It was either named for an Ojibwe leader who signed the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819[1] or for an Algonquian word meaning "much water".

The combined total length of all the county's rivers and streams exceeds 350 miles (560 km).

International baby food manufacturer Gerber Products Company is currently the county's largest employer with approximately 1,300 employees.

Fishermen can find many steelhead in the spring and salmon in the fall within the county's rivers and streams.

Camping, hunting, cross country skiing, bicycling, birding and ORVing is common in the Manistee National Forest.

Since 1884, the Republican Party nominee has carried the county vote in 92% of the national presidential elections (33 of 36).

Newaygo County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services.

The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances.

In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc.

The intermediate school district offers regional special education services and technical career programs for its students.