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New Buffalo Welcome Center Michigan Department of Transportation |
| The nation’s first highway Travel Information Center opened on May 4, 1935 on US-12 at New Buffalo, not far from here. Other states followed Michigan’s lead, and by 1985 there were 251 travel information centers across the nation. The New Buffalo center was built by the Michigan State Highway Department, now the Michigan Department of Transportation, to welcome mororist’s entering the state via US-12. It was relocated at this site, with it’s more modern building on April 6, 1972, after the I-94 freeway was completed. Michigans state-wide travel information program, which began in 1935, includes staffed welcome centers and interpretive, promotional and informational displays at rest areas and roadside parks across the state. |
One of the many amenities hosted by the New Buffalo Welcome Center is Operation Care. Operation Care means “Combined Accident Reduction Effort” and is sponsored by the Michigan State Police and designed as a safety break for travelers. It has been proven that if people stop, relax, walk around, and have some refreshment after traveling through heavy traffic, they will have a much safer journey. The New Buffalo First United Methodist Church mans the station during summer holiday weekends at the Welcome Center and reports to have served refreshments to over 13,000 people – 5,200 cups of coffee, 224 gallons of lemonade, 85 gallons of iced tea, 70 gallons of orange drink, and 864 dozen cookies.
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Last Modified on:
January 1, 2003.