Petoksey has been a regular getaway since the 1800s. This charming town has a history with the Ottawa Tribe; its name istself honors the tribe's chief. Lumber business got the town booming and the location and beauty brought visitors soon thereafter. There are plenty of great books to fill you in on the area's history as well as guides to help you maximize your time in the area.

For those interested in the Native American history in this area, You can start by learning more about the Ottawa Indians in Michigan by reading: "Complete both early and late history of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan" by Andrew J Blackbird.

For history and intrigue look into the following great books:

• " The Legend of the Petoskey Stone Edition 1. (Sleeping Bear)" by Kathy-jo Wargin--is a great story of a boy born to an Indian Princess and a French fur trader and tells us the tale behind the Petoskey stone; a fossil unique to the area.
• " The Complete Guide to Petoksey Stones" by Bruce Mueller and William H. Wilde
• "Polishing the Petoskey Stone: Collected Poems" by Luci Shaw
• "Poltergeists of Petoskey (Michigan Chillers)" by Johnathan Rand (for the kids to read on the way there as it's a children's book).

A good guide that covers Petoskey is "Family Fun Vacation Guide: Great Lakes" by TK.