Northport Area Heritage Museum is set to celebrate the village’s 175th anniversary starting on Saturday, June 8. The museum will be open inside from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and feature special displays and different movies, such as “Verano” and “Waukazooville,” about the town’s history dating back to 1849. There will also be walking tours held throughout the day.
The museum will have on display “Binki,” a small sailboat handcrafted in 1973 by Northport’s well known boat builder, Bill Livingston, outside of the building in the east lot. The Maritime Heritage Alliance will also deliver to the museum the boat called “Witchcraft,” for display starting this week. The boat was built by Livingston in 1968 as a gift for his wife. Since being donated to the Maritime Heritage Alliance, Witchcraft, which is approximately 33 feet in length and has a beam of five feet, six inches, has been restored.
The museum’s side lot will feature works created by Livingston, while the front of the building will host Leelanau Township’s 1928 Model A Ford Fire Truck as well as a Model A courtesy of the Leelanau Historical Society and Museum.
The Blessing of the Fleet, an event sponsored by the Northport Area Heritage Association, Northport Museum, and the Village of Northport, will be held on Tuesday, June 11 from 5-7:30 p.m. at Northport Marina Pavilion. The boats in harbor will be decorated for the occasion, and “Binki” will be situated in the park to receive her blessing and for people to view. Northport Area Heritage Association staff will give opening remarks and a brief history of the village’s beginnings and rich maritime history. There will be an indigenous celebration and a blessing of the harbor, marina, and village by the Reverend Dr. Chrysanne Timm of St. Christopher’s Episcopol Church and Bethany Lutheran of Northport.
Individual boat blessings throughout the marina are scheduled, and people can make their reservation for one with the Northport marina harbormaster Bill Rosemurgy. Hot dogs will be provided by the Village of Northport. Finally, the Northport Area Heritage Museum will host an “anniversary celebration” with cupcakes from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to visit and enjoy “A Timeline of Northport History.”
