservancy. Extreme southeastern Leelanau County, specifically portions of Elmwood Township, are urbanized due to their proximity to Traverse City, which itself extends partially into the county. Traverse City is the largest city in Northern Michigan by population.

Adjacent counties

By land * Grand Traverse County (southeast) * Benzie County (southwest) By water * Schoolcraft County (north) * Charlevoix County (northeast) * Antrim County (east) *

Door County, Wisconsin Door County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,066. Its seat of government is Sturgeon Bay. It is named after the strait between the Door Peninsula and Washington Island. ...

(west,

Central Time Zone The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It ...

border) * Delta County (northwest)

Communities

Cities

* Traverse City (partially)

Villages

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

* Northport * Suttons Bay

Charter township

* Elmwood Charter Township

Civil townships

* Bingham Township * Centerville Township * Cleveland Township * Empire Township * Glen Arbor Township * Kasson Township * Leelanau Township * Leland Township * Solon Township * Suttons Bay Township (county seat)

Census-designated places

* Cedar * Glen Arbor * Greilickville * Lake Leelanau * Leland * Maple City * Omena

Unincorporated communities

* Bingham * Burdickville * Fouch * Fountain Point * Glen Haven * Isadore * Keswick * Northport Point * Peshawbestown *

Solon Solon (; ; BC) was an Archaic Greece#Athens, archaic History of Athens, Athenian statesman, lawmaker, political philosopher, and poet. He is one of the Seven Sages of Greece and credited with laying the foundations for Athenian democracy. ...

Ghost towns

* Ahgosatown * Bodus *

Crescent A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase (as it appears in the northern hemisphere) in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself. In Hindu iconography, Hind ...

* Crystal Spring * Good Harbor * Hatchs * Heimforth * Jacktown * Kasson * North Unity * Onominese * Oviatt *Port Oneida * Schomberg * Waukazooville

Indian reservation

* Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians occupies scattered areas within Suttons Bay Township.

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 21,119 people, 8,436 households, and 6,217 families residing in the county. By the 2020 census, there were 22,301 people in the county.

Culture

There are 26 wineries on the peninsula. The Leelanau Peninsula sits astride the 45th parallel, a latitude known for growing prestigious grapes. The two Grand 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 its

Riesling Riesling ( , ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling ...

s, 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 which

ice wine Icewine (or ice wine; ) is a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been Freezing, frozen while still on the vine. The sugars and other dissolved solids do not freeze, but the water does, allowing for a more concentrated grape juice ...

is made. These wineries are in the Leelanau Peninsula AVA.

Government

Elected officials

Prosecuting Attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the adversarial system, which is adopted in common law, or inquisitorial system, which is adopted in civil law. The prosecution is the legal party responsible ...

– Joseph T. Hubbell * Probate Judge – Marian Kromkowski *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

– Michael Borkovich *

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts record keeping as well as general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keepin ...

– Michelle L. Crocker * County Treasurer – John A. Gallagher * Register of Deeds – Dorothy M. Miller * Drain Commissioner – Steven R. Christensen * Commissioner Dist. 1 – Jamie Kramer * Commissioner Dist. 2 – James O'Rourke * Commissioner Dist. 3 – Doug Rexroat * Commissioner Dist. 4 – Ty Wessell * Commissioner Dist. 5 – Kama Ross * Commissioner Dist. 6 – Gwenne Allgaier * Commissioner Dist. 7 – Melinda Lautner (information as of September 2018)

Politics

Leelanau County had historically been a Republican stronghold since its founding, but has shifted Democratic 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 for

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

. In

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...

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 Democrat

Jennifer Granholm Jennifer Mulhern Granholm (born February 5, 1959) is an American politician who was the 16th United States secretary of energy from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she previously served as the 47t ...

in 2006, Republican

Rick Snyder Richard Dale Snyder (born August 19, 1958) is an American business executive, venture capitalist, attorney, accountant, and politician who served as the 48th governor of Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Snyder, who was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, ...

in 2010 and 2014, and Democrat

Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Esther Whitmer (; born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of R ...

in 2018 and 2022. Leelanau County operates the county jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

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.

Education

The Northwest Educational Services, based in Traverse City, services the students in the county along with those of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska. The intermediate school district offers regional

special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...

services, early education and English learner programs, and technical career pathways for students of its districts. Leelanau County is served by the following regular

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

school districts A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary or secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school district and is used to assign stud ...

: * Glen Lake Community Schools * Leland Public School District * Northport Public School District * Suttons Bay Public Schools * Traverse City Area Public Schools The county also has the following independent charter districts: * Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy Leelanau County has the following

private schools A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their financial endowme ...

: * St. Mary School (

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

) * The Leelanau School (

nonsectarian Nonsectarian institutions are secular institutions or other organizations not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group. Academic sphere Many North American universities identify themselves as being nonsectarian, such as B ...

, boarding) * The Pathfinder School (nonsectarian)

Transportation

Major highways

* is a highway that follows the shoreline of Lake Michigan. The highway enters Leelanau County from the southwest near

, and runs northeasterly through the communities of Glen Arbor and Leland before reaching Northport. At Northport, M-22 turns back southward, and runs through Omena, Suttons Bay, and Greilickville before exiting into Traverse City. The highway reaches its terminus at US 31/ M-37 about southeast of the Leelanau County line. * 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 before reaching M-22 again in Traverse City. The highway continues southeast into Grand Traverse County, and runs across the Lower Peninsula before terminating in Harrisville, on

Lake Huron Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the lake is derived from early French ex ...

. * 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 of Glen Lake. South of Glen Haven, the route turns east, and enters Glen Arbor, where it terminates once more at M-22. * 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 access Leelanau State Park and the Grand Traverse Light. * 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 of Lake 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 was decommissioned in 1995, it was Michigan's shortest highway.

Bicycle route

* 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 the Leelanau Trail south into Grand Traverse County.

Air service

The nearest airport with commercial service to Leelanau County is

Cherry Capital Airport Cherry Capital Airport is a Commercial aviation, commercial and general aviation airport located in Traverse City, Michigan, United States. The airport is located southeast of the central business district of Traverse City. The airport is FAA ...

in Traverse City. Leelanau County is home to a number of local airstrips, including Woolsey Memorial Airport.

Notable people

* Jim Harrison – author, long-time resident of Leland Township * Kathleen Sebelius – former Secretary of US Health and Human Services and former governor of Kansas; vacations at a summer home built by her grandfather in Leland * The northernmost village of Northport and surrounding Leelanau Township have achieved fame as an area where the rich and famous can live quietly and anonymously. According to the ''Leelanau Visitors Guide'': "Chef Mario Batali lives north of town at Cathead point, and comedian and actor

Tim Allen Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) for which he won a Golden Gl ...

routinely spent summers in Northport until his divorce. Financier

Mark Spitznagel Mark Spitznagel (; born March 5, 1971) is an American investor and hedge fund, hedge fund manager. He is the founder, owner, and chief investment officer of Universa Investments, a hedge fund management firm based in Miami, Florida.Northport Point, a posh community just outside the village."
Leelanau Visitors Guide 2011
'.