History of Cottage Law and The Depot, "The Home of Cottage Law"

General Law Practice of the late Stuart J. Hollander, Attorney Author of "Saving the Family Cottage, A Guide to Succession Planning for Your Cottage, Cabin, Camp or Vacation Home" acquired by Dan A. Penning.

The Suttons Bay Depot, "The Home of Cottage Law", was built by the Leelanau Transit Company in 1920.

Our main entrance door is located "Track Side."

The tracks which used to run Track Side and through Suttons Bay were built by the Traverse City, Leelanau, and Manistique; a company which was formed by the Grand Rapids and Indiana to build and operate a car ferry from Northport to Manistique. The line was completed in 1903 and proved to be unsuccessful immediately. By 1908 the car ferry was gone. In 1919 the line was purchased by the Leelanau Transit Company and leased to the Manistee and Northeastern. In later years the tracks were operated by Pere Marquette, and C&O.

During the 1960s the tracks north of Suttons Bay were abandoned, and the tracks south of Suttons Bay were used by the Leelanau Scenic Railroad between 1989 and 1995. The whistle would blow and puffs of smoke would billow from the mighty engine and tourists and train buffs would flood the village of Suttons Bay for a quick stop to visit the shops and buy souvenirs until the whistle blew and the conductor yelled "All Aboard!"

In 1996 the tracks were removed and the formation of the Leelanau Trail began. Stuart J. Hollander, Attorney and author of "Saving the Family Cottage" was instrumental in the successful development of the Leelanau Trail.

Helpful Cottage Succession Planning Resources

Saving the Family Cottage
A Guide to Succession Planning for Your Cottage, Cabin, Camp or Vacation Home

by Stuart J. Hollander

with a Foreword by Deborah Wyatt Fellows, Publisher, Traverse the Magazine

The late Stuart Hollander wrote the first "attorney authored" book for the vacation home owner. Saving the Family Cottage describes the problems inherent to shared cottage ownership and the concerns of parents who wish to pass it on to their children and future generations. After a careful analysis of the pros and cons of different shared ownership arrangements, Hollander outlined his preferred method to help families preserve this valuable asset for generations to come. Using the stories from families he worked with and clear graphic illustrations for the legal concepts involved, the book is reader friendly and informative.

Although Hollander used the term "cottage," the principles of his book apply to any property that a family wants to retain, whether it is an Adirondack camp, an Upper Midwest cabin, a Western ranch, or an ocean, lake, or riverfront home. Written for the vacation home owner but with information that also will be useful to attorneys and financial planners, the book engages the reader with stories of cottage "wars" and planning gone awry. Narrative examples and easy-to-follow graphics illustrate the more technical aspects of succession planning for a vacation home. The book makes a complex problem understandable and offers methods to help keep a second home in the family for generations.

Click Here to Order
Saving the Family Cottage by Stuart J. Hollander

Nolo Press / Pleasant City Press, LLC - Paperback - July 2007

The Penning Group
The Cottage Law Firm in "The Depot", Suttons Bay
"The Home of Cottage Law"

231.271.4500 in Suttons Bay