History
Circa 1860, a French fur trader, Andre de Beloit, was plying his trade near the narrows of Carp Lake—also called Lake "Leelanau", said to mean "delight of life" in the language spoken by local Native Americans—and became convinced of the beauty and bounty of the area and purchased a parcel of land.
He attempted drilling for oil, and after a long struggle in 1867 he struck a gusher of sparkling water at a depth of 900 feet (270 m). Following de Beloit’s disappointment over his failure to strike oil, the land changed hands several times until 1887, when it was purchased by Lydia Morrison of Cincinnati, Ohio. In June 1889, she established "The Fountain Point House," a Victorian-style mansion, and guests began arriving for the summer by steamboat and buggy. The main three-story building was the center of activity, and it included a large dining room, kitchen and lounge.
By 1903, the Traverse City, Leelanau, and Manistique Railroad began operating between Traverse City and Northport, stopping at Fountain Point, improving transportation of people and products.
Over the years, several cottages were built, and Fountain Point has become a popular destination featuring rich history and simple family pleasures.
Read more about this topic: Fountain Point
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Humankind has understood history as a series of battles because, to this day, it regards conflict as the central facet of life.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932)
“The thing that struck me forcefully was the feeling of great age about the place. Standing on that old parade ground, which is now a cricket field, I could feel the dead generations crowding me. Here was the oldest settlement of freedmen in the Western world, no doubt. Men who had thrown off the bands of slavery by their own courage and ingenuity. The courage and daring of the Maroons strike like a purple beam across the history of Jamaica.”
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)