Hometown Brochure - Week 9 Homework

Traverse City, Michigan Traverse City (pronounced /’trævr ‘s?ti/) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,532 at the 2000 census. In 2007, the Traverse City micropolitan area was estimated to have a population of 142,075. Despite its modest population, Traverse City functions as the major commercial nexus for a sevencounty area totaling over 2,700 square miles (7,000 km2) and, along with cross-peninsula counterpart Alpena, is one of Northern Lower Michigan’s two anchor cities. Traverse City is the “Cherry Capital of the World,” holding an annual week-long Cherry Festival the first full week in July to celebrate. Besides cherries, the surrounding Tuscanylike countryside produces grapes, and is one of the centers of wine production in the

Midwest. Tourism, both summer and winter, is another key industry. Freshwater beaches, a mild summer climate, upscale golf resorts, vineyards, a nearby National Lakeshore, prodigious snowfall, nearby ski resorts and thousands of square miles of surrounding forests make Traverse City (based on AAA’s 2005 TripTik requests) the second most popular tourist destination in the state behind Mackinaw City. In addition, the historic downtown area of Traverse City is the home of many shops, restaurants, and offices. Traverse City is a home rule charter city under the Home Rule Cities Act, incorporated on May 18, 1895. The city is governed by six commissioners and a mayor, elected at-large. Together they comprise a seven-member legislative body. An appointed city manager serves as chief executive for city operations.

Geography The city sits at the head of Grand Traverse Bay, a long protected water of Lake Michi-

gan. The city sits at the base of the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. The Boardman River forms Boardman Lake in the city before draining into the Bay.

Arts and culture The Interlochen Arts Festival, held at various venues at the campus of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, features concerts, plays, art exhibits, readings, and dance productions by students and guest artists. The Arts festival has both a summer and winter series. The Traverse City Film Festival, founded by Michael Moore, takes place every summer. The five day event showcases notable rare independent films and documentaries, as well as discussion boards with directors, actors and others involved with the film industry. In 2007, the film festival acquired the historic

State Theater, which it fully restored, re-opening on November 17, 2007 for year round screenings. The Dennos Museum Center, located on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College, is home to a collection of Inuit art including sculpture, drawing and prints. The center is also home to a children’s museum, as well as various ongoing exhibitions. Two major arts groups are active in Traverse City. The Traverse City Art Center offers art classes, a small exhibition space, and yearround member art shows. The Traverse City Art Works Alliance is a member-based arts group, founded by local artist Charly Hansen in 2005.

www.VisitTraverseCity.com

The National Cherry Festival, held during the first full week of July every year, is the main tourist draw to Traverse City. The festival features parades, fireworks, live music, and cherries. It is estimated that the Grand Traverse region produces up to 360,000,000 pounds of cherries annually.

Historical markers

There are thirteen recognized Michigan historical markers in Traverse City. They are: ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊

Bingham District No. 5 Schoolhouse City Opera House Congregation Beth El Grand Traverse Bay Grand Traverse County Courthouse Great Lakes Sport Fishery Greensky Hill Mission Ladies Library Association Novotny’s Saloon Park Place Hotel Torrent House Perry Hannah House Traverse City State Hospital

The Old Mission Peninsula is a great place to sea kayak. One gets close to shore, lighthouse, picnic grounds and parks. The bay offers a shelter from the prevailing westerly winds and from the Lake Michigan waves. Maps, rentals and guided tours are available. The small Traverse City State Park, with about 250 campsites, is located some three miles (4.8 km) east of downtown on 47 acres (19 hectares) including a quarter mile beach on the East Bay arm of Grand Traverse Bay. The Leelanau Peninsula north of Traverse City contains many attractions and areas of interest, including the Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown, Fountain Point and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. There are over 50 wineries in the Traverse City/northwestern lower Michigan area. Most offer free wine tasting. Due to the sandy soil with its good drainage, several vintners have produced award winning Reislings and Pinot Grigios.

Welcome to Traverse City Michigan

Visiting Traverse City

Traverse City is named after the Grand Traverse Bay, which the city heads. The bay earned its name from 18th century French voyagers who made la grande traverse or “the long crossing” across the mouth of the Grand Traverse Bay. In 1847, Captain Boardman of Naperville, Illinois, purchased the land at the mouth of the Boardman River at the head of the west arm of the bay. During that year the captain, his son, and their employees built a dwelling and sawmill near the mouth of the river. In 1851 the Boardmans sold the sawmill to Hannah, Lay & Co (Perry Hannah, Albert Tracy Lay and James Morgan), who improved the mill greatly. The increased investment in the mill attracted additional settlers to the new community. As of 1853, the only operating post office in the Grand Traverse Bay region was the one located at Old Mission, which was then known as “Grand Traverse.” While in Washington, D.C. in 1852, Mr. Lay had succeeded in getting the U.S. Post Office to authorize a new post office at his newer settlement. As the newer settlement had become known as “Grand Traverse City,” Lay proposed this name for its post office, but the USPS clerk suggested dropping the “Grand,” in the name, as to limit confusion between this new office and the one at nearby Old Mission. Mr. Lay agreed to the name “Traverse City” for the post office, and the village took on this name.