NEWAYGO

County Offices
1087 Newell Street
White Cloud 231-689-7235
https://www.newaygocountymi.gov/

Chamber of Commerce
7 East Main Street
Fremont 231-924-0770
https://fremontcommerce.com/

Panoramic Newaygo County features hundreds of pristine natural lakes and more than 350 miles of rivers and streams, along with three dams including the largest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. With large tracts of the county encompassed within the Manistee National Forest, this four-season wonderland supports tourism is the primary economic activity, followed by agriculture and a small manufacturing sector.

Services
Newcomers to Newaygo County will be pleased to find comprehensive, state-of-the-art healthcare services close to home. Gerber Memorial Health Services is a community-directed healthcare system that serves residents of the county and those in surrounding areas by providing a wide range of services usually found only in developed urban areas. Gerber Memorial is anchored by a 77-bed hospital in Fremont where skilled physicians in major specialties are joined by additional specialists from Muskegon and Grand Rapids. The hospital provides general acute care, surgery, intensive and cardiac care, 24-hour emergency services, a Family Birth Center, pediatrics, advanced imaging, a pain center, cardiac rehabilitation, and cancer treatment. Outpatient services range from diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation and nutrition counseling. GMHS continues to upgrade, grow, and expand to provide a continuum of care that now includes home health services and family practice offices in Hesperia and Grant as well as the Newaygo Medical Center in Newaygo. Health screenings, educational programs, and Life Wellness programs underline a proactive attitude toward health and wellness.

Quality options on every academic level are available in Newaygo County, where a strong core curriculum is supported by a wide array of activities from athletics to music and debate. Fremont High School boasts one of the finest theater programs in Michigan, producing audience-pleasing productions and many award-winning artists. Schools encourage and benefit from community involvement, and residents often share their talents and expertise with students. In turn, the schools provide a variety of leisure and academic courses for children and adults in one of the most comprehensive community education programs in West Michigan. A number of private schools are available for those who are interested in parochial education and alternative learning environments. The Newaygo County Career Tech Center is a valuable resource for high school students who want to pursue their career interests with specialized training and hands-on experience. Higher education is as close as the city of Fremont, where Baker College of Muskegon maintains a satellite campus. The college offers more than 75 diploma, certificate, associate, bachelor and master’s programs in business, health, human services, and technical fields. Small classroom settings enable students to build a working relationship with faculty and give students the attention needed to excel. In fact, 98 percent of Baker’s graduates become employed in professional positions through the Lifetime Career Service.

Lifestyle
Newaygo County is foremost a four-season wonderland for outdoor adventure and recreation, encouraging residents along with visitors and vacationers to enjoy exceptional natural resources. Manistee National Forest covers more than half the county and provides 481,000 acres of nationally-recognized rivers, trails, a scenic bay, hundreds of miles of trails, a wilderness area, and camping opportunities. Area parks and recreation areas offer camping from rustic to equestrian. Hiking and cycling enthusiasts can enjoy back-country roads or well-known pathways like the North Country Trail, the latter stretching over 4,600 miles to link communities, prairies, and forests. Bodies of water like the Great Muskegon Lake and the White and Muskegon rivers are ideal for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, water sports, and boating. In fact, the Muskegon River is the premier destination in Michigan for steelhead and salmon fishing in the spring and fall, respectively. Nature lovers will want to experience Loda Lake with a wildflower sanctuary showcasing more than 150 different species of plant life. When the snow flies and temperatures dip, popular winter activities include cross-country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling, tubing, and sledding. Equestrians can ride along pristine forested trails or participate in a show at the Newaygo County Fairgrounds.

Those who appreciate cultural enrichment will find two wonderful venues in Newaygo County. The Dogwood Performing Arts Center in Fremont hosts a wide variety of stage productions and art films. Grant Public Schools is proud of the first-rate Grant Fine Arts Center, a showcase for visual and performing arts in the city of Grant. The Newaygo County Council for the Arts offers the unique Artsplace, featuring original work from the county’s finest talent as well as opportunities for art education and advancement. The historic legacy of the county is well-preserved and displayed at the Newaygo County Museum on the banks of the scenic Muskegon River in Newaygo. The historical society also maintains the 1853 Saint Mary’s Church in Croton, the first church to be built in the county. Shopping and convenient serves are available in the area’s cities, towns, and villages where unique shops, chain stores, and farmer’s markets provide a wide variety of goods. For a convenient lifestyle surrounded by natural beauty and rural pleasures, few places hold more appeal than Newaygo County.

Fremont
City Offices
231-924-2101
www.cityoffremont.net

Chamber of Commerce
231-924-0770
https://fremontcommerce.com/

The busting city of Fremont is home to many of Newaygo County’s finest cultural, commercial, educational, healthcare, and economic resources. More than 300 area business and civic-minded groups are continually reinvesting in the community to make it a desirable place to live, work, play, and conduct business. The city is proud of its rich heritage and its distinguished position as the home of the world’s largest baby food company, Gerber Products, a fact that is celebrated each year with the National Baby Food Festival. The pedestrian-friendly downtown district is lined with charming shops and restaurants and hosts an annual farmer’s market with seasonal delights. Less than an hour’s drive from major metropolitan areas and Lake Michigan’s beautiful shoreline, Fremont provides all the charm of small-town living with excellent school systems, a local college, a full-service hospital, and a wonderful performing arts center. One of the most recent additions to the community is the Stephen F. Wessling Observatory, an environmental center that welcomes spectators or serious astronomers. Residents enjoy abundant recreational resources with 25 miles of trails, lush parks, and several lakes that support activities from fishing to water sports and boating. Golfing, hiking, cycling, horseback riding, camping, fishing, hunting, and winter sports are all supported by the surrounding area.

Grant
City Offices
231-834-7904
www.cityofgrantmi.com

Chamber of Commerce
231-924-0770
https://fremontcommerce.com/

Taking for its slogan, “Historic pasts and promising tomorrows,” the city of Grant is a small agricultural town that also serves as a quiet bedroom community for commuters to employment centers in Greater Grand Rapids. One of the most immediately evident historic preservation efforts is the landmark wooden water tower, recently relocated to serve as the centerpiece of Water Tower Park. In addition to showcasing one of the last remaining wooden water towers in the state, the park will display a restored Chessie System Caboose and offer decorative landscaping and picnic areas. Blanche Lake Park and the Ryan Benson Memorial Skatepark are also available for recreational enjoyment. The city straddles the townships of Grant and Ashland, providing a commercial hub for both but incorporated as a separate municipality. Outstanding schools serve the area, including a high school with a wonderful fine arts center for local and visiting productions as well as a visual arts gallery. Residents have the advantage of living in a small, friendly hometown environment in close proximity to urban, metropolitan, and natural amenities including the vast Manistee National Forest.

Newaygo
City Offices
231-652-1657
https://newaygocity.org/

Chamber of Commerce
231-652-3068
https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/

Snuggled along the banks of the beautiful Muskegon River, Newaygo is distinguished as the oldest community in the county. The city proudly showcases and preserves its past along the recently restored historic downtown district, lined with wonderful shops, services, and restaurants. A tragic fire destroyed all but two buildings in Newaygo in 1883, so the prevailing architectural influence is the late Victorian style in which the town was rebuilt. Taking a stroll along the picturesque Riverstop Landing downtown district is a walk through time, enhanced by lush green landscaping and convenient parking. Delightful riverfront parks encourage outdoor enjoyment and provide spectacular waterfront views. The area’s rich and colorful past is also on display at the Newaygo City Museum. Residents have the advantage of regional golf courses, rivers, streams, lakes, and forested land for unparalleled recreational opportunities.

Village of Hesperia
Village Hall
231-854-6205
http://www.webdesignfiles.com/hesperia/

Chamber of Commerce
http://www.webdesignfiles.com/HespChamber/index.html

Picturesque Hesperia is a small village that is situated on the border of Oceana and Newaygo counties along the beautiful White River, known for some of the finest salmon and rainbow trout fishing in Michigan. The quaint Main Street district serves village residents and those in the surrounding townships with a medley of shops and services. Other highlights in the village include the riverside boardwalk with views of fish jumping near the dam, opportunities for swimming on Millpond, and quiet walks out to the gazebo that graces the island. The more adventurous canoe or kayak down the river and camp along the river’s edge. Year-round hunting is another popular pastime, as are winter sports like ice fishing and snowmobiling. Colorful festivals and celebrations bring friends and neighbors together and draw regional crowds. Two of the largest are the Family FunFest on Independence Day and the Salmon Festival with fishing contests. The village is located at the junction of M-20 and M-120 highways with approximately half of the community in Oceana County and half in Newaygo County.

White Cloud
City Offices
231-689-1194
http://www.cityofwhitecloud.org/

Chamber of Commerce
231-652-3068
https://www.rivercountrychamber.com/

“Where the north begins and the pure waters flow” is the slogan of the city of White Cloud, situated at the geographical center of Newaygo County and serving as the county seat of government. White Cloud is also located in the heart of the autumn “color tour” route through this breathtakingly beautiful region. Golfing on nearby courses, strolling through the Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary, horseback riding along scenic trails, and sail boating on Hardy and Croton ponds are just a few of the unique adventures that White Cloud residents enjoy. Lake White Cloud offers a public beach and fishing but is also surrounded by an area that is ideal for picnics, walking, and cycling. White Cloud City Campground offers more than 100 wooded sites along the scenic White River, and the North Country Trail begins just south of White Cloud. The White River is also one of Michigan’s most renowned trout streams. Colorful events dot the annual calendar, including the Homecoming and Pow Wow the first weekend of August. Good schools, one of the finest small libraries in the state, wonderful local parks, and active civic and social groups add to the appeal of this welcoming small town.

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