Situated in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the community known as Trenary is in west Mathias Township, in south Alger County.
Known for its Trenary Toast, the unincorporated community is concentrated along M-67, in the area of its terminus at US-41, and west along its intersection with Old US-41 and Eben-Trenary Road. Erickson Road extends north from M-67 within the community, as well.
Cities and villages within fifty miles of Trenary include Chatham, Gladstone, Munising, Marquette, Escanaba, Negaunee, and Ishpeming, while the unincorporated communities of Traunik, Diffin, Limestone, Kiva, and Ladoga are within ten miles.
As an unincorporated community, Trenary doesn't have defined boundaries, but it's located in the area of these roads. The West Branch of the Whitefish River, Scott Creek, and Werners Creek flow through the community.
Trenary is not a census-designated place, so the US census rolls do not specifically cover the settlement. but it is the only named community in Mathias Township, which has a population of just over five hundred.
Like many Michigan communities, Trenary originated as a community around a sawmill and a railroad station.
The settlement was named for Levi D. Trenary, a Finnish immigrant, who established a sawmill in the area. He was also a blacksmith, a funeral officiator, a Sunday School teacher, and a postmaster. The Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie Railroad opened a station at Trenary, as well. A post office was established on February 25, 1903, with Alanson W. Clark as the first postmaster, a task that Levi Trenary later assumed.
While never a large town, Trenary was a busy town during the logging boom. Today, the community supports a few commercial businesses serving travelers along US-41 and M-67 and recreational tourists visiting the Upper Peninsula, as well as local residents. The community still has a sawmill that currently offers custom sawing and planing, and paneling and air-dried dimensional lumber made from cedar, pine, and poplar.
The original bakery, where Trenary Toast has been made since 1928, is still intact and in operation. While Trenary isn't known except in the local area, Trenary Toast is known throughout the Upper Peninsula.
Introduced to the Upper Peninsula by Finnish immigrants who came in the 1800s, Trenary Toast is a dry, hard, toast that has a long shelf life. It is dusted with cinnamon sugar, and generally eaten after being dunked in coffee.
Another reason to visit Trenary is the annual Trenary Outhouse Classic, in which teams drag outhouses down a snow-covered Main Street each February.
The focus of this portion of our guide is on the small, unincorporated community known as Trenary, Michigan. Online resources for local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, and outdoor recreational opportunities are appropriate for this category.
 
 
Recommended Resources
Affiliated with the Northern Great Lakes Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the congregation meets at its facilities on Trenary Avenue in Trenary, Michigan. Its address, a map showing its location, telephone number, email address, and an online email form are provided, along with a calendar of upcoming programs and events, an overview of its ministries and services, announcements, and an archive of church newsletters, available in PDF format.
https://flctrenary.wixsite.com/flctrenary
Also known as Trenary Cemetery, the cemetery is situated along Eben-Trenary Road, south of Gilliland Road and north of 4th Avenue N. The Find a Grave site features photographs of the grounds and memorials of the interred. Other details, such as dates of birth and death, other details, and cross-references to the data from family members. Visitors may upload photos and information, leave virtual flowers, and view a map showing its location. Coordinates are also noted.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1857/mathias-township-cemetery
Situated along US-41 in Trenary, Michigan, the sawmill offers custom milling, including sawing and planing, as well as lumber, siding, and logs, with kiln-drying, planing, and sanding of the lumber. Paneling and air-dried dimensional lumber are available in cedar, pine, and poplar. Denim pine, cherry, yellow birch, and maple may also be available. Other products include fireplace mantles and log cabin kits. Its products and services, self-storage, and special offers are available.
https://superiorsawmillinc.com/
Established by Jorma Syrannen in 1928, the bakery that popularized the Upper Peninsula staple, Trenary Toast, is still in operation. Although its ownership has changed over the years, the recipe has not. Its history, mailing address, telephone number, and email address are published. Bakery items, preserves, mustards, syrups, and Trenary or UP-themed gifts and apparel may be purchased online. Wholesale inquiries and a list of stores carrying Trenary Toast are included.
https://trenaryhomebakery.com/
Trenary Outhouse Classic, Inc.
Founded by Toivo Aho in 1994, the Outhouse Classic is a race in which people push outhouses down Main Street in Trenary, Michigan. Actually, the first year the race began on the sidewalk but had to be moved to the street because of the larger number of racers and spectators. Homemade outhouses are made of wood, cardboard, plastic, tape, crates, or whatever. Other events supplement the event. Registration forms, photos, contributors, contacts, and schedules are posted.
https://www.trenaryouthouseclassic.com/