Amanda Holmes
Behind the Scenes of Raising Historic Fishtown
July 28, 2 - 4 pm
Have you seen photos of a giant crane hoisting Fishtown’s shanties away from the Leland River? Amanda Holmes, executive director of Fishtown Preservation Society (FPS), will share how FPS has navigated recent record high waters and their ongoing impact on Leland’s Fishtown. She will explore the planning, permit and construction process, as well as lessons learned. Water issues have always been a part of Fishtown’s story. Amanda will share how FPS draws from fishermen’s creative solutions in the past to tackle current challenges, and how the organization balances preservation, current regulations, being in a federal waterway and high visitation, all the while keeping an active and authentic commercial fishery.
Fishtown tells us about the past and helps define Leland’s and northern Michigan’s unique identity, keeping this community vibrant in the present and into the future. With one more year to go on the current critical shanty and infrastructure projects, Amanda will also share visions for Fishtown Preservation Society’s and Fishtown’s future now that the most current high water crisis is over.
About Fishtown Preservation Society
Fishtown is a Historical District in Leland, Michigan, comprised of a collection of weathered fishing shanties, smokehouses, overhanging docks, commercial fishing tugs and charter boats along the Leland River near Lake Michigan. Today, the shanties are filled with unique shops that operate alongside the active commercial fishery. Fishtown Preservation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, owns Fishtown and the vessels Joy and Janice Sue—maintaining and preserving the historical integrity of the property and ensuring that it continues to be publicly accessible now and for the future generations with the support of the community and donors. Fishtown Preservation is preserving the place, the stories, and the Great Lakes fishing tradition.
Amanda Holmes, PhD
Amanda has worked as the Executive Director of the Fishtown Preservation Society since 2007, where she oversees the organization’s operational, fundraising, construction and preservation efforts. Holmes received her undergraduate degree from Amherst College and holds a Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife and a Certificate in Historic Preservation, both from the University of Pennsylvania. Her background in Folklore has led her to gather as many stories as possible about Fishtown, and to broaden her scope to capturing the stories of commercial fishing and fishermen from all over the Great Lakes.