Market overview

We deliver newspapers and our shoppers’ guide to all of Cass County and the eastern portion of Berrien County, Mich. Our market includes Southwestern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana, including South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger and Elkhart, Ind.

Geographic description

Midwestern rolling farmland and the St. Joseph River valley.

Climate

Average annual temperature is 49 degrees Fahrenheit. In January, temperatures range from an average low of 16 degrees to an average high of 30 degrees. In July, temperatures range from an average low of 61 to an average high of 84. Average annual precipitation is 36 inches, with an average relative humidity of 83 percent at 7 a.m. and 68 percent at 7 p.m. Annual snowfall averages 72 inches. The growing season lasts 158 days, with the last freeze usually occurring in early May and the first usually occurring in early October. During the year, the sun shines an average of 53 percent of the daylight hours. Prevailing winds are from the southwest during both winter and summer.

History

First settler: Ezra Beardsley, from Ohio in 1826. Named after Thomas H. Edwards, the first merchant, who worked out of a log shanty on Lake Street. Recorded as the village of Edwardsburg in 1831 by Alexander H. Edwards. Used to be County Seat: First Cass County board of supervisors meet here in 1831.

First Circuit Court in 1831 and first probate court. Growth: In 1848 there were three churches, a school house and 300 people. Grew with Grand Trunk Railroad.

Though it does not have a “downtown area” like many towns, continued growth is being experienced along M-62 with many new businesses. The many lakes in the area continue to attract more residents, making it the fastest growing area in the county.

Education

Niles Community Schools and Brandywine Public Schools serve the Greater Niles area; St. Mary’s Catholic School serves Niles’ Catholic community with grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Southwestern Michigan College, Niles; Lake Michigan College, Niles; University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind., and St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind. (located 8 miles south of Niles); Indiana University at South Bend, Ind.; Andrews University, Berrien Springs

Culture

Typical Midwestern hospitality from good, unpretentious, hard-working people.

Recreation

Abundant opportunities for the sportsmen, including hunting and fishing the St. Joseph River and its tributaries and Lake Michigan or the many lakes of Cass and Berrien counties in Michigan. Each community has its own well-developed organizations for youth sports, ranging from soccer to baseball and softball to swimming and tennis through the Niles-Buchanan Family YMCA. Outdoor winter sports include snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and ice skating. Golf is ever popular, and available on a number of public and private courses. A number of country clubs serve the Greater Niles area.

Interesting tidbits

Edwardsburg is the home of Edward Lowe, inventor of kitty litter.