Antoine Manseau founded the town of Leland in 1852, and at that time, the town was primarily a logging town.  Jacob Schwarz, a German immigrant to Leelanau County, constructed the original Riverside Inn in 1901.  Mr. Schwarz had previously been involved in the logging industry, partially owning three different saw mills.  As a former resident of Indianapolis, Indiana, Schwarz recognized a potential market for Leland in the summer tourist trade.  Wealthy residents of Indianapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati and Detroit were looking for locations for their summer getaways.

An icon of Leland, Carlson’s Fishery is located right on the River in Fishtown.  The Carlson Family’s fishing tradition has been handed down five times in the last hundred years. Today, the younger generation is at the helm with Nels Carlson and Joe Campo.