Brimley is located in the Chippewa County along Lake Superior on Whitefish Bay. Located within the community is Bay Mills Indian Community. Within this community there is many things you can enjoy. Some of these things are camping, lodging, golfing, snowmobiling and playing games at the casinos.
The founder of the city was Brother Willoughby Scribner, which was around 1872. Willoughby ran a general store in the town. In 1874 his Willoughby’s brother, Brother Josiah, came to the town. Josiah helped construct and maintain the factory and sawmill at Bay Mills. He also helped to build and plaster many homes and built chimneys in Brimley. Josiah also is the man that convinced the town that a school system was needed for the children in the town. In 1882 the first permanent settlement began when the first sawmill was built.
The town was known under many different names. Some of the names were†Bay Millsâ€, “Bay Mills Crossingâ€, and “Superiorâ€. With having the town known as all these names, the town name needed to be changed because the railroad system was starting to come. This is when the town name Brimley came about. The name was finally official in 1896.
The railroads started coming in 1887 to 1961. Trestles across Waishka Bay connected to Brimley with the now nonexistent Milltown of Bay Mills. There were daily passengers on the train. The passengers have service from Sault Ste. Marie to Bay Mills. The trains also brought logs to the Mills companies in Bay Mills and also carried lumber out of the town.
In 1879 a post office was established. Mail was being delivered twice a day. In 1909 the post office was closed. Mail was only delivered R.F.D. from Brimley. By the year 1893 things in the city were picking up. There were three churches, two sawmills, a sash and blind factory, planning mills, box factory, Niagara Paper CO, and a pulp mill doing a flourishing business. There were many jobs as well. Some of the jobs were a lumber inspector, innkeepers, blacksmith, photographer, and plus many more.
Brimley is known for the rich tasty blueberries that grown in and around the city. The best place to pick your own blueberries is at the locally famous spot which is right behind the old missile base near Raco, about 10 miles west of Brimley.
In the 2000 census on Brimley the population was 2,793 people. The average age was 35 years old and there were a total of 222 people over the age of 18. Among the people in Brimley, there are a total on 12 nonprofit organizations that are run. Some of those organizations are Bay Mills Community College, Brimley Education Association, First Congregational Church and many more.
Brimley State park is a place that a family or an individual could go to have some fun. It is 151 acre park with a mile of the Lake Superior shorelines. This is great for the people who love to go on boats or even those who enjoy fishing. In the park, there is a picnic area with an outstanding view of freighters. The beach is one of the warmest places to swim in Lake Superior. Even though the park in not at all wild, it is still a great place to go. If you are not a camping, boating or fishing, you can go and visit the casino. IIf you are the type who enjoy the cold weather and the snow of the ground, don’t get disappointed there is something for you to do in Brimley in the winter. Brimley gets plenty on snow for those people who love to go snowmobiling. There is also a golf course that you can enjoy. It is called the Wild Bluff Golf course and you can play and wonderful 18 holes there.
Snowmobiling Trail Reports and Lodging:
Lodging on the Snowmobile Trails
Michigan DNR Snowmobile Information and trail maps