Fishtown Preservation Society

Name

Fishtown Preservation Society

Legal name

Fishtown Preservation Society, Inc.

Website

https://fishtownmi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Site Preservation and Cultural Heritage Management

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Finfish Fishing (114111)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fishing & Spearfishing Charters (recreational/eco-managed) (THAAAIAJ)

Keywords

• Historic site preservation
• Maritime heritage conservation
• Commercial fishing village
• Cultural heritage education
• Vacation rental hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Leland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization relies primarily on donations from individuals and businesses to fund preservation activities, shanty rehabilitation, and operational costs.
2. Vacation Rental Income: The Otherside vacation rental provides income while maintaining access to the property.
3. Event Proceeds: Events such as the Friends of Fishtown 5K generate proceeds that support preservation efforts.
4. Business Anchor Program: Local businesses sponsor at Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Platinum levels, providing financial support in exchange for recognition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fishtown Preservation Society, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that preserves and manages the historic Fishtown commercial fishing village on the Leland River in Leland, Michigan. The organization owns and maintains a portfolio of 12 historic shanties, smokehouses, 200+ feet of docks, and two active commercial fishing vessels (Joy and Janice Sue), and provides public access to the site along with educational programs, community events, and a vacation rental property.

Product overview

Fishtown Preservation Society operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization preserving Fishtown, a historic commercial fishing village in Leland, Michigan. The organization manages a portfolio of historic structures (shanties and smokehouses), two active commercial fishing vessels (Joy and Janice Sue), vacation rentals, and educational programs. The core offering is public access to the historic site combined with preservation, education and stewardship of Great Lakes maritime heritage. Additional offerings include the Art Shanty rotating artist program, annual events (5K race, Fishtown in Lights), and a vacation rental property.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Historic Fishtown Site
• Commercial Fishing Operations
• The Otherside Vacation Rental Fishtown's vacation rental property offering accommodations for visitors wanting to experience the historic fishing village at Leland, with rental income supporting preservation operations.
• Art Shanty Program A weekly rotating artist program running through October, featuring different media artists each week who create and sell handcrafted works in a dedicated shanty space adjacent to the Welcome Center.
• Fishtown 5K Annual Friends of Fishtown 5K race event supporting the preservation society, with paid participation and proceeds going toward preserving historic Fishtown.
• Fishtown in Lights Annual winter lighting event featuring illuminated Fishtown shanty rooftops with decorative holiday displays, serving as a community celebration and visitation draw.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ annual visitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• University of Wisconsin Milwaukee - Great Lakes Observing SystemminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Since 2017, UWM has launched the Sleeping Bear Buoy from Leland Harbor to monitor Lake Michigan water quality, benefiting both research and local fishermen.
• National Trust for Historic PreservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFishtown's National Register designation qualifies it for matching grants-in-aid through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a major preservation organization.
• Michigan Sea GrantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichigan Sea Grant supports educational programs and commercial fishing education at Fishtown. They report that 90% of seafood consumed is sourced internationally, highlighting the importance of local commercial fishing.
• Leelanau ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for ecological education about the Leland River and surrounding natural resources, including native fish and invasive species monitoring.
• Leelanau Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for historical documentation and archival materials, including Erhardt Peters Photo Collection and other historical records.
• Great Lakes Fishery CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on sea lamprey control and invasive species management critical to commercial fishing sustainability in the Great Lakes.
• Leland Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint promotion of tourism and local events including the Fishtown 5K, art fairs, and community celebrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Door County Maritime Museum: A regional maritime museum with exhibits, boats, and education centered on a working-waterfront context. It is relevant for the same combination of maritime assets, public access, and heritage programming, although it serves a different region.
• Wisconsin Maritime Museum: A regional maritime museum focused on Great Lakes and freshwater history, vessel preservation, and education. It overlaps with Fishtown's maritime interpretation and public-facing mission, but not its specific Leland location.
• National Museum of the Great Lakes: A Great Lakes-focused museum and maritime heritage organization with public exhibits and educational programming about regional waterways. It is a strong regional comparable because it addresses the same freshwater maritime culture and working-waterfront heritage.

Direct peers

• The Mariners' Museum and Park: A nonprofit maritime museum and park with historic collections, vessels, research, and public education. It overlaps with Fishtown's preservation mission and public-facing interpretation, although it operates at much greater scale.
• Old Sturbridge Village: A nonprofit living-history museum that operates a collection of historic buildings and offers educational programs and visitor experiences. It is comparable in operating a physical historic site and translating preservation into public engagement.
• Plimoth Patuxet Museums: A nonprofit museum and historic site presenting living history, collections, and educational programming. It shares Fishtown's mission-led interpretation of a physical place and its cultural heritage.
• Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: A nonprofit historic district and living-history destination that preserves buildings, artifacts, and stories through public access, education, and events. Its place-based preservation and tourism model is comparable to Fishtown's.
• Preservation Society of Newport County: A nonprofit organization that preserves and operates historic properties for public access, education, and tourism. Its preservation, visitor, and fundraising model is comparable even though its portfolio is not maritime.
• Mystic Seaport Museum: A nonprofit maritime museum and living-history village that preserves historic vessels and buildings while offering exhibits, education, and public programs. Its combination of maritime stewardship and visitor experiences is directly comparable to Fishtown.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust for Historic Preservation: A national nonprofit that supports historic preservation through advocacy, grants, and community and member programs. It is a broad ecosystem incumbent comparable to Fishtown's preservation mission and access to matching-grant opportunities, rather than a direct site competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FishtownMI
• Instagraminstagram.com/fishtownmi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fishtown-preservation-society-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fishtown Preservation Society