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06/16/2006
Deal will save historic Fishtown
Fishtown in Leland is pictured on Thursday afternoon. The Fishtown Preservation Society has agreed to buy the historic fishing village. LELAND — Owners of Fishtown, the historic fishing village and Leelanau County tourist magnet, reached a $3 million purchase deal with the Fishtown Preservation Society. The deal includes 11 properties in the Fishtown district adjacent to the Leland Harbor. It also includes the fishing boats Janice Sue and Joy and related fishing licenses to maintain an active fishing business on the docks. The parties negotiated for several months since last year. The preservation group formed when the Carlson family of Leland decided to put the property up for sale. The preservation groups wants to maintain the dozen small shops on the property while keeping an active fishery so it remains among the few working fishing villages on the Great Lakes. "We're pleased to have reached a fair price for the purchase of this vital and authentic property, and are grateful to the Carlson family for their willingness to give us time to raise the needed funds," Craig Miller, chairman of the preservation group's board of directors said in a written statement. "Now, in quick fashion, we need to turn to the community to ask for their financial support so that the Fishtown property will be secured for future generations," he said. Completion of the purchase agreement is the first part of a three-phase effort to raise money to buy and preserve the village. The next goal is to raise $2.5 million for the property by Dec. 31. The third phase is to raise an additional $2 million to complete the sale and pay for educational efforts that will include exhibits, interpretative displays and outreach programs on the history of the property and Great Lakes fishing.
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