From Black Lake to Grand Traverse Bay

Chief Peter Waukazoo led his band of Ottawa Indians on a remarkable journey northward. From the shores of Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa) near Holland, Michigan, to the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. There they would found a new village called Waukazooville. This community would eventually be annexed into what we now know as Northport.

The story of the Waukazoo band spans decades of adaptation, cultural preservation, and spiritual exploration. In the early 1830s, their village of about 300 people sat along the Black River. They balanced traditional ways with the pressures and influences of nearby white settlers. The band  adopted oxen, carts, plows, and axes. They would sometimes wear European-style clothing, and would participate in mission schooling and church services—though always on their own terms. The Protestants established the Old Wing Mission in 1839. The Catholics soon consecrated their own cemetery on the opposite side of the lake.

Rev. George Smith

The Ottawa community was deeply shaped by the presence of Reverend George N. Smith. He was a missionary who, rather than being imposed on the band, was invited by Chief Joseph Waukazoo himself. Their friendship and partnership became the backbone of the Old Wing Mission. Despite initial enthusiasm, engagement with Christian teachings and formal education was limited. Over time this led to frustration on all sides.

Tragedy struck in 1845 when Chief Joseph Waukazoo died after a bout of drinking following a government annuity payment. His brother Peter, also known as Pendunwan, was elected as the new chief. By then, the community had grown weary of rising tensions with incoming Dutch settlers, many of whom were buying up land around the mission and showing open hostility toward the Ottawa people. As Arvilla Smith, Reverend Smith’s wife, later recalled, the band felt driven to leave for a place “the Dutchmen couldn’t find.”

Grand Traverse Bay

With Reverend Smith and his family sailing north on the schooner Merrill and the Ottawa band traveling in canoes, the group arrived in Leelanau County in June 1849. There, they established Waukazooville, a fresh start and a symbolic continuation of their story. Though the village would be absorbed into Northport by 1852, its origins as a self-determined Ottawa settlement remain a powerful piece of Michigan history.

The United States would officially recognize the Grand Traverse Band reservation on the Leelanau Peninsula in 1855—but excluded Northport from its boundaries. Even so, the legacy of Chief Waukazoo’s leadership and his people’s journey endures in the fabric of the region.

The journey of Chief Waukazoo’s band reminds us that history is not just about dates and names—it’s about people navigating change, honoring tradition, and seeking a better future for their communities. On this day, we remember their courage and resilience, and the lasting impact they had on Michigan’s cultural landscape.

Learn more about the rich history of the Northwest Lower Peninsula.