Situated in south McMillan Township, and surrounded by miles of state forests, the village of Newberry, Michigan is the county seat of Luce County, and its only incorporated municipality.
Dollarville, an unincorporated community just west of Newberry, along Country Road 405 (CR-405), may be included in this category.
The nearest incorporated municipalities to Newberry are the cities of Manistique (59 miles), Munising (61 miles), and Sault Ste. Marie (67 miles). The chief routes through the village of Newberry are M-123, CR-405, CR-430, CR-451, CR-462, and McPhees Landing Road.
Located in the eastern segment of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Newberry is considered one of the two gateways to the Tahquamenon Falls area, and was designated the Moose Capital of Michigan by the state legislature.
Like many Michigan communities, Newberry began as a lumbering town, with other early industries largely supporting its lumber operations. Its factory and lumber yards were concentrated in the one-mile stretch between the railroad and the Tahquamenon River to the north.
In 1882, some Detroit businessmen established the Vulcan Furnace Company, which was headquartered in Newberry, where it originally produced charcoal. Although the community was originally known alternatively as Grant's Camp or Grant's Corner, it was renamed for Truman H. Newberry, one of the owners of the Vulcan Furnace Company.
On June 21, 1882, a post office was established as Newberry, with Richard H. Weller as postmaster. Newberry was incorporated as a village in 1885, and platted by W.O. Strong and the land commissioner of the Detroit, Mackinaw & Marquette Railroad in 1887, the year that it was designated the county seat.
In 1895, the Upper Peninsula Asylum for the Insane was established just south of the village. Its name was changed to Newberry State Hospital in 1911 and, by then, it had grown from one building to a large complex with the main hospital and several adjunct buildings, including a nursery school. The hospital closed in 1992, and a large portion of its grounds was converted into the Newberry Correctional Facility, which still includes some of the old buildings used for the state hospital. Opened in 1996, the Correctional Facility is a medium-security state prison for men.
The Duluth, South Shore, and Atlantic Railway established operations in Newberry to serve the furnace company, as well as area lumber operations. The railroad included a two-mile siding south of the mainline to serve the state hospital while it was in operation, as well as another branch line serving the furnace company.
A mile and a half west of Newberry, Dollarville was once a promising lumber town that went into decline after M-28 bypassed it in 1928, although it remains as a viable residential community.
Dollarville was named for Robert Dollar, general manager of the American Lumber Company, which began operations there in 1882. To serve the lumber operations, the Detroit, Mackinaw & Marquette Railroad, which later became part of the Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway, established a station in Dollarville.
A post office was established in Dollarville on August 13, 1883, with George W. Rule as postmaster. By 1890, Dollarville had several stores, many of them owned by Dollar, as well as other company businesses, including a couple of hotels and a few saloons.
Lumber operations in Dollarville went into decline in the mid-1920s, and its hopes of becoming a thriving town were lost when it was bypassed by the state highway.
Today, there are about a hundred people living in Dollarville. Its post office closed in 1903. There are no schools, churches, or stores in Dollarville, although there is still a working lumber company, and its operations are still supported by the railroad. In the 1970s, a new dam was built to restore an old logging dam on the Tahquamenon River, built by the American Lumber Company.
The focus of this portion of our guide is largely on the village of Newberry, Michigan, although resources related to Dollarville may also be included here. Appropriate topics include websites representing the municipality of Newberry, and any local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, sports facilities and programs, and recreational opportunities.
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Recommended Resources
Destination Newberry, Michigan
Sponsored and maintained by the Newberry Area Tourism Association, the site is designed to encourage and promote tourism in Newberry, Michigan, and the surrounding region. Maps, photographs, and a calendar of events are posted on the site, and a customizable itinerary page is included, along with a guide to local lodging facilities, attractions, and recreational opportunities. Additional information may be requested through an online form, and advertising opportunities are available.
https://www.newberrytourism.com/
Helen Newberry Joy Hospital & Healthcare Center
In operation since 1965, the DNV-accredited, critical-access facility provides a range of services to patients in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A profile of the hospital, its level of care, and its services are provided, along with its board of trustees, a fact sheet, and patient testimonials, along with employment and volunteer opportunities, and information about associated clinics, educational programs, providers, online payments, and a patient portal.
http://www.hnjh.org/
Newberry Area Chamber of Commerce
Representing area businesses and professionals, the Chamber offers a variety of benefits to its membership, including website exposure, advertising opportunities, brochure distribution, an annual Chamber dinner, insurance discounts, and others. Its site offers a guide Newberry and the Tahquamenon Falls region, including photographs, tips on moving to Newberry, trail reports, local businesses, and a calendar of events. A Member Spotlights section highlights member businesses.
https://www.newberrychamber.net/
Housed in a building that was originally constructed as a federal building and post office, dating to 1911, vacated in the 1960s when a new post office was built a few blocks away, it then served as a library for fifty years, opening to the public as a museum in 2019. The building's location, history, and hours of operation are set forth, and the museum board and staff are introduced. Permanent and past exhibits are highlighted, including photographs, and a calendar of events is included.
https://www.thenewberrymuseum.com/
Serving the Tahquamenon area since 1886, the Newberry News is published every Wednesday. Local, out-of-area and digital subscriptions may be purchased online. Top news stories and selected articles, obituaries, editorials, photographs, videos, a webcam, podcasts, an archive, and other features are posted on the site, and advertising opportunities, online and in print, are featured. Office telephone and fax numbers are posted, and an online contact form is included.
https://mynewberrynews.com/
North of Newberry along M-123, the museum commemorates an Upper Peninsula of Michigan logging camp of the early 1900s. Sponsored by the Michigan Council for the Arts & Cultural Affairs, the museum is featured here. Included is a calendar of upcoming programs and events, notices of upcoming news and activities, vendor applications, as well as photo albums depicting the grounds and facilities, and past events. Other resources include a telephone number and email address.
http://www.tahquamenonloggingmuseum.org/
Newberry is the county seat of Luce County, Michigan, and the gateway to the Tahquamenon Falls area. The official municipal website features a profile of the village, a brief history, and the text of its master plan, as well as demographics, office hours, and administrative contacts. The village council, commissions, and boards are introduced, and council meeting agendas and minutes are published on the site. Forms and documents may be downloaded from the site, and utility bills can be paid.
https://www.villageofnewberry.com/
