RESEARCH

The Northport Area Heritage Association provides free research resources for use by the public. Below you will find the museum's archives, Reverend Smith's diaries, and other resources from local resources!

To visit the Northport Area Heritage Museum's archives, please

click here:

HISTORY OF MILL POND

Learn more about the history of Mill Pond

Mill Pond

REVEREND GEORGE N. SMITH

Reverend George Nelson Smith was a Congregational minister and a pivotal figure in the early history of what is now Northport. Originally from Vermont, Reverend Smith had spent years as a missionary to the Odawa (Ottawa) people in the Holland, Michigan area. However, due to rising tensions with Dutch settlers, he and his family, along with Chief Peter Waukazoo's band of Odawa people, decided to seek a new beginning.

In 1849, this journey for a new home brought them by schooner to the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. Here, Reverend Smith and his companions established a new settlement. This group, composed of both Anglo-Americans and Odawa families, marked one of the earliest settlements in Leelanau County, laying the foundation for the village that would soon be known as Northport.

Reverend Smith's dedication to documenting daily life and events on the Michigan frontier is a crucial part of our museum's collection. His diaries, which span decades, offer a rare and valuable first-hand account of the community's struggles, triumphs, and daily existence. These detailed records are an enduring testament to the resilience and collaborative spirit of the area's earliest pioneers, providing a window into a vital part of our shared heritage.