Newaygo History

The Muskegon River provided for numerous people and in turn, the natives were careful to preserve the land they called home throughout the seasons.

There are many legends and stories concerning the name chosen for the County of Newaygo. It is believed that the name was derived from an Indian brave, Nah-way-gon, who had a reputation for bravery and strength, and was known for his courage on the battlefield. Seen and admired by the area’s first European trappers, Nah-way-gon served as an inspiration to embrace the area as it was.
French trappers were the first Europeans to successfully navigate the Muskegon River. Trading furs with the Indians and enjoying a peaceful commerce, they settled on the river in 1834.

Making a journey up the Muskegon River with French trappers as guides, the Penoyer brothers came to Newaygo with a group of capitalists from Chicago. At the very site that is now Newaygo, the brothers stopped and built the first saw mill at Penoyer Creek, and thus are credited with the beginning of a long and thriving lumbering history throughout Newaygo County.

Although John Brooks is credited with first floating logs down the river, the Penoyer Brothers were the first to raft them down the river to Lake Michigan and on to Chicago – a feat that led to more logs floating down the Muskegon River than any other river in the world.

The logging industry flourished through the 1850’s, essentially depleted the vast timber resources of our area. Soon after the timber rush, farming the fertile land in the county took its place. Mining of the area’s marl beds (calcium carbonate) brought thriving cement production from 1890 to 1930. The natural geography of the river’s path facilitated the industry and made it easy for transport.