Come as you ar​e, return relaxe​d!

Welcome to Mancelona!

Hello! Mancelona Regional Chamber of Commerce and all its members welcome you to our community! It has been a very good year in the Mancelona area celebrating our local events, opportunities, and substantial economic growth.

2024 11 15 5 moore john img 9651MANCELONA BUCK POLE - 70th annual - was another great success, with 56 entries between November 15-16, 2024. Raffle winners, contest winners and photos can be found here.  Mancelona Chamber of Commerce extends its thanks to all who sponsored the event by supplying prizes, donations, promotions, and the hunters who participated. Thank you!
Check our community calendar of events to see what's happening in our neck of the woods.

Mancelona is located in the northwest region of Michigan's lower peninsula, in beautiful Antrim County. 
In spring, 2023 we launched our all-new website with more than 20 content enhancements for our seasonal guests, residents and business owners. Here are a few highlights: 

  • Our Shared Foundation - Pieces of our distant, and not so distant, past. Some of the events that made the news.

  • Community Champions -  In every successful community, there are people who work hard and volunteer harder.  Send us the names of faces you'd like to see here!

  • Behind the Open Sign - Take a video tour inside several stores.

  • For the Entrepreneur - Whether you're in business now or entertaining the thought of becoming your own boss, our all-new Business Services section is for you. Many of these services are available, absolutely free.
     
  • SIGN UP to receive our e-Newsletter!

  • JOIN our Chamber

As you navigate our new Website, let us know if a feature isn't working as it should, or if there is something you want us to add. Check the community calendar for events happening all over in Antrim and surrounding counties.

VISITORS GUIDE
Pick up your copy of the 2023 Visitors Guide available in stores throughout the area.

We're excited you chose Mancelona, and look forward to seeing you! 

  • A STRONGER MANCELONA
  • Investors seizing opportunities
  • New outdoor recreation facilities and event parks
  • Existing business expansions
  • Versatile employment opportunities
  • Waiting lists for residential and business rentals
  • Steady incline of new entrepreneurs
  • Steady incline of chamber members
  • Downtown revitalization
  • Continued elimination of blight
  • Renovation of existing buildings provide retail, office and housing demands

  • ASSETS
  • Snowmobile trails
  • Skiing & Golf
  • Morel mushrooming
  • Hunting & Fishing
  • Trail Walking, Biking
  • Jordan River National Fish Hatchery, Deadman's Hill, Landslide Creek, Jordan Valley all nearby
  • Wetzel Lake, Sand Lake, Green Lake all nearby

MANCELONA is situated at the intersection of Highways U.S. 131 and M-88 in the northwest region of Michigan's lower peninsula, in Antrim County, Mancelona Township.

Within the village limits are three parks - Railroad Park and Palmer Park, both which have playground equipment for children, and Triangle Park, where the clock is.  

The village-owned Johnson's Pond, on Danforth Street, is open year-round for fishing, to children ages 14 and under.

On November 15 & 16, Mancelona Chamber hosts its signature event, the annual Mancelona Buck Pole. The contest opens at daybreak on Nov. 15, and closes at 7:00 p.m. on Nov. 16. See the Buck Pole page for details, and a link to see the contest's live stream.

Our Shared Foundation

Hands and Feet Campers Make Difference

HANDS AND FEET CAMPERS MAKE DIFFERENCE

Hands and Feet campers with Pathway Community Church in Mancelona work together replacing the roof of the home...

Mancelona Gas Explosion April 23, 1995 - A Look Back

APRIL 23, 1995 - A LOOK BACK

Twenty-eight years ago, on April 23, 1995, Mancelona's gas explosion rocked our small community.  Out of the ashes...

Stanley Cup in Mancelona

STANLEY CUP IN MANCELONA

On September 19, 2008 at 1:55 a.m., Mancelona Police Officer Rod Vesey was patrolling the streets in the Village of Mancelona...

Ashleys Ride in Memory of Ashley Sexton

ASHLEYS RIDE IN MEMORY OF ASHLEY SEXTON

After the death of their daughter Ashley, Kelly and Randy Sexton of Mancelona organized a motorcycle ride to...

Perry Andress

PERRY ANDRESS

Perry Andress was the first settler in Mancelona. He built the Mountain House in 1868. The first election was held on the first Monday...

Mancelona

MANCELONA

Area Code:  231

Zip Code:  49659

Mancelona Village, Mancelona Township

Antrim County

 

1995 Gas Explosion Jolts Mancelona

GAS EXPLOSION JOLTS MANCELONA IN 1995

On April 23, 1995, a major gas natural gas leak caused a massive explosion on the triangle parcel at State Street,...

Mancelona Andress

MANCELONA ANDRESS

The community of Mancelona received its name from the first settler of the town, Perry Andress, who named it after his daughter. ...

Railway

RAILWAY

The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad arrived at Mancelona in 1872. The government had granted the Railroad Company every odd numbered section...

Geography

GEOGRAPHY

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.00 square miles, all of which is land.[6] The village...

Furnaceville

FURNACEVILLE

In 1882, an organization by the name of "John Otis & Company" built a large charcoal furnace just south of Mancelona. The company also...

Recreation

RECREATION

When it comes to outdoor recreation, Mancelona and the nearby area has something for you. Groomed snowmobile trails, cross-country and downhill...

Achievements

ACHIEVEMENTS

In recent years, among many accomplishments, Mancelona has received MSHDA neighborhood enhancement grants, exterior housing improvement...

Events

EVENTS IN MANCELONA

Mancelona is home to numerous annual events incuding White Pine Stampede, Special Olympics Winter Games at Schuss Village, Easter...

Memorial Day Parade

MEMORIAL DAY PARADE

Each year on Memorial Day, the American Legion George Puckett Post #264 leads a parade to honor our nation's dead who sacrificed...

School

SCHOOL - THE FIRST IN MANCELONA

The first school was kept by Rebecca Filer at the Mountain House, Perry Andress's place, 1871. There were four pupils...

Safe Routes To Schools New Sidewalk

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL NEW SIDEWALK

The Village of Mancelona held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 29, 2019 to officially open a new sidewalk on West...

Hat & Mitten Drive Keeps Kids Warm

HAT AND MITTEN DRIVE KEEPS KIDS WARM

Each year, volunteers in the community host the annual Breakfast with Santa at Mancelona Elementary School. Kids...

Veterans Meal at American Legion

VETERANS MEAL AT AMERICAN LEGION

The American Legion George Puckett Post #264 holds a meal for Veterans every year around Veterans Day. Pictured, Herb...

Honoring Hometown Hero

HONORING HOMETOWN HERO

Jason Calo, a 2005 graduate of Mancelona High School and sergeant with the U.S. Marine, was killed in action on August 22, 2010...

DURA Tower Down

DURA TOWER DOWN

An iconic water tower which stood at the former properties of Dura Automotive on U.S. 131 at Palmer Park Road, was taken down on May...

Human Spirit Illuminated Disastrous 1995 Gas Explosion

HUMAN SPIRIT ILLUMINATED DISASTROUS 1995 GAS EXPLOSION

This editorial column appeared in an April, 1995 issue of the Traverse City Record-Eagle following...

40th Bass Festival on National Television

40TH BASS FESTIVAL ON NATIONAL TELEVISION

Mancelona celebrated the 40th Bass Festival in 1995. At the time, CBS This Morning had organizations from around...

Play Ball!

PLAY BALL!  MANCELONA YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL PROGRAM

Each summer, beginning after Memorial Day week-end, hundreds of youth throughout the...

Frontier Boys Films in Mancelona

FRONTIER BOYS FILMS IN MANCELONA

In early 2010, Mancelona Chamber of Commerce received an exciting phone call from a movie production company. ...

Elmer Grody

ELMER GRODY - (1924-2018)  Elmer Grody was a lifelong resident of Mancelona. He served our country in the U.S. Army during World War II.  Elmer...

Rod Vesey

ROD VESEY - Rod became a Police Officer in 1979 and served his entire Law Enforcement Career serving the citizens of Mancelona. He was a volunteer firefighter...

Amy Burk

Amy Burk is the Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Northwest Michigan whose mission is to surround students with a community of support,...

George Ouvry

GEORGE OUVRY - (1925-2017) George lived in Mancelona for more than 70 years. He and his wife, Charlotte, owned and operated several businesses in Mancelona...

Emil Johnson

EMIL JOHNSON - (1886-1963) ) Documents show that Emil started taking pictures in Mancelona around 1906. He and his family were living on Maple Street,...

Herb Tipton

HERB TIPTON - Herb Tipton is a life-long resident of Mancelona. He worked for what began as Mount Clemens Metal Products and retired 39 years later from...

Chuck Johnson

CHUCK JOHNSON is a lifelong resident of Mancelona, a 1968 graduate of Mancelona High School, and served in the U.S. Army. Chuck retired from Antrim County...

Roger Anger

ROGER ANGER - Roger Anger’s name is synonymous with Mancelona Township, Mancelona cemeteries, history and family roots. Roger worked for Mancelona Township...

Michael Allison

MIKE ALLISON - Mike moved to the Mancelona area in the 1970’s and became a resident of the Village in the 1980’s. He was President of Mancelona Rotary...

Bernie Blackmore

BERNIE BLACKMORE (1949-2015) Bernie and his wife, Susan, opened the Pizza Shoppe downtown Mancelona in 1980. He was a Mancelona School Bus driver for...

Neva Marconeri

NEVA MARCONERI – Neva was born and raised in Mancelona. She purchased the Dairy Queen when she was 18 years old and operated it, later as Dairy Delite,...

Jack McKaig

JACK McKAIG - (1943-2018) John (Jack) McKaig was an attorney and ran his business in downtown Mancelona. Jack served in various capacities with the Mancelona...

Allen Pecar

ALLEN PECAR - (1925-2014) After his semi-retirement from Pecar Electronics in Detroit in 1974, Allen Pecar moved his family north to Mancelona, where...

Business Services

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