Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay | ||
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Primary inflows Boardman River, Elk River | | |
Surface elevation | 581 feet (177 m)[1] | |
Islands | Bellow Island, Power Island | |
Settlements | Elk Rapids, Suttons Bay, Traverse City |
Grand Traverse Bay (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərs) is an arm of Lake Michigan, located along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some 32 miles (51 km) long, ranges from 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 km) wide, and up to 620 feet (190 m) deep in spots. It is the second-largest bay of Lake Michigan, behind Green Bay.
Grand Traverse Bay is further divided into an East Arm and West Arm by the 17-mile-long (27 km)
The bay is located within parts of the Michigan counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau.
Etymology
Grand Traverse Bay earned its name from 18th-century French voyageurs who made la grande traverse,[a] or "the long crossing", across the mouth of bay. The area was owned by the French, followed by Great Britain as the Province of Quebec. After 1776, the area was owned by the Americans.[4] On Old Mission peninsula, Rev Peter Doughtery started the first permanent settlement in 1839. This was called "Grand Traverse",[5] but was later renamed to Old Mission.
Geography
Traverse City is situated at the south end of the bay where the Boardman River empties into the west arm. Cherry orchards line the bay region, giving rise to Traverse City's claim to be the Cherry Capital of the World. Several nationally known companies offer cherry-based products made with Northern Michigan tart cherries including Traverse Bay Farms, Cherry Central, Fruit Advantage, American Spoon, Cherry Republic and Old Mission Traders (formerly Cherry Stop). The region is the center of cherry production in Michigan.
The most notable feature of the bay is that it is bisected into East
There are several marinas on the bay, including the large marinas in Northport, Greilickville, Traverse City, and Elk Rapids.
Communities
Antrim County
- Antrim City
- Eastport
- Elk Rapids
- Torch Lake
Charlevoix County
Grand Traverse County
Leelanau County
Arms and nested bays
The Grand Traverse Bay is divided by the
East Arm
The East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay (colloquially known as "East Bay") is the deeper of the two arms. The arm is flanked to the west by the
West Arm
The West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay (colloquially known as "West Bay") is the shallower and more urbanized of the two arms. The urban core of Traverse City is located at the head of the West Arm. The arm is flanked to the west by the Leelanau Peninsula, and to the east by the Old Mission Peninsula. Power Island is located within the West Arm. The primary inflow of the West Arm is the Boardman River.
Nested bays
- Bowers Harbor[8]
- Ingalls Bay[9]
- Northport Bay[10]
- Old Mission Harbor[11]
- Omena Bay[12]
- Suttons Bay[13]
Islands
- Bassett Island
- Bellow Island
- Power Island
Culture
Besides
In September 2007,
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The East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay from the east, with theOld Mission Peninsulain the background. Hills of the Leelanau Peninsula are faintly visible on the horizon.
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The West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, seen fromOld Mission Peninsula.
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Mission Point Lighthouse sits at the end of the Old Mission Peninsula, which divides the bay into its East and West Arms.