I live in a town known for several reasons. The city, Manistee, offers numerous historic sites, beautiful beaches, numerous acres of woods and national forests, and Lake Michigan. People who come to visit to experience hunting and fishing can also enjoy seeing the many historic buildings and homes and discover how the past made Manistee a place of opportunity and wealth. Timber still constitutes an important part of employment today. Manistee means the "chief river of the county." (Civicplus) He came from a tribe called the Ojibwa. Some people like the Ministigweyaa think that Manistee was named after them calling it the "river with islands at its mouth". “Spirit of the woods” is also a common definition for Manistee. Manistee was officially founded in 1826 by passing missionaries. In 1832 it began to become more popular thanks to traders from Massachusetts. (CivicPlus) They built lumber log homes because Manistee was densely populated with trees. Massachusetts strangers told friends and relatives of their great discovery, and more and more people noticed how large the land was and how much they could do with lumber and the great Manistee River. Although they thought they were the first to arrive, they were soon driven out by a tribe called the Ottawa Indians. The Indians had been there for about 2 or 3 years before. The "Lake Country" was part of the sisterhood of states in 1837 with a population of 87,278 people. The first person to establish a land settlement in Manistee was a man named John Stronach on April 16, 1841, with his son Adam. Soon afterward he and 15 other men built a sawmill. There were about 200 people in Manistee at the time. In... middle of paper... Michigan. Taking boats was also a major source of travel and trade. The beach area at this time was mainly covered with pine trees and sandy hills. Many people thought this was an empty and scary place because of how the land was shaped with all the trees. People who had lived there for many years saw its greatness. Pine was actually a major commodity that brought the people of Manistee wealth. Manistee became a city because of the many great resources it discovered, great men and women who worked endlessly in both joy and hardship and who saw the opportunity for a better life. People who appreciate all the qualities Manistee offers should know the history and remember those who worked with blood, sweat and tears to make the city what it is today. Works Cited (google.com, CivicPlus Content Management System.2006-2014)