The late Stuart Hollander, from The Depot in Suttons Bay, now home to the law offices of The Penning Group, wrote the first "attorney authored" book for the vacation home owner. Dan A. Penning acquired the general practice, not the cottage law practice, of the late Stuart J. Hollander at the end of 2007.Saving the Family Cottage describes the legal and family problems inherent to shared cottage ownership and the concerns of parents who wish to pass it on. After a careful analysis of the pros and cons of different shared ownership arrangements, Hollander developed cottage law and outlined his preferred method to help families preserve this valuable asset for generations to come. Using the stories from families he has worked with and clear graphic illustrations for the cottage succession legal concepts involved, the book is reader friendly and informative.
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!"
Helpful Cottage Succession Planning Resource:
Saving the Family CottageA 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
Even though Stuart J. Hollander used the term "cottage," the principles within his Saving the Family Cottage book apply to any property that a family wants to retain, whether it is a camp in Smokey Mountains, a northern Michigan cabin, a ranch out west, or an ocean, Upper Midwest 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 including Tenants in Common 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.
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.
The Suttons Bay Depot, "The Home of Cottage Law", and the Suttons Bay offices of Attorney Dan A. Penning of The Penning Group was built by the Leelanau Transit Company in 1920.
Dan A. Penning acquired the general law practice, not the cottage 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" which is located in the historic Suttons Bay Train Depot, at the end of 2007.
Click Here to Order
"Saving the Family Cottage" by Stuart J. Hollander, Esq.
Nolo Press / Pleasant City Press, LLC - Paperback - July 2007
