Over 50 people boarded the Mishe-Mawka in Leland on Monday for a day trip to South Manitou Island as one of the last public trips to the island during the 2024 season.
“My favorite thing is sharing history. There’s so many people who don’t even realize there’s buildings out there (South Manitou Island). At the end of the day, just hearing that feedback and getting to know a lot of the people. The people that are drawn to an event like this, have an interest and sometimes have their own personal history stories that they end up sharing with you throughout the day,” Leelanau Historical Society executive director Kim Kelderhouse said.
The group hosted by the Leelanau Historical Society departed for South Manitou Island at 9 a.m., explored the village, island, and lighthouse, before splitting into groups and taking a tour of several farms on the island. The group heard presentations from National Park Service rangers about life on the island, along with a presentation form Mammoth Distilling about the iconic Rosen rye that was and still is being grown on the island.
One the way back from the island, attendees heard a presentation while circling ‘The Crib’ off of North Manitou Island.
One of the attendees, Northport resident Mark Krueger, enjoyed every second of the day trip.
“So many different things have happened out there over time. I enjoy learning about the history of all those different things. It was my first time out here. It was a great trip,” he said. “(My favorite part) I’m kind of partial to lighthouses. I have a great grandmother who was a lighthouse keeper over at Point Aux Barques. I always enjoy seeing the lighthouses and getting to get up to the top of the lighthouse and seeing the view from up there.”
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore volunteer Patty Kelly leads the charge for scheduling dozens of volunteers that help out every summer at South Manitou Island.
Kelly explained what life is like on the island for volunteers, rangers, and more.
Kelly, a descendant of the Burdick family who lived on the island, keeps volunteering because of the labor of love.
“I continue to do it because this is my heritage. My family’s from here ... My mom and uncle’s family is from here. It’s in my blood. I love working with the park staff ... they treat us very well, and we treat them very well. We invite them to dinner,” Kelly said. “I really don’t have a favorite part. I love mowing the farms. I love the solitary out there, but I love doing the lighthouse tours. That’s fun ... I like being in the visitor center when people come in, they start asking questions, and I say, ‘that’s where my mom grew up.’” Kelly helps open the island up in late-April, early-May starting with hard labor like cleaning fire pits, clearing trails, and more.
“I stay here because there’s a lot of volunteers rotating in and out ... I go home for a couple weeks and I come back for a couple weeks,” she said. “I’ve got two grandsons that come over quite frequently with me and have for years. But I had four of my great grandkids over here (for a trip this summer), the oldest being 6-years-old this year. He was walking around with his shirt off like he owned the place,” Kelly said laughing.
