Living along Little Traverse Bay
Escape to your own piece of heaven
Harbor Springs boasts a unique history. Located along the deepest harbor in the Great Lakes on the north shore of Lake Michigan’s Little Traverse Bay, it was first settled by Native Americans. During the early 20th Century, Harbor Springs became a popular resort destination and remains so today. Michigan Highway 119 runs through town offering easy access to Petoskey, Mackinaw City, U.S. 31, I-75 and Pellston Regional Airport. A section of the scenic highway has been dubbed “the tunnel of trees” and is considered one of the most beautiful drives or bike rides in the country.
Originally a Native American settlement, Harbor Springs was discovered by missionaries in the 17th Century. By 1859, a bustling trading post had been established. Other businesses soon followed and the area’s first Indian mission was formed. Shortly before the turn of the century, wealthy socialites seeking to escape oppressive summer conditions in metropolitan areas discovered Harbor Springs and its natural and restorative properties.
Once a playground for the wealthy, Harbor Springs embraces its heritage by effectively blending a small-town feel with the luxuries of a resort community and tribal culture. There are museums, beaches, pedestrian paths, parks, golf courses and more. The Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians remains an important part of the community and the public is invited to participate in such events like the annual Homecoming Pow Wow.
Harbor Springs is also home to many art galleries and museums. In addition to the fantastic boating and shoreline, it also lays claim to two of the Midwest’s premier ski resorts, Boyne Highlands (part of Boyne U.S.A.) and Nub’s Nob.
Parks/Beaches
Water Access/Public Launches
Vital Statistics from Wickipedia:
Harbor Springs, Michigan
| Harbor Springs, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
 |
|
| Nickname(s): Harbor | |
 Location in the state of Michigan |
|
Coordinates:  45°25′54″N 84°59′31″W / 45.43167°N 84.99194°W / 45.43167; -84.99194 |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Emmet |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Alan Dika |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) |
| • Land | 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,567 |
| • Density | 835.3/sq mi (322.5/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 49737, 49740 |
| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-36560[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0627758[2] |
| Website | http://www.cityofharborsprings.com/ |
Harbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,567 at the 2000 census.
Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on the Harbor Point peninsula that forms the natural harbor there. M-119 connects with US 31 7 miles (11 km) east and south at Bay View, with Petoskey just another 4 miles (6.4 km) away on the south side of the harbor. The area is known for its historic summer resorts, such as Wequetonsing, which was founded by Illinois businessmen and lawyers Henry Stryker, III, and Henry Brigham McClure, both of whom were interconnected with the Jacob Bunn industrial dynasty of Illinois.
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[edit] History
Founded by the Jesuits, Harbor Springs was once called L’Arbre Croche, which means Crooked Tree. In 1847, L’Arbre Croche had the largest concentration of Native Americans in the states.[citation needed] French traders renamed the area Petit Traverse, or Little Traverse, when they arrived in the area. The village was eventually incorporated as Harbor Springs in 1880.
Ephraim Shay’s hexagonal shaped house.
One of the city’s more prominent residents was Ephraim Shay (1839–1916), known for his invention of the Shay locomotive. The hexagonal shaped house he built in downtown Harbor Springs still stands today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The local elementary school is named after him.[3]
Another building of interest is the Douglas House on the shore of Lake Michigan. Designed by noted architect Richard Meier and completed in 1973, this house is one of 150 structures listed in 2007 as America’s Favorite Architecture.[4]
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), all land. Harbor Springs has a lot to offer during the summer months, including beaches, sailing schools, marinas, multiple golf courses, bike paths, hiking trails, ice cream shops, candy stores, coffee shops and various summer vacation communities. In the winter months the two ski resorts Nub’s Nob and Boyne Highlands offer over 678 acres of skiable terrain as well as terrain parks and various trails for snow shoeing & cross-country skiing. When Little Traverse Bay freezes over in the winter months, many people venture out on the ice for ice fishing and ice boating. Harbor Springs is just a few miles from neighboring Petoskey, Michigan, which is on the other side of the bay and is visible with the naked eye, and offers a wider variety of activities including a multiplex movie theater, a thriving downtown area of its own, and several big-box stores.
[edit] Demographics
At the 2010 Census Harbor Springs had a population of 1,194. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 92.0% White, 4.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race and 2.0% from two or more races. 0.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[5]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,567 people, 683 households, and 383 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,208.9 per square mile (465.4/km²). There were 1,086 housing units at an average density of 837.8 per square mile (322.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.70% White, 0.19% African American, 5.87% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 2.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 683 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.88.
City Hall
In the city the population was spread out with 20.4% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 81.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,341, and the median income for a family was $46,750. Males had a median income of $29,236 versus $27,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,876. About 5.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Airports
- The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are in Pellston Regional Airport[6] and Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport.
- Harbor Springs Municipal Airport is a public general aviation with no scheduled commercial flights.
Little Traverse Bay at sunset, viewed from Petoskey
[edit] Highways
US-31, while not directly serving Harbor Springs, is accessible at the southern end of M-119 four miles southeast near Bay View.
M-119 travels around the north side of Little Traverse Bay, through downtown Harbor Springs, and then to a terminus at Cross Village.
C-77 is a north-south route beginning at Harbor Springs and continuing north to Cross Village.
C-81 is a north-south route running from just east of the city northerly toward Mackinaw City.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Harbor Springs include:
- Constance Cappel (1936- ), author of Hemingway in Michigan,(Michigan Notable Book, 2000) Sweetgrass and Smoke, Odawa Lanquage and Legends, and The Smallpox Genocide of the Odawa Tribe at L’Arbre Croche, 1763: The History of a North American People.
- John C. Danforth, former U.S. Senator, married to former Sally Dobson of Harbor Point.
- F. James McDonald (1922–2010), former president and chief operating officer of General Motors.[7]
[edit] References
- ^ a b “American FactFinder”. United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ “US Board on Geographic Names”. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Shay Elementary
- ^ “America’s Favorite Architecture”. American Institute of Architects. 2007. http://favoritearchitecture.org/afa150.php.
- ^ 2010 general profile of population and housing characteristics of Harbor Springs from the US Census
- ^ Pellston Regional Airport
- ^ via Associated Press. “F. James McDonald, Former G.M. President, Is Dead at 87″, The New York Times, June 15, 2010. Accessed July 2, 2010.
