Before 1836, the local area of what is now Newaygo County, Michigan, was inhabited by Indians. The Ottawa, Chippewa and the Potawatomi were known to inhabit the central portion of Michigan's lower peninsula. The Ottawa, specifically, are considered to most likely have lived in this area.

The Indians were inclined to make camp near rivers. As long as the fish were running and there was plenty of game nearby, they tended to stay in one place. For a number of years after the lumbermen and pioneers arrived there were more Indians than white men in the area.

Contrary to popular belief, they offered no particular resistance to the coming of their new neighbors. They showed no hostility toward them, though some of the pioneer women were apprehensive when Indians stopped by to trade their wares.

Newaygo County owes its beginning to the lumbering industry. In 1836, the Indians had given up title to the lands in what is now Newaygo County and the territory was to be thrown open to settlers.

A group of Chicago speculators was formed in 1836 to operate in lands and timber. Hiram Pierson and Henry Pennoyer headed this group. The group proposed to hold by "squatter’s rights" the mouth of all of the streams north of the Grand River up to the Manistee until the land should come into the Market, when they could then make claim to it.

They lost no time in taking possession of the proposed claims. Early in 1836 they landed at the mouth of Muskegon Lake. Here, Pennoyer and two others built cabins. Other members established themselves as far up the shore as Manistee.

At this time the only other non Indian person living in this location was Mitchell Charleau, a French trader, who operated a trading post one and a half miles above the Muskegon Fork.

One division of the group, headed by Clark Knights and Augustus Pennoyer, was to discover water power sites where they could build a saw mill. They employed Mitchell Charleau to pilot them up the Muskegon River, as the river was obstructed for miles with flood wood. The party stopped at what is now Newaygo. Here, Augustus Pennoyer and Jack McBride established claims at the mouth of the creek which they named Pennoyer. McBride built a cabin there and lived in it, thus becoming the first permanent settler in the county. That fall McBride sold his claim to George Walton and then made a claim to the land at the mouth of what became Brooks Creek. Augustus Pennoyer, that fall, also formed a partnership with Alexander Fulton of Muskegon. The Co. was called the Muskegon Lumber Co. They chose the mouth of Pennoyer Creek as the site for their saw mill, thus the first permanent settlement in the county was launched.

About this same time a second mill was built at the Muskegon Fork, which was later called Croton. Louis Bohne, Herman Joachim, John Brooks and John Steam formed a partnership and built a dam across the South Branch of the Muskegon River.

The trails made by moccasins feet were so well chosen, the early lumbermen and settlers often used them to cut their way through the woods. Many of the early roads followed the same paths, and in some cases the railroads were built where the Indians had earlier led the way.

The first saw mill was completed on September 1, 1837, and at once started to saw lumber. The first lumber cut was floated to Muskegon on rafts and was shipped to Chicago on board the schooner Celeste. Although Muskegon later became the lumber queen of the world, the first lumber ever shipped from Muskegon was from the Pennoyer Mill. This Mill shipped lumber for more than a year before the first shipment from any mills in Muskegon.

During the next sixty years, lumbering was the chief industry of the county. Lumbering operations determined the pattern of settlement of the county. The first mills were operated by water power and were located on the larger streams. The logs for lumber were cut closely adjacent to the mills or to the streams on which the mills were located; being floated down to the mills. The streams at first also formed the only highways of travel and transportation of supplies.

With the coming of the settlers, the Indians were no longer free to roam where they pleased. The Lumbermen polluted his waters, cut his forests, and drove his game that he need for food and clothing farther away. The white setters also carried out a system of land ownership unfamiliar to the Indians. Either he conformed to the practice or, as often happened, he found himself forced into a reservation. Sometimes he simply left to find a more hospitable environment where he might continue his own culture.

The building of the Erie Canal in 1825 provided a boost to immigration, bringing most of the newcomers into Ohio, Indiana and Detroit, Michigan. By 1837, Michigan had become a state; and a road had been completed as far as Howell, Michigan. Many of these first setters were finding their way north to the lumber camps, which were starting to spring up and needed help.

There was increased activity down along the river, and in 1841 the first log drive to pass the low lands below was started. John A. Brooks put logs from above the "Forks", which is now Croton, into the Muskegon River. Settlers, lumbermen and rivermen arrived daily and supplies continued to come up stream from Muskegon.

As the timber adjacent to these centers became depleted, the lumbering operations pushed outward from them in all directions. Lumbering camps were established farther and farther away, making it necessary to haul the logs to the rivers. The old roads used for hauling these logs became a means of travel for those who wanted to become permanent settlers and to clear up the land for agricultural purposes after the trees had been removed. A great many of these people worked in the woods and mills in the winter and cleared up farms in the summers. Many a farm was paid for by working in the woods or mills or by the settlers buying timbered land, cutting and selling the timber, and clearing up the land as they went.

To get to Pennoyer Mill from Grand Rapids you had to take a flat boat down the Grand River to Grand Haven, get on a schooner going north to Muskegon, then take a flat boat up the Muskegon River to the Mill. Many of the lumbermen and settlers were following a old Indian trail from the Grand River to the Muskegon River. This trail crossed the river near Pennoyer Mill. The settlement there soon became known as New way to go or Newaygo.

The settlement grew rapidly. Road were built sandy mud tracks with logs in places most likely to mire the supplies wagons. Mail came, but it was addressed "Chicago, in care of Brooks Mill" or some other mill. The mail was distributed from Chicago to places in all the Grand Traverse region.

As the number of lumbering centers increased, roads were built to connect them with each other. With this ever growing outward movement, wagon roads were built from Grand Rapids and Muskegon so that supplies could be hauled from these supply centers. Thus, it was the needs of the lumbering operations that were responsible for building the first roads in the county.

In 1843 John A Brooks started to build the fourth mill in the area (this was the same location as the third mill built by McBride), on the mouth of Brooks Creek.

In 1844 Isaac. D. Merrill followed the old Indian Trail from Grand Rapids to Newaygo where John A. Brooks was building the saw mill. Merrill went into partnership with Brooks for a year and then moved into the heart of the wilderness, three miles up the river from the Indian settlement, to what was to become known as Bridgeton.

Merrill built a saw mill at the mouth of Sand Creek on Muskegon River and began cutting timber there.

In 1846, Brooks leased his mill to Sam Rose for $1,000 a year. Rose built up an extensive business. During the winter of 1847 he put out more lumber than any other mill on the Muskegon River, a total of 5,000,000 feet. Rose shipped much of his lumber to Milwaukee by a boat called the "Mitchell," owned by Thomas Davis of Milwaukee.

In 1847, ten years after the establishment of the first two mills in the county, these same two mills became the first two Post Offices in the county. Pennoyer Mill was called Newaygo and the one at Muskegon Fork was called Stearns Mill Post Office. The name of the Stearns Mill Post Office was change to Croton Post Offices in 1856.

It wasn't until 1851, that the land we now call Newaygo County became an independent organization. Before that, the land had been part of Kent County. At first, the county had only two townships. These were Brooks Township, comprising the western half; and Newaygo Township, the eastern half of the county.

About this same time Wright L. Coffinberry, who lived in Grand Rapids and had just passed the state's surveyor examination, was hired by the lumbermen from Grand Rapids and Muskegon, who were starting to purchase upriver timber land. Part of his first survey of this area was the old Indian Trail which the lumbermen and settlers were using as a road for supplies. In his notes on his survey he called it the Newaygo to Northport Road. A short time later, this road became known as Grand Rapids, Northport and Newaygo Stage Line, after that it became part of the "State Road".

Another road in the county was a road that John F. Stearns had brushed through in 1847 from Croton south to Shangle's place on the Rogue River just east of what is now Sparta, Kent County, Michigan. That road, which roughly followed an old Indian trail, about one mile east of what is now the Ensley Township west line. Croton had been growing and was soon to become the headquarters of logging operation between that point and Leonard, now the present site of Big Rapids. In 1850 William S. Utley built a bridge across the Muskegon River at Croton.

John Chidister cut a road from the settlement around Merrill Mill to Muskegon and in 1851, Chidister built a bridge across Muskegon River and the settlement became known as Bridge Town, later the name became Bridgeton.

In 1849 Brooks begin again operating his mill at Newaygo himself until 1855, when the mill was purchased by John A Brooks Jr. and Sarrell Wood.

At this time there were two fur traders named Joseph Troutier and Richard Ryerson working on the Muskegon River from Bridgeton to Muskegon.

To the early trapper or land looker who traveled the east central part of Newaygo County, Big Prairie Township with its beautiful country side and shallow lakes; it offered a view of open prairies; studded here and there with wooded areas of pine and oak. Fire of undetermined origin had taken its toll in several square miles of the area, leaving a treeless plain and sandy, with cactus growing in spots.

In 1848, John McBride, of the Pennoyer party from Newaygo, took up a land claim in this area. This claim was purchased by Ephraim H Utley in 1849 when he arrived with his train of settlers, household goods and cattle. Mr Utley was the first settlers in the Township.

In 1852 the Big Prairie Township was organized by taking the north twenty four miles of the east side of the county from Newaygo Township. This year the Big Prairie Post Office was also established, on the 4th of February. When the post office was established, it was located in Sec.7 of the township, which was called Utley's Corner, with Ephraim H. Utley as postmaster. On September 9, 1909, when the post office was discontinued it was located in Sec.17 of the township, which was the settlement of Big Prairie and Adela Forwood was postmaster.

The bridge across the Muskegon River at Croton, which William Utley had built, was in bad shape. En 1852 one of the first things that the new board of supervisors of Big Prairie Township did was to appropriated $100 dollars to repair the bridge. In 1852, the Bridgeton Township was organized by taking the west nine miles of Brooks Township the entire length of the county, and I. D. Merrill became one of the first supervisors. Also, one of the first things that the Bridgeton Township supervisors did was appropriate $200 to repair the bridge there.

In 1853 David and Andrew T. Squier got a contract to build a new covered bridge at Bridgeton. Its was called "The Shingle Bridge". They received $40,000 for the job, half of which was in cash and half in land scrip, which gave them the choice of many acres of pine lands at $1.25 an acre.

In 1854, Ashland Township was established from parts of Brooks and Bridgeton Townships. In 1855, the Ashland Post Office was the fourth post office to be established. About one mile northwest of where Grant is located now. This settlement was a stop on the Grand Rapids, Northport and Newaygo Stage Line and was called Ashland Station. After the railroad came to Newaygo this post office was moved closer to the railroad and called Grant Station.

In 1854 Daniel Weaver settled at what is now Fremont. He established a post office there and called it Weaverville Post Office. In 1855 the township of Fremont was organized by taking the north twenty seven miles of Bridgeton Township.

In the early 50's, a small settlement developed in the northern part of Newaygo Township on the corner of what is now Sec. 1 & 2 of Brooks Township and Sec. 6 & 7 of Croton Township, called Ryan's Corners. It's was located on the Grand Rapids Big Rapids Stage Coach Line. Jeremiah Ryan had a store on the south east corner, Powers had a tavern on the north east corner and Tripps had a store on the north west corner. One mile south of this corner; two hotels were located, the Spencer House and the Washington House.

Ben Ensley came to the county in 1854 and settled in section 12 of what is now Ensley Township. He also had 300 acres across the road in Montcalm County.

In 1856 Everett Township was formed by taking the west half of Big Prairie Township, making a total of seven townships.

The settlers of Weaverville and Elm Corner built a school half way between them on the north side of the road. This school was also used for church meetings, weddings, and many of the funerals. The cemetery was located across the road from the school. The cemetery is now called "The Pioneer Cemetery".

In 1857, Dayton Township was established by taking the north twenty two miles of Fremont Township. Also that same year Amos Slater established a post office at Bridgeton and called the Bridgeton Post Office. At one time Bridgeton boasted of four saw mills, two stores, a blacksmith shop and several residences. During the lumbering days it was one of the most important places on the Muskegon River. A boom about a half a mile above Bridgeton kept the logs confined there until they could be released to go down to Muskegon. The river was often full of logs for fourteen miles, from the boom to Newaygo.

On October 18, 1858, a meeting was held for the purpose of organizing a township. Ben Ensley offered $100.00 to pay all the costs of organization plus an amount to cover the beginning operating expenses of the young township, providing that it be named for him. His offer was accepted and Congressional Township 11 North, Range 11 West became, and still is today, Ensley Township. The township was established by taking the south east six miles square of Croton Township.

In 1858 the Greenwood Post Office was established in the northern part of Greenwood Township, Oceana County, which later became Hesperia, Newfield Township on the Oceana/Newaygo County line. 1n 1867, the name was changed to Hesperia Post Office.

The county appeared to be growing and during the late 1850's a State Road was built North from Ryan's Corner; passed Utley's Corner; and it's first destination, Leonard, Mecosta County, now Big Rapids. The road crossed the Muskegon River where Rogers Dam is now located.

By 1860, Everett Township had taken over most of Brooks Township, leaving Brooks Township only a small area between Croton and Fremont Townships.

This same year, Barton Township was established from the north six miles square of Big Prairie Township. A road which followed the Old Indian Trail from Newaygo went northeast to the township line between Everett and Big Prairie Townships, then turned north and followed the township line. This trail went to Traverse City and was later called The Grand Rapids and Traverse City State Road. About a mile south of the north Newaygo County Line, on the Barton and Everett Township Line, there was a location called Cook's Station. This station was a stop for the stage coach running from Grand Rapids to Traverse City.

The Lumbermen and settlers were moving into this area from east, where the settlement of Leonard (later called Big Rapids) was located on the Muskegon River, and from the north where the Pere Marquette River was located.

In 1860, Daniel Weaver built a mill on White River where the river crossed the Newaygo Oceana County Line. After Weaver moved to his new mill on White River the settlement of Weaverville became known as Fremont Center, as it was located in the center of what was then Fremont Township.

On June 9, 1860, the Ponama Post Office was established, with Lewis Martin as postmaster. This office was located on Martin Creek (also called Harrington Creek) about one half mile north of White River. When this post office was established, it was located in what was then Dayton Township, later in 1869 this part of Dayton Township became Denver Township.

The settlement around the old Culp's Mill, now John F. Snow's Mill, soon became known as Snowtown. This settlement was near where Hardy Dam is now located.

In 1861, the Home Post Office was established on the Township Line between Barton and Everett Townships, about five miles south of the Newaygo and Lake County Line. In 1862, the Weaverville Post Office name was changed to Fremont Center Post Office.

The Ensley Post Office was established in 1867 on the Ben Ensley's Farm. Mitchell's Prairie, Sitka and Cook Station post offices were established in 1868, with Mitchell's Prairie being the oldest, established on the 6th of February The office was discontinued in 1870. Cook's Station Post Office was the next oldest, as it was established on February 27, 1868. This was a stage coach station on the Grand Rapids and Traverse City state road. Sitka Post Office was in Bridgeton Township, being established on December 14, 1868. It was discontinued in 1901 when the Rural Free Delivery went into effect. In 1869 three more post offices were established, Barton Post Office in Barton Township, Martinburg Post Office in Denver Township and Lake Post Office in Grant Township.

In 1867, Fremont Township was split up into parts of Dayton, Sheridan and Sherman Townships, also Grant Township was established. In 1869, Beaver and Denver Townships were established from part of Dayton Township.

Also in 1867, the first serious fire in the history of the county occurred and the Newaygo Company's Mill burned; this was called The Big Red Mill. It was rebuilt in 1869 at a cost of $40,000. The new mill had a 100 saws driven by 10 turbine wheels. The company purchased a gas machine and lighted the big mill and yards with gas. The mill ran day and night. That year they put 15,000,000 feet of logs in the river.

Newaygo became the headquarters of the lumber business north of Grand Rapids. As the lumbering operations kept extending up the Muskegon River, the trade of Newaygo increased. It's two large hotels were crowded with guests.