New Buffalo, Michigan
New Buffalo is a city of 1,338 people in Berrien County, Michigan.
Why visit New Buffalo
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 21 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include New Buffalo Railroad Museum and Merganser Point.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 17°F, and about 65 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in New Buffalo
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About New Buffalo
New Buffalo is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,708 during the 2020 census. It is called the "Hamptons of the Midwest".
From the Wikipedia article New Buffalo, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes21
The Stray Dog Bar & Grill
Restaurant · American, Burger, Grill, Pizza, Sandwich · 0.4 mi
245 North Whittaker Street, New Buffalo
Mo-Su 12:00-23:00
9 more on the map.
History
The area around the mouth of the Galien River was originally populated by Miami and Potawatomi peoples. Later, French missionaries visited the area on their search for the fabled Northwest Passage. The area remained sparsely populated, even as Michigan Territory was petitioning for statehood.
In 1834 a sea-captain from Buffalo, New York—Wessel Whittaker—and his crew were shipwrecked on the Lake Michigan coast south of the Galien River outlet. As they headed back to Saint Joseph to report the loss of their ship, Whittaker noticed the possibilities of the New Buffalo area as a potential harbor. He purchased the land around the river-mouth and with various family members in tow, returned and named his new settlement New Buffalo.
Compared to larger harbors along the coast, New Buffalo wasn't a contender initially. However, the new Michigan Central Railway was being built across Michigan in the late 1830s. This new transportation route terminated for several years in New Buffalo, leading to explosive growth. Railway passengers would stop in town to wait for steamers to finish taking them to Chicago, creating a demand for hotels. Unfortunately, the rail line was completed directly to Chicago, which made New Buffalo just another stop along the route. The boom times were over.
From the History section of New Buffalo, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship7
Annunciation and Saint Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church
Church · Greek Orthodox · 1.7 mi
18000 Behner Road, New Buffalo
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
New Buffalo Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy
225 South Whittaker Street, New Buffalo
Map of New Buffalo
73 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 17°F | 3.0 in | 23.0 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 20°F | 2.5 in | 16.0 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 29°F | 2.7 in | 7.1 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 39°F | 3.8 in | 1.1 in |
| May | 70°F | 50°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 60°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 64°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 63°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 55°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 44°F | 4.1 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 33°F | 3.2 in | 4.0 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 24°F | 2.9 in | 13.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Laporte Hcn (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Berrien County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2004-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2001-01-10: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Michigan City Municipal Airport (MGC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Long Beach 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Michigan City 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Trail Creek 9 mi southwest, about 14 min by car
- Hudson Lake 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- La Porte 13 mi south, about 20 min by car
- Bridgman 13 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- New Carlisle 13 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Westville 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Chesterton 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
- Porter 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- New-Buffalo-beach, User:Gourneau, CC BY-SA 3.0
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