Manistee River - History

History

The name "Manistee" is from an Ojibwe word whose derivation is uncertain. However, it may be from ministigweyaa, "river with islands at its mouth". Historically, the upper river was renowned for its outstanding grayling fishery, among the finest in the world, as catches in excess of 1000 fish per weekend outing were commonly reported up until the 1880s, when extensive logging in the area ruined the habitat. Logging in the area commenced in earnest between 1880 and 1910, with peak production occurring in the 1890s. The river's relatively large size, stable flows, and dearth of cataracts or other difficult passages made it ideal for the transportation of lumber. During this period huge numbers of white pine logs, some as large as 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter, were floated down the river to the port at Manistee and eventually on to the lumber markets of Grand Rapids, Milwaukee and Chicago, where the wood was used to build the cities and towns of the Midwestern United States. Some of these logs became trapped at various points on the river, and can be seen today along the river bottom, vestiges of a bygone era.