Negaunee, population 4,627, is adjacent to Ishpeming on its western border and just 10 miles west of Marquette, the UP’s largest city and the region’s economic hub. By all metrics Negaunee is a small town, but its proximity to Marquette gives it something of a suburban feel, according to ranking and review site Niche.
The name comes from the Ojibwe word nigani, meaning “foremost” or “leading.” It is often translated as “pioneer.”
And on January 14, 1952, it was a pioneer. That’s when it became the smallest city to ever host a major league game in any sport. It was never supposed to happen.
The NBA’s Milwaukee Hawks and Baltimore Bullets expected to meet in Marquette to play a neutral site game – such games were popular with the league in the 1950s – at Northern Michigan University. But a heavy fog off Lake Superior caused travel issues and the teams instead played the game in the 1,800-seat Negaunee High School gymnasium. The game was not a sellout.
For the record, the Hawks beat the Bullets 77-71.
Keeping with the sports theme, Negaunee is also home to the only full-length natural-track luge course in the United States. The Lucy Hill Luge Run follows the natural contours of Lucy Hill, and is the training course for U.S. athletes competing in World Cup Luge Competitions.
Negaunee’s housing market benefits from its reputation as a desirable, affordable small city with strong schools and easy access to Marquette’s amenities. Redfin reports that the median sale price of a home in Negaunee was $86K in February, 2026, up 36.8% since last year. Still well under the $259,600 median sales price of a home in Michigan during the same period.
Average monthly temperatures range from around 14°F in January up to 65°F in July. On average, roughly 97 days per year see daytime highs at or below freezing, and about 31 days per year see overnight lows drop to 0°F or below, according to Wikipedia.
Negaunee sits farther inland in Marquette County and receives significant lake-effect snowfall — annual totals frequently exceed 150 inches — making it a true four-season Upper Peninsula experience.
The Michigan Iron Industry Museum, located near the Carp River on the outskirts of the city, is one of the region’s premier cultural landmarks, telling the story of how iron ore shaped the entire Upper Peninsula. Teal Lake, which lies entirely within the city limits, offers clear waters ideal for swimming, boating, fishing, and scenic nature walks.
For outdoor enthusiasts, the surrounding area provides mountain bike trails, off-road vehicle and snowmobile trails, hiking, windsurfing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and ice skating.
Negaunee also hosts the internationally attended ski jumping competition at Suicide Hill, the annual Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic, and community festivals including Pioneer Days in mid-summer and the Heikki Lunta Winterfest, both celebrated with fireworks over Teal Lake.
