Newaygo County, Michigan

Newaygo County, Michigan
Newaygo County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 49,978. The county seat is White Cloud. The county was created in 1840, and was organized in 1851. It was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819 or for an Algonquian word meaning "much water".
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (5.6%) is covered by water. The county is considered to be part of West Michigan.
The county has more than 230 natural lakes. The combined total length of all the county's rivers and streams exceeds . Three large dams—Croton, Hardy, and Newaygo—were built at the beginning of the 20th century. The Hardy Dam is the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. Over half of the county is in the Manistee National Forest.
Rivers
Muskegon River
Pere Marquette River
Rogue River
White River
Major highways
runs east–west through center of county. Passes Hesperia, Aetna, and White Cloud.
runs north–south through center of county. Passes Bitely, Brohman, White Cloud, Newaygo, Grant, and Ashland.
runs east–west through southern part of county. Goes through Newaygo. Ends at county line tri-point of Muskegon, Oceana, and Newaygo Counties.
runs the length of county's west line. Terminates in Hesperia.
County designated highways
Adjacent counties
Mason County – northwest
Lake County – north
Osceola County - northeast
Mecosta County – east
Montcalm County – southeast
Kent County – south
Muskegon County – southwest
Oceana County – west
National protected area
Manistee National Forest (part)
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 47,874 people, 17,599 households, and 12,935 families in the county. The population density was . There were 23,202 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.80% White, 1.12% Black or African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.63% from other races, and 1.48% from two or more races. 3.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.5% were of English ancestry, 20.5% were of German ancestry, 14.4% were of Dutch ancestry, 8.1% were of Irish ancestry and 5.0% were of Polish ancestry according to the 2010 American Community Survey. 95.7% spoke English and 3.2% Spanish as their first language.
There were 17,599 households, out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.50% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
The county population contained 29.10% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,130, and the median income for a family was $42,498. Males had a median income of $35,549 versus $22,738 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,976. About 9.00% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.
Religion
The Catholic church – 3,242 members
The Christian Reformed Church in North America – 7 congregations and 2,056 members
The United Methodist Church – 7 congregations and 1,600 members
The Reformed Church in America – 3 congregations and 1,000 members
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 1 meetinghouse in the county.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has only one church in Newaygo County.
Newaygo County is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids.
Economy
Tourism is the most important economic activity in Newaygo County. Secondly is a blend of agricultural and small manufacturing. International baby food manufacturer Gerber Products Company is currently the county's largest employer with approximately 1,300 employees.
Newaygo County also has a large number of summer cottage residents. Fishermen can find many steelhead in the spring and salmon in the fall within the county's rivers and streams. Camping, hunting, cross country skiing, bicycling, birding and ORVing is common in the Manistee National Forest.
Notable companies
County of Newaygo - White Cloud
Dura Automotive Systems - Fremont
Gerber Memorial Health Services - Fremont
Gerber Products Company - Fremont
Magna Donnelly - Newaygo
North American Refractories - White Cloud
Valspar Corporation - Fremont
Wilbur Ellis - Grant
Newaygo Brewing - Newaygo
Government
Newaygo County has been strongly Republican since the Civil War era. Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 91% of the national presidential elections (31 of 34). It has only supported a Democrat for president once in that time, in 1964. The Democrats have managed even 40 percent of the county's vote only four other times.
Newaygo County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.
Elected officials
Prosecuting Attorney: Worth Stay
Sheriff: Robert "Bob" Mendham
County Clerk: Jason VanderStelt
County Treasurer: Jason O'Connell
Register of Deeds:Stewart K. Sanders
Drain Commissioner: Dale Twing
(information as of May 2023)
Festivals and events
Memorial Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival - Newaygo
River Country Home & Garden Show - Newaygo Middle School
Newaygo County Kids' Day - Downtown Newaygo
Trail Town Celebration - Celebrating White Clouds Trails & Waterways
City-Wide Yard Sales - Grant
Harvest Celebration - Grant
Harvest Festival - Fremont
Logging Festival - Mid-Michigan Lumberjack Competition in Newaygo
Bitely Homecoming - Bitely
National Baby Food Festival - Fremont
Pow Wow - White Cloud
Santa Parade - Fremont
West Michigan's Longest Yard Sale - Grant, Newaygo, White Cloud, Bitely
Winterfest - Newaygo
Christmas in Newaygo
Christmas in Grant
Christmas in White Cloud
Historic sites
In Newaygo County there are 16 locations that the State Historic Preservation Office has designated as historical. Two of the sixteen have been listed with the National Register of Historic Places:
Big Prairie Grange Hall No. 935 - Goodwell Twp
Birch Grove School - Lincoln Twp
Croton Congregational Church - Croton Twp
Croton Hydroelectric Plant - Croton Twp
Ensley Windmill Tower
First Christian Reformed Church (Demolished) - Fremont
Gerber, Cornelius, Cottage - Sheridan Charter Twp
Grant Depot and Water Tower - Grant
Hardy Hydroelectric Plant - Big Prairie - Twp
Lilley District No. 5 School - Lilley Twp
Oak Grove District No. 3 Schoolhouse - Croton Twp
Penoyer's Sawmill - Newaygo
Saint Mark's Episcopal Church - Newaygo
Weaver, Daniel, House - Denver Twp
White Cloud Village Hall (Demolished) - White Cloud
Woods, John F., Residence - Newaygo
Communities
Cities
Fremont
Grant
Newaygo
White Cloud (county seat)
Village
Hesperia (partially)
Unincorporated communities
Aetna
Big Prairie
Bitely
Brohman
Brunswick (partially)
Croton
Ensley Center
Lilley
Riverview
Woodland Park
Woodville
Wooster
Charter township
Sheridan Charter Township
Civil townships
Ashland Township
Barton Township
Beaver Township
Big Prairie Township
Bridgeton Township
Brooks Township
Croton Township
Dayton Township
Denver Township
Ensley Township
Everett Township
Garfield Township
Goodwell Township
Grant Township
Home Township
Lilley Township
Lincoln Township
Merrill Township
Monroe Township
Norwich Township
Sherman Township
Troy Township
Wilcox Township
Education
The Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency, based in Fremont, services the districts in the county. The intermediate school district offers regional special education services and technical career programs for its students.
Newaygo County is served by the following regular public school districts:
Big Jackson School District
Fremont Public School District
Grant Public School District
Hesperia Community Schools
Newaygo Public School District
White Cloud Public Schools
Newaygo County has the following private schools:
Cornerstone Christian Academy
Fremont Christian School
Grant Christian School
See also
Michigan State Historic Sites in Newaygo County
National Register of Historic Places listings in Newaygo County
References
External links
County of Newaygo
Newaygo County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Newaygo County Road Commission
Newaygo County Regional Educational Service Agency
Recycling for Newaygo County
Michigan placenames of Native American origin
Michigan counties
Grand Rapids metropolitan area
1851 establishments in Michigan
Populated places established in 1851