The early days of Traverse City saw a near countless number of businesses pop up, some of which thrived…and some of which became interesting stories…the kind perfectly suited to explore on a show like this.

We spoke with Brian Park, General Manager of Votruba Leather Goods, and Marty MacLeod, local author, historian and member of the Board of Directors of the Traverse Area Historical Society.

When it comes to the early days of the Grand Traverse region, one name towers above the rest: Perry Hannah. We'll explore Hannah's arrival to the area, his business successes and his vision for what Traverse City could become -- as well as how he helped make those dreams a reality.

We spoke with local historians Peg Siciliano and Marty MacLeod, both members of the Traverse Area Historical Society, as well as Peg Jonkhoff, owner of Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home (located in Perry Hannah's former retirement dream home) and co-author of "Perry Hannah's Gifts: Then & Now."

In our inaugural episode, we explore the earliest days of the Grand Traverse area — starting with the history of the Anishinaabe in the region, the arrival of trappers, traders and, finally, the missionaries — then talk about the burgeoning lumber business and a ship captain named Boardman.

We had the pleasure of speaking with JoAnne Cook, educator and historian, as well as a member and a chief appellate judge of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Chris Rieser, a local historian and president of the Peter Dougherty Society; and Peg Siciliano, local historian and board member of the Traverse Area Historical Society.

A preview of what to expect from Season One of the Traverse Area Historical Society's new podcast!