Writer, a former county resident, died last month.
When Larry Wakefield died last month at age 93, some history probably died with him.

If something happened in Leelanau – even 150 years ago – Wakefield was the man who was most likely to know about it.

Fortunately, however, much of what he researched and learned was printed and is still with us.

Wakefield

Wakefield was the author of Elmwood Township – A Pictorial History, and numerous other books. He was himself a resident of Elmwood for many years. He also resided with his wife, Lucille, at Cedar Creek Senior Apartments in Elmwood for several years late in his life.

The Grand Rapids native was also editor of the History of Leelanau Township, which is perhaps the most valuable single source of county history. It contents were provided by a number of “Leelanauites” with very deep local roots.

And another book he wrote, Rail and Sail, has a wealth of Leelanau information, even though it takes in the entire Grand Traverse Bay region. In it he describes how, in the earliest days, water transportation was paramount, followed by a brief “stagecoach period” before rails were extended northward. He recalls the development of highways, which ultimately displaced both the “rail and sail,” at least in Leelanau County. The book concludes with a chapter on air travel.

Before the coming of the rails, ingress and egress from the county was generally undertaken only in the months Lake Michigan was free of ice. When leaving the region, area residents often talked of traveling “outside.”

In Rail and Sail Wakefield wrote, “it is difficult for us now, in these days of instant communication and jet travel, to realize how isolated the Grand Traverse settlement was in its early years.”

To convey some idea of this isolation, he reprinted a July 15, 1859 article from the Grand Traverse Herald, which appeared under the heading “How to Get to Grand Traverse.”

The newspaper reported, “there is no land route to this place except by Indian trail, on which the mail is brought once a week. In winter this our only route to the outside world.”

But, during the navigation season, “those living south or east will take a propeller at Buffalo, Dunkirk, Cleveland or Detroit, and come directly to Northport, which is situated on Grand Traverse Bay ten miles from its mouth. The fare from Buffalo to Northport is about $8 and from Detroit $5.”

The article also stated travelers might take a propeller that would “agree to land them at Glen Lake or Leland.”

Wakefield’s book, which is lavishly illustrated, traces the development of the region as transportation steadily improves.

Other books by Wakefield, covering the topic of Michigan ghost towns, reveal that “progress” may mean the improvement, or enlargement at least, of some communities at the expense of others.

There were simply too many communities established around one “crop” – trees – to all endure over the long run.

“Timber was the catalyst that gave birth to 90 percent of northern Michigan towns,” Wakefield wrote in one of his books, Queen City of the North (Traverse City).

Wakefield was often assisted by Lucille, who survives him.

Altogether, he authored about a dozen-and-a-half books that covered different aspects of Michigan history.

In addition to the books he authored and numerous articles he wrote, he also seasonally published Wakefield’s Visitors Guide until about 15 years ago.

An area resident since 1940, Wakefield was at one time a mink farmer, but gave it up (along with others in the area) decades ago when the economics of the business changed.

Larry Wakefield was a colleague, friend, and mentor to this writer. All of us who have an interest in area history owe him a debt of gratitude.

Thanks, Larry.