Fountain Point Resort is a historic landmark located on the eastern shore of South Lake Leelanau in Suttons Bay Township,

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, ...

. Its name is derived from a fountain of sparkling artesian spring water, situated on a large point on

Lake Leelanau Lake Leelanau ( ) is a lake that is located in the Leelanau Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is divided into two basins, usually referred to as ''North Lake Leelanau'' and ''South Lake Leelanau'', which are divided by the Lak ...

, which has been continuously gushing since 1867.

History

Circa 1860, a French fur trader, Aymar de Belloy, was plying his trade near the narrows of Carp Lake and became convinced of the beauty and bounty of the area and purchased a parcel of land. He attempted drilling for oil, and after a long struggle in 1867 he struck a gusher of sparkling water at a depth of . Following de Belloy's disappointment over his failure to strike oil, the land changed hands several times until 1887, when it was purchased by Lydia Morrison of

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

, Ohio. In June 1889, she established "The Fountain Point House," a Victorian-style mansion, and guests began arriving for the summer by steamboat and buggy. The main three-story building was the center of activity, and it included a large dining room, kitchen and lounge. By 1903, the Traverse City, Leelanau, and Manistique Railroad began operating between

Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County. The city's population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, while the four-county Traverse C ...

and Northport, stopping at Fountain Point, improving transportation of people and products. Over the years, several cottages were built, and Fountain Point Resort has become a popular destination featuring rich history and simple family pleasures. In 1975, Fountain Point Resort was listed on the State of Michigan historic registry, and in 2003 it was placed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Today

Fountain Point Resort is one of the oldest recreational hotel complexes of its type in the state, and encompasses of land, including a half-mile (0.8 km) of lakefront and the fountain. It is presently owned by Susan Jay Nichols; the property has been in her family for three generations. Her oldest son, Erik Zehender, manages the property. Located near the quiet community of

, the resort has a "no TV" policy, and features swimming, boating, tennis and numerous other indoor and outdoor activities. In addition, Fountain Point hosts numerous community and special events.

Concerts

Throughout the summer and Fall, the resort hosts musical performances featuring diverse groups and artists such as The Traverse Symphony Orchestra,

The Accidentals The Accidentals are an American band, formed in Traverse City, Michigan in 2012 by singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist (now Sav Madigan) and Katie Larson. The group has featured an eclectic blend of indie folk, pop music, pop ...

, The Crane Wives, The Ragbirds and many others.

Lectures

From time to time the resort hosts lectures on various topics, such as gardening.

Rowing

The resort partners with the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

to offer rowing camps, and is home to the Lake Leelanau Rowing Club.

References

External links

Fountain Point Resort website

Suttons Bay Township website

Leelanau Historical Museum and Society

Maps

National Register of Historic Places
{{National Register of Historic Places listings in Leelanau County, Michigan Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan 1889 establishments in Michigan Resorts in Michigan Tourist attractions in Leelanau County, Michigan Houses in Leelanau County, Michigan National Register of Historic Places in Leelanau County, Michigan