Edwardsburg attracts families, lake lovers and longtime locals
Edwardsburg has a rural character defined by its sense of community and access to nature. “A lot of people who move to the area come here to be closer to family, for the small-town environment, and/or the school system,” says Sarah Overgaard, Clerk of the Village of Edwardsburg and life-long resident. “Then you also have the ‘lake people’, those who move here to live on, or near, one of the lakes.”
Edwardsburg is spread out over the village and several townships, which are all their own municipalities with separate utilities, taxes and voting ballots. “It's a good idea to know which township you're in so you know who to reach out to when there are questions,” Overgaard says.
Township homes tend to have larger lots than village properties
Housing styles vary from Mid-Century homes with lake frontage to newly built Ranch-style homes on several acres. The average square footage of a single-family home is just over 1,600 square feet, lower than the national average of just over 2,000 square feet. The median lot size is just over a quarter of an acre, but homes tend to be more spread out in the township than the village. Single-family houses sell for a median price of $315,000. Homes on Garver Lake range from $225,000 to around $775,000, while prices for Eagle Lake have a greater range, going up to around $1.2 million.
School sports and academics help build community in the area
Edwardsburg Public Schools has a B-plus rating from Niche. Students can go to B-rated Edwardsburg Primary School for kindergarten through first grade. B-plus-rated Eagle Lake Elementary is for second through third graders. Edwardsburg Intermediate serves Fourth and fifth graders, and Edwardsburg Middle educates sixth through eighth graders. Both Schools get an A-minus rating. B-plus-rated Edwardsburg High has dual enrollment opportunities with several colleges, including Southwestern Michigan College and Glen Oaks Community College. School sports often bring the community together. “Football is a pretty popular event in the fall for many locals,” Overgaard says.
Pleasant Lake and Gunn Park are popular outdoor destinations
There are three parks in the Village of Edwardsburg, and two more in the township. “Gunn Park in the Village is a beautiful park,” Overgaard says. “There are limited amenities, but it’s still quite popular. The village is hoping to make further improvements in time.” The just over 3-acre green space hosts the annual Memorial Day Festival. Lindbergh Park is a less than one-mile linear park with access to Pleasant Lake.
Swimming, fishing and boating are all popular activities on Edwardsburg’s many lakes. Youth soccer and lacrosse leagues play at Edwardsburg Sports Complex, and golfers can check out the public course at Four Lakes Country Club. Overgaard says that local organizations, such as the Edwardsburg Museum and the Chamber of Commerce, host several events throughout the year.
Locals dine at hidden gems and travel for more variety
Flat Rock Grill is the most notable restaurant in the area. They serve elevated bar food with in-house sauces and desserts, and often have live music. There are a few other locally owned restaurants, like Spicy's, which serves breakfast and lunch. Fast food chains and Dollar Generals are also in the village and township, but the nearest grocery store is Martin’s Super Market in Granger. “Most people, depending on where they live in Edwardsburg, tend to go to Elkhart, Granger, or Mishawaka for shopping and dining,” Overgaard says.
U.S. Route 12 and M-62 offer access to nearby towns and states
The area is primarily car-dependent. Cass County Public Transit Authority serves all of Edwardsburg and offers advance reservation bus rides. U.S. Route 12 runs east to west near the center of the township and village and connects to Interstate 94 in around 30 miles to the west. M-62 runs north to south through the township into Indiana. The around 25-mile drive to South Bend International Airport takes around 30 minutes in regular traffic. “It’s convenient that while Edwardsburg is a small town, it is still located near larger towns and cities,” Overgaard says.
