Newport: Unincorporated Community of The Week Factoids
Newport is a first for City of The Week. Newport, Michigan is not a city, charter township, or village. While it does have its own zip code, Newport is considered…
City of The Week Factoids – Rochester City of the Week
Newport is a first for City of The Week. Newport, Michigan is not a city, charter township, or village. While it does have its own zip code, Newport is considered an "unincorporated community." Congratulations to Newport: Unincorporated Community of the Week with WCSX!
The French first settled New Port in the Michigan Territory around 1830, naming it Rivière aux Signes (Swan Creek). The main thoroughfare of Newport is Swan Creek Road, originally known as Main Street. Newport got its name from its close proximity to Lake Erie.
Located about ten miles north of Monroe, Newport is home to more than 12,000 people, but it doesn't have an exact population at any given point in time because it doesn't have defined borders. The community is right off I-75.
Swan Creek runs through Newport and has been a big part of its history. Mills were very popular and lucrative in the early days of The Michigan Territory and after its statehood. At one point, Newport also had its own railroad station.
WCSX loves dropping a spotlight on our local communities one community at a time! This week that spotlight is on Newport! Scroll down to find out more about Newport and the history behind this community!
Newport: Unincorporated Community of The Week Factoids
Meet The Newport, Same As The Oldport
Oldport is tucked with Newport. Oldport is located along Swan Creek Road at the intersection with North Dixie Highway. While it is technically its own unincorporated community, mostly, Oldport is lumped in with Newport.
Buckwheat Was More Than O-Tay in Newport
Anthony Neckel built a grist mill around 1890 in the center of Newport. The Neckel Mill produced buckwheat flour. The flour was used for pancakes. The mill changed hands through the years. At one point, It had a dance hall on the second floor! Today the mill is known as Masserant’s Feed and Grain and is headquartered in Newport with multiple locations in the Down River area. Masserant's has been around for the last 40 years. Info courtesy of The Monroe News.
Old Hull Road
General Hull's army made way for the first road in Michigan at the beginning of the War of 1812. Old Hull Road runs along the shore of Lake Erie.
Estral Beach Veterans Memorial
According to hmdb.org, The memorial is at the intersection of Lakeview Boulevard and Park Avenue, on the right when traveling east on Lakeview Boulevard. The Veterans' memorial is in a small park near the Estral Beach Village Hall.
The St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish calls Newport home. It was established in 1882 from an earlier church mission that began about 50 years before that. Stcharlesnewport.org places the original cornerstone of the present church as being laid in 1882. The land was donated by Jacob and Frank Masserant. The Masserant family has been in Newport for a long time! The church took four years to build. Multiple additions and upgrades have taken place through the years. It is also home to the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Academy.
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