[4] The area around the mouth of the Galien River was originally populated by Miami and Potawatomi peoples.

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, MI 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.

Railway passengers would stop in town to wait for steamers to finish taking them to Chicago, creating a demand for hotels.

As the 19th century progressed, New Buffalo area became a popular vacation getaway spot for Chicagoans.

It was easily reached by train and was miles away from the heavy industry of Gary, Indiana and the hustle and bustle of Chicago, Illinois.

New Buffalo area also preserved the sand dunes that are common along the Lake Michigan shore.

New Buffalo is a popular resort town due to its location along the Lake Michigan shoreline and its proximity to the Chicago Metropolitan Area.

The Four Winds is the main competition for the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Indiana.

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides three trains per day at the New Buffalo station, with the Blue Water and Wolverine.

This harbor is used by pleasure boats and is accessible to all Lake Michigan ports and beyond, but has little to no commercial traffic other than the occasional charter sailboat.

It has a performing arts center, multiple computer labs, indoor and outdoor running tracks, and is designed symmetrically for the middle and high school sections.

At the smart lab, students from New Buffalo and neighboring municipalities have access to EKG machines, flight simulators, and video production equipment.