In a state known for small-town magic along the Great Lakes and the remote Isle Royale National Park, Jonesville is home to Michigan’s first public school and oldest Carhartt retailer. Thrift shoppers or road trippers on a weekend jag from Detroit to Chicago or other points along U.S. Route 12 will discover many reasons to drop in or stay over in this friendly city on the St. Joseph River, or otherwise known as “the St. Joe.” Settled in 1828, Jonesville, now home to 2,300, offers secluded camping, historic downtown charm, and tasty eats.
Located a little over 100 miles from downtown Detroit and three hours northeast of Chicago, the village of Jonesville initially sprang up as a manufacturing center along the St. Joseph River because of its waterway to Lake Michigan and a train that ran to Detroit along U.S. Route 12. It might come as a surprise, but Jonesville wasn’t incorporated as a city until 2014.
Overnight guests to Jonesville looking for outdoor adventures, kayaking on the river, or hiking may enjoy Way Back In Campground. A mere 2 miles from the city center, Way Back offers four-person cabins with a bunk bed for the kids, 45 RV sites with electric and water hookups, and seasonal tent camping and frontage on the St. Joe for outdoor enthusiasts. For those who prefer a massage after a day of play, Munro House Bed and Breakfast is just two blocks off Route 12 and offers spa packages and rooms starting at $152 at the time of publication.
Tasty eats in Jonesville, Michigan
The Jonesville sidewalk begins slightly north of the city at the Coney Hut Drive-In and Bigby Coffee, and its tree-lined, two-story, historic downtown picks up a few blocks later at the Jonesville Middle School. Hungry visitors have their choice of everything from donuts and sandwiches to shawarma, pizza, and steak, all within walking distance of one another. Jonesville Bakery is open 4:45 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and offers salt-rise bread and doughnuts “as big as your head,” according to one Google review…