The City of North Muskegon is situated on the north shore of Muskegon Lake in Muskegon County, Michigan.
North Muskegon is across the lake from the City of Muskegon, although portions of the city cross the North Channel of the Muskegon River in the southeast, abutting a small northern part of Muskegon. A large portion of North Muskegon lies on the south and southwestern shores of Bear Lake. Lake Michigan is east of the North Muskegon city limits. The city is bounded to the northeast by Muskegon Township, and on the north and west by Bear Lake and Laketon Township.
North Muskegon is bisected by Ruddiman Drive, which is an extension of M-120 (Holton Road) in the east, and Memorial Drive on the west. Other routes include Bear Lake Road and Whitehall Road (M-120).
The city includes a few small islands in the northeastern portion of Muskegon Lake.
Most of the city is on a glacial ridge extending from the eastern two-thirds of Muskegon Lake east along the Muskegon River basin, separating Bear Lake from Muskegon Lake, and forming a peninsula that is separated from the west end of Muskegon Lake by the Bear Lake Channel, and extending about a half-mile west of the channel.
The city is about four miles long, averaging less than a half-mile in width, the widest part being at the east end, in the Muskegon River and Bear Creek flood plains. The peninsula and eastern portion of the city are at a higher elevation, varying from 585 to about 628 feet above sea level, while the area west of the Bear Lake Channel is at a lower elevation, offering easy access to Muskegon Lake.
North Muskegon is largely residential, with limited commercial, industrial, office, or service-related areas.
The city owns and operates ten community park and recreation facilities, and participates in the maintenance of two quasi-public facilities managed by the North Muskegon Public School System. Its public parks include West End Park, North Muskegon Waterfront Sports Park, Bear Lake Park, Custer Park, Walker Park, East End Park, Causeway Memorial Park, Fleischmann's Overlook, Pocket Park, and local bike routes and trails, including Lakeshore Trail. School-owned open spaces include Moulton-Stewart Park and the North Muskegon Sports Complex. Additionally, there are some privately owned recreational areas.
Like many Michigan communities, the first European-American settlement of the North Muskegon area was by fur traders, who didn't stay long, while its permanent settlement was during the lumber boom. The settlement was originally known as Reedsville for Archibald Reed, who platted its eastern end in 1872, although it was not incorporated.
Around the same time, a settlement to the west grew up around a lumber mill operated by Phillips and Brown, who referred to it as North Muskegon, for its location north of Muskegon. The townsite was platted, and incorporated as a village on March 18, 1881. On April 20 of that year, a post office was established in North Muskegon.
North Muskegon was incorporated as a city on March 18, 1891, at which time it included the former Reedsville area.
Following its incorporation, North Muskegon fell on hard times, due to the decline of the lumber industry. Between 1890 and 1910, the city's population declined from 1,590 to 352, and was described as a ghost town.
However, the city was able to capitalize on its waterfront on Bear Lake and Muskegon Lake, as well as its proximity to Lake Michigan, becoming a summer resort destination.
In the 1920s, L.C. Walker (president of Shaw-Walker Company), E.H. Sheldon (president of E.H. Sheldon & Company), and Louis Lunsford (secretary/treasurer of the Amazon Knitting Company) began a campaign to transform the city's resort properties into a high-end subdivision.
By 1970, North Muskegon had grown each decade since 1910, to a peak population of 4,243. Since then, however, it has declined slightly, to below 4,000.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of North Muskegon include Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, Norton Shores, Lakewood Club, Fruitport, Ferrysburg, Whitehall, Montague, Spring Lake, and Grand Haven.
The focal point of this portion of our guide is on the city of North Muskegon, Michigan. Appropriate resources include websites representing the city, as well as local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, and recreational opportunities.
Recommended Resources
Opened in 2005, The Bird House is located on Lake Avenue in North Muskegon, Michigan. Its location is shown on a map, and its hours of operation, telephone number, and email address are published on the site, and an online contact form is included. Specializing in birdseed and other supplies, wild and domesticated, the facilities and products are shown in a photo gallery, and a profile of the business, a brief history, and an introduction to the proprietors are set forth.
https://thebirdhousemi.com/
Located on Center Street in North Muskegon, Michigan, the restaurant is open seven days a week, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Offering dine-in services, outdoor seating, and takeout services, the Canary Inn serves lunch and dinner, including alcohol, coffee, comfort food, and a regular menu, which are published on the site. The address, a map, and a telephone number are posted. The bar and grill is able to handle groups as well as solo dining, and a wheelchair-accessible entrance is available.
http://canary-inn-bar-grill.edan.io/
Situated in Muskegon County, in the West Michigan segment of the Lower Peninsula, the city has a population of just under four thousand. The official municipal website provides a brief history of the city, its master plan, and demographics, as well as city ordinances, newsletters, press releases, and online bill pay. The city council, planning commission, and recreation board are acknowledged, along with meeting agendas and minutes. Employment and volunteer opportunities are posted.
http://www.northmuskegon.org/
The 17-acre Muskegon Lake Preserve is on the eastern shoreline of Muskegon Lake, adjacent to the mouth of the Muskegon River in North Muskegon, Michigan. Operated by the Muskegon Environmental Research & Education Society, the Preserve includes trails, a wetland walkway, paved bike paths, an outdoor pavilion classroom, and a quarter-mile Wilder River Walk. Its educational, recreational, and preservation projects and programs are featured. Its address and contacts are included.
http://muskegonlakenaturepreserve.com/
Operating an elementary school and combined high school and middle school, the public school district offers a PK-12th-grade curriculum. Its campuses are featured, including daily announcements, school calendars, staff directories, student-parent handbooks, and school improvement plans. Employment opportunities are published on the site, along with various reports, teacher pages, an overview of its grading system, parking information, and the district's athletics programs.
https://www.nmps.net/
