T he survey in what is now Onekama Township was completed in 1839. The surveyors noted that "little can be said in favor of this township. It is almost entirely composed of high and steep hills, unfit for the purposes of cultivation. They will scarcely answer for sheep farms. The lake in this Township is supplied by springbrooks running out of the hills surrounding it." The area was included in Manistee Township at the time of Manistee County's organization in 1855. Onekama Township became a separate entity in 1867, eventually containing approximately 22 square miles with around 6 miles of frontage on Lake Michigan. The lakes and the land that would "scarcely answer for sheep farms" in 1839 have provided a fascinating history over the years that is being presented here for your enlightenment and enjoyment. For easy reference, the numerous sites are keyed to maps for three areas: Portage Lake, the Village of Onekama, and Pierport.
Portage Lake The Channel, Portage Lake Yacht Club 1. Lake Michigan an-portage Lake Channel, south of Second Street, Portage Point 2. Captain John Langland Park, turnaround at the west end of Second Street, Portage Point, on Lake Michigan 3. Portage Lake Yacht Club, northeast of Portage Point Drive and Second Street, Portage Point Portage Point Resort, Portage Point Inn 4. Portage Point Resort, Portage Point South of Outlet Avenue 5. *Portage Point Inn, 8567 South Portage Point Drive
Old Portage, Portage Park Resort and Additions 6. Streambed of Portage Creek, looking south from the 2200-2300 2300 block of Lakeisle Avenue 7. ++R. E. Harris Cottage, 2254 Lakeisle Avenue 8. Portage Park Resort and Additions, Portage Point north of and including Outlet Avenue; North Point and along the northern shores of Portage Lake 9. Golf Course, site northeast of West and South Greenway, now North Point Park Little Eden Camp, Canfield Properties 10. Little Eden Camp, 3721 East Portage Point Drive 11. Artesian Well, on Portage Point Drive northwest of Little Eden Camp 12. Canfield Cottage and Carriage House, 4138 and 4092 East Portage Point Drive
Kline Farms, Fairgrounds 13. ***Kline-Walnut Grove Farm, 5968 Eight Mile Road 14. ***Kline Farm, 5901 Eight Mile Road 15. Manistee County Fairgrounds, northeast of M-22 and Jones Road The Bible Camp, Wick-a-te-wah 16. Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp, 4158 Camp Delight Road 17. Wick-a-te te-wah, north of Crescent Beach Road, accessed by Leonard Street 18. Leonard Cottage, southeast corner of Leonard Street and Lakeshore Drive Red Park Resort, Camp Tosebo 19. Red Park Resort, surrounding the intersection of Crescent Beach Road, Miller Road, and C. G. Davis Avenue 20. Woodbine Cottage, northeast corner of C. G. Davis Avenue and Crescent ent Beach Road 21. * ++Camp Tosebo, 7228 Miller Road
Crescent Beach, Williamsport 22. Crescent Beach, north of Crescent Beach Road, west of the intersection of Crescent Beach and Lakeshore Roads 23. Williamsport, south of the Channel surrounding the end of Crescent Beach Road 24. * ++Sandenburgh-Rogers House, 2046 Crescent Beach Road Legend *National Register of Historic Places ++Michigan State Register of Historic Sites ***Michigan Centennial Farm (Owned and Farmed by Family Members for 100 Years)
Portage Lake Historic Sites Map
Onekama West Onekama, Glen Springs 1. Glen Park, west side of Fourth Avenue above Main Street (M-22) 2. Glenwood Resort, 4604 Main Street 3. St. John-by by-the the-lake, 4651 Main Street 4. Rotary Park, northeast corner of Main Street and First Avenue Onekama Village Park 5. Historical Marker, The Portage Lake Region, Onekama Village Park, south side of the 4700-4800 4800 block of Main Street 6. *++Memorial Fountain, Onekama Village Park, south side of the 4700-4800 4800 Block of Main Street 7. Music Propeller, Onekama Village Park, south side of the 4700-4800 4800 Block of Main Street
Main Street, West 8. School-Commercial Building, 4830 Main Street 9. Knuth Drug Store Building, 4850 Main Street 10. Truman Smith s General Store, 4855 Main Street 11. Grund House, northeast corner of Main and Mill Streets Mill Street 12. Church of the Brethren, 8266 Mill Street 13. Telford-Farr Residence, northwest corner of Mill and Spring Streets 14. Onekama School-Residence, northeast corner of Mill and Spring Streets Cemeteries, Centennial Farms 15. Onekama Village Cemetery, south of Joseph Road and the Catholic Cemetery on the east side of Erdman Road 16. St. Joseph s Catholic Cemetery, southeast corner of Erdman and Joseph Roads 17. ***Dittmer Farm, 9861 Erdman Road
18. ***Wiese-Peterson Farm, 10859 Erdman Road 19. ***Brown-Klajda Farm, northeast of Brown and Brandt Streets Spring, Zosel, Main Streets 20. First Congregational Church, northwest corner of Spring and Zosel Streets 21. Bank Building-Masonic Building, 4968 Main Street 22. Erickson Garden, 5122 Main Street 23. Farr Center, 5283 Main Street 24. Wendel House, 5288 Main Street Fifth, Third Streets 25. Gilbert House, southeast corner of Fifth and Fairview Streets 26. St. Joseph s Catholic Church, 8380 Fifth Street 27. Enos Residence, south of the intersection of Third and Fifth Streets East Onekama 28. Trinity Lutheran Church, 5471 Fairview Street
29. Blue Slipper, 8058 Main Street 30. Schroeder House, 5524 Dyke Street 31. Specht House, 5572 Dyke Street 32. Brown Lumber Company-Square Deal Farm Store, 8011 First Street Legend *National Register of Historic Places ++Michigan State Register of Historic Sites ***Michigan Centennial Farm (Owned and Farmed by Family Members for 100 Years)
Onekama Historic Sites Map
Pierport Herkelrath Farm, Pierport West 1. ***Herkelrath Farm, 11300 Herkelrath Road 2. Pierport, surrounding Thirteen Mile, Lakeview, and Burtker Roads 3. Old Faceful, southwest corner of Thirteen Mile and Lakeview Roads 4. Perry Residence, 3015 Thirteen Mile Road Pierport East, Centennial Farms, Bertelson Cemetery 5. Schaefer Dwelling, southwest corner of Thirteen Mile and Burtker Roads 6. Former Pierport School, southeast corner of Thirteen Mile and Burtker Roads
7. Ellis-Burtker House, 12547 Burtker Road 8. ***Schafer Farm, 3184 Thirteen Mile Road 9. ***Mallison Farm, 4735 Thirteen Mile Road 10. Bertelson Cemetery, north of 11409 Erdman Road on the east side of the Road Legend *National Register of Historic Places ++Michigan State Register of Historic Sites ***Michigan Centennial Farm (Owned and Farmed by Family Members for 100 Years)
Pierport Historic Sites Map
In Appreciation This Album of Photographs Owes Its Existence to Those Who Assisted with the Land Information System Historical Series, Our Onekama Township Heritage, in 1995 and the Portage Point Centennial Exhibit in 2002
Earl Adams Essie Anderson Joseph Aschauer Barbara Bingham Bill Boyer Connie Conley Ken Cooper Deborah Diggens Ann Dripps Bill Erickson Barbara Forwood Tom Gerhardt Mary Ann Grabowski Charles and Judith Greaves Michael and Susan Hoffman Margaret W. Johnson Beth Brown Klajda John H. Kline Charlotte Kott Mary Kuipers Manistee County Historical Museum Helen Mathieu Mary Lou Millard Blanche Miller Jim Mrozinski Sharon Olson John Perschbacher Esther Pierson Ralph Schafer Bill Smythe Ann and Roger Smith Jeff Sternbeger Dotti Swanson Barbara VanderVeen David A. Wild, Jr. Sharlene Wild Joan Wipperman Mary Jo Workman
Additional Photographs and Information Are Available Onekama Township Hall 5435 Main Street, P. O. Box 458 Onekama, MI 49675 (231) 889-3308 Manistee County Historical Museum 425 River Street Manistee, MI 49660 (231) 723-5531