Organized in 1855, it was named after its long shoreline on lake Michigan. The county grew during the lumber era, with the development of Pentwater , Shelby , and Hart , the county seat. When the lumber boom came to a halt, farmers found the area an excellent place for orchards. Today, it prospers, holding the second largest fruit tree acreage in the state. It is also known as the asparagus capital of the world.
Tourism plays a vital part along the county s coastline.
Pentwater is a major summer resort, as is the Little Sauble Point area, with Silver Lake and the sand dunes, one of the few places in the nation offering first class dune schooner rides to view the pristine sandy coastline along the Big Lake. Inland, many recreational spots abound in the Manistee National Forest, which dots the county. There is also great canoeing and fishing along the White River beginning at Hesperia . Back to Main Page. This site is best viewed with Netscape.