Naubinway

History

The first European traveler to settle in the area was William Boucha (or Boucher), who partook in the fur trade from Mackinac Island and moved west in 1843. He and his family built their home near Millecoquins Point. They stayed in the area until around 1857. Later in 1873, Boucha received a federal deed under President Ulysses S. Grant to occupy of land at a very inexpensive cost.(root “inaabi”): “sits and keeps watch for something” or “to look or gaze in wonderment” although local tourist sites often translate the meaning as "place of echoes". The post office has continuously remained in operation and is currently located at West 11631 US Highway 2 in the center of the community. The Naubinway Cemetery (also referred to as the Garfield Township Cemetery) is located just north of the community. The active cemetery contains graves dating back to 1881. Naubinway began as a lumbering community at the beginning of the lumber boom in the Upper Peninsula by 1880. The history of the nearby community of Engadine had a similar origin, and the two communities grew rapidly and became centers of large lumbering companies. The population of Naubinway and the surrounding area was estimated as high as 10,000 residents during the decade. The Canadian Pacific Railway built a line through the area in 1889. The railway line passed to the north of Naubinway through Engadine, and both communities benefited greatly from the railroad and the exportation of its lumber. Naubinway also benefited from being a port community on Lake Michigan. In addition to the growing lumber industry, the community also had a large commercial fishing industry. When the lumber industry declined after the turn of the century, the fishing industry continued. The line was served by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and…

Geography

Naubinway is located along the northernmost shores of Lake Michigan within Garfield Township in the state's Upper Peninsula. The community is centered along U.S. Route 2 (Lake Michigan Scenic Highway) about west of St. Ignace and east of Manistique. The community sits at an elevation of above sea level. The southernmost point of land in the community is called Millecoquins Point. This cape creates a small natural harbor known as Naubinway Harbor, which contains a park and marina called the Naubinway–Garfield Township Marina. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources maintains a public boating access site in Naubinway on Lake Michigan. Naubinway and the surrounding area is served by Engadine Consolidated Schools. Naubinway contains its own post office that uses the 49762 ZIP Code. The post office serves the southern portion of Garfield Township and a much larger area to the east of Naubinway, including most of Hudson Township, all of Hendricks Township, and a small western portion of Moran Township. The Garlyn Zoo, located to the east in Hudson Township, also uses the Naubinway ZIP Code. The Naubinway Island Light was first constructed in 1931 on the island. The original structure has been replaced with a cylindrical tower and continues as an active lighthouse. The lighthouse was necessary to alert vessels of the shallow underwater Naubinway Reef, which can pose a hazard for vessels heading in and out of Naubinway Harbor. The rocky reef is located about south of the island and creates very shallow waters of only deep.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  175
• Ring-billed Gull

  Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815 · Aves
  162
• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  141
• American Redstart

  Setophaga ruticilla (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  126
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  100
• Red-eyed Vireo

  Vireo olivaceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  97
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  95
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  93