History of Logging & Lumberjacks in Luce County
Newberry was founded in 1882 as a halfway point to the railroad line between Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie. Because of an abundance of both hardwood and softwood, Newberry became the logging center for the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
The Vulcan Furnace Company (makers of charcoal iron) soon became the main employer, utilizing more than 1,000 acres of prime hardwood annually. As acreage was cleared around the railroad depot in Newberry, the demand for workers increased. Dozens of pine and hardwood camps were built around Luce County, and the village became a hub of lumberjack activity between the years 1880-1920.