Situated along Saginaw Bay in southwest Huron County, in the Thumb Region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, the Village of Sebewaing is in Sebewaing Township.
The Sebewaing River bisects the village diagonally, from the southeast to the northwest, draining into Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. The Sebewaing Harbor Marina is near the mouth of the river. Owned in partnership between the village and township, the marina is operated by a private entity. The marina has eighty boat slips, four boat launches, and public restrooms.
Sebewaing Light and Water (SLW) is a municipal utility offering electric, water, and Internet services. SLW provides fiber optic networks to businesses and residents throughout the village.
There are six parks within the village, including the 26-acre Sebewaing County Park which includes RV hookup sites and tenting sites, and the Sebewaing River Campground, with more than seventy camping sites and fishing access.
Situated along the river on Main Street, between Second Street and Fifth Street, and crossing the river on Center Street from Sharpsteen Street at the north end and Grove Street to the south, the Historic River District is the primary commercial district in Sebewaing. The district includes several historic structures, a museum, retail businesses, medical facilities, churches, and municipal buildings.
The K-12 population of the village is served by three area schools. The Unionville-Sebewaing Area School District is made up of the Unionville-Sebewaing Area Elementary School and the Unionville-Sebewaing Area Middle and High School, both of which are physically located south of the village. The Christ the King Lutheran School has two campuses, a 2-8th-grade campus within the village, and a K-1st-grade campus in nearby Unionville, while the New Salem Evangelical Lutheran School is a K-4th-grade school within the village.
The chief route through the village is M-25 (Beck Street). Other routes include Sebewaing Road and Canboro Road. Cities and villages within twenty-five miles of Sebewaing include Unionville, Owendale, Akron, Pigeon, Gagetown, Fairgrove, Elkton, Caseville, Caro, and Cass City, while the unincorporated communities of Rose Island, Kilmanagh, Valley Island, Weale, Bach, and Thomas are within ten miles.
Sebewaing has declined in population in four out of the past five census decades. With a population of 1,721 in 2020, its peak population was 2,053 in 1970.
Pronounced see-ba-wing, the village was founded by the Rev. John J.F. Auch in 1845, who was sent by the Michigan Synod of the Lutheran Church from Ann Arbor to evangelize the Ojibwa people, who resided in the area. Sebewaing is derived from the Ojibwa meaning "place by the river."
The Rev. Auch built a log cabin to be used as a home and church, and broke land for farming. Later that year, he brought a group of Lutherans to the area to help him with his work. A post office was established on July 23, 1857, with Allen Brewer as the first postmaster. Initially, the post office was spelled Sibbewaing, but was renamed after Sebewaing was incorporated as a village in 1879.
The early economy of the village was based on lumbering, agriculture, coal mining, and shipbuilding. Additionally, the Saginaw, Tuscola, and Huron Railroad came through in the early 1880s, and later converted to a standard gauge and acquired by the Pere Marquette Railroad.
Early settlers include a large number of German immigrants. The E.O. Braendle Brewery began operations in Sebewaing in 1880. Closed during Prohibition, the brewery reopened as the Sebewaing Brewing Company in 1927, producing several types of German-style beer until 1965.
Area sugar factories began in the early 1900s, many of which were combined into the Michigan Sugar Company in 1906.
Today, tourism is a significant part of the village's economy and identity. Walleye fishing and duck hunting bring people to the area, which includes two campgrounds and a marina. Sebewaing's annual Sugar Festival brings people to town, as well.
In this part of our web guide, we are focusing on the village of Sebewaing, Michigan. Online resources pertaining to the village or to local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities are appropriate topics for this category.
Recommended Resources
The family-owned concrete/construction company is located in the village of Sebewaing, Michigan. With more than fifty years of experience, the company offers a varied range of skills, abilities, and services in commercial post-frame buildings that may include pole buildings, wood, concrete, and wood salt barns. The company also provides roofing, framing, carpentry, new construction, custom pits, crane services, excavation, demolition, and cleanup services. Contacts are provided.
http://www.boesch.builders/
Christ the King Lutheran School
A ministry of Christ the King Lutheran Church, the Christian school has a PS-1st-grade campus in Unionville and a 2-8th-grade campus in Sebewaing, Michigan. Its locations, contacts, enrollment and registration information and forms, a student handbook and necessary forms, a faculty and staff directory, school calendar, music programs, athletics programs, and extracurricular activities are set forth. Weekly Bible verses, fundraisers, and announcements are provided.
http://www.ctkl.org/
Founded by Jessica Riskey, the Sebewaing, Michigan law firm primarily focuses on criminal defense and family law, but the law office is a full-service firm shared with Jill Schmidt, offering bankruptcy law, civil litigation, estate planning, and transactional work. A profile of the law firm is provided, along with an introduction to the principal attorneys, the office address, a map showing the location, office hours, contacts, and an online contact form.
https://www.riskeylaw.com/
Covering the Sebewaing village and township region, the Chamber is a business membership organization offering advocacy with local governments, as well as networking and community services. An online contact form, a calendar of events, and schedules, entry forms, contacts, and other information about the annual Michigan Sugar Festival are included, including vendor forms. Chamber meeting schedules are posted, and a map of the area is included.
https://www.sebewaingchamber.com/
Sebewaing Tool and Engineering Company
Established in 1937, the company supports stamping and metal cutting companies with mechanical design and build services. Its engineers, designers, tool and die makers, machinists, and certified welders provide a full range of engineering, design, manufacturing, testing, repair, and in-field technical support services. Its facilities, an equipment list, and the types of industries and markets served are included, along with client testimonials and contacts.
http://www.sebewaingtool.com/
The official municipal website includes an account of the history of the village, historical places within the village, and an overview of hunting and fishing opportunities, and area agriculture. Contacts for the village council, village offices, departments, and Sebewaing Downtown Development Authority are set forth, with minutes of the DDA meeting, the text of the DDA plan, and the village master plan. Grounds use applications and employment applications may be downloaded.
https://sebewaingmi.gov/
