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.

   

  Oldport (Monroe County, MI)

  Local information and community profile for Oldport (Monroe County, State of Michigan). Contains: area code, time zone, elevation and much more.

• 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.

   

  Monroe County History: Newport mills date back to 1800s

  Masserant's Feed and Grain, with headquarters in Newport, can trace its origins back to the late 19th century.

   

• 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.

   

  https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=164706

• 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.

   

  https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=171137

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