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The bay near Northport, Michigan got its name from early sailors who thought its shoreline looked like a cat's head. The distinctive shape of the headlands jutting into Lake Michigan inspired the whimsical name that stuck around.

The bay near Northport, Michigan got its name from early sailors who thought its shoreline looked like a cat's head. The distinctive shape of the headlands jutting into Lake Michigan inspired the whimsical name that stuck around.
A name steeped in history, the name Cathead Bay is as unique as the landscape that it describes. The origin of the name Cathead Bay dates back to early maritime history where the distinctive shape of the bay was said to resemble the head of a cat, a familiar term used by sailors and the locals alike. The natural curvature of the shoreline combined with the prominent headlands that jut out into Lake Michigan gave rise to this whimsical yet Düring name.