Journey into the heart of Fishtown, Michigan—a historic commercial fishing village on the shores of Lake Michigan that continues to anchor Great Lakes maritime culture. This episode dives into the deep roots of the region's fishing community, the founding of the Fishtown Preservation Society, and the resilience required to protect a working waterfront threatened by rising waters and time. Hear how history, trauma, and community care intertwine in a place where fishing isn't just a livelihood, it's a living story.

Episode Transcript

Episode Guide

• 00:00 Intro to In Hot Water, Great Lakes Edition
• 02:06 Meet Amanda Holmes, executive director of the Fishtown Preservation Society, which oversees the historic site and working waterfront Fishtown
• 03:54 The history of the region and the fishery, which has been documented since the 1850s
• 05:32 Families settled in Fishtown, establishing a community around fishing the local waters
• 09:25 The birth of Fishtown Preservation Society arose out of point of crisis and its evolution
• 21:48 The rising waters of Lake Michigan, seiches in particular, threaten the historic shanties along Fishtown's iconic waterfront, leading to a massive restoration effort
• 33:50 In episode four of this series, we learned about trauma and trauma-informed solutions design, we relate this to instances of trauma running through Amanda's historical account of Fishtown and the fishing community that sustains it
• 41:33 The importance of true community and supporting the people around you
• 43:44 The importance of meaningful partnerships in preserving the legacy of Fishtown
• 50:58 What can visitors to Fishtown expect to see and experience?
• 41:14 Final words: Our future is uncertain, but open with possibilities. If we can hold open that space of uncertainty and invent into it, we have a really good chance.

Resources

1. 1. Recommend this series to anyone who enjoys seafood and is curious about how climate change is affecting our seafood-producing regions.