Harbor Springs, Michigan
Encyclopedia
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 (11.3 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.
in the states. 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.
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.
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.
, 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 store
s.
As of the census
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.
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.
Emmet County, Michigan
Emmet County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the population was 31,437. The county seat is Petoskey.The county was formed April 1, 1840, from Mackinac County. It was first named Tonedagana County and renamed Emmet County on March 8, 1843...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. 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
Little Traverse Bay
Little Traverse Bay is a small bay, 170 feet deep, off Lake Michigan in the northern area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Harbor Springs and Petoskey are on this bay.The Little Traverse Light marks its entrance....
on Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
. The Little Traverse Lighthouse
Little Traverse Lighthouse
The Little Traverse Light is located in Emmet County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the north side of the Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan on Harbor Point in West Traverse Township near Harbor Springs, Michigan. It marks the entrance to Little Traverse Bay.-History:In 1871, Orlando M. Poe...
is a historic lighthouse on the Harbor Point peninsula that forms the natural harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
there. M-119
M-119 (Michigan highway)
The current highway was designated in 1979, replacing the former route of M-131; the routing has remained unchanged since. This section of highway had been part of M-13 on July 1, 1919, when the state trunkline highway system debuted...
connects with US 31
U.S. Route 31 in Michigan
US Highway 31 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that runs from the Indiana–Michigan state line at Bertrand Township to its terminus at Interstate 75 south...
7 miles (11.3 km) east and south at Bay View
Bay View, Michigan
Bay View is an unincorporated resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Bear Creek Township, Emmet County on Little Traverse Bay and abuts the east side of the city of Petoskey along U.S. Highway 31. The ZIP code is 49770 and the FIPS place code is 06260...
, with Petoskey
Petoskey, Michigan
Petoskey is a city and coastal resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,080. It is the county seat of Emmet County....
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.
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 AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the states. French traders renamed the area Petit Traverse, or Little Traverse, when they arrived in the area. The village was eventually incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
as Harbor Springs in 1880.
Ephraim Shay
Ephraim Shay designed the first Shay locomotive and patented the type.He was born on July 17, 1839, in Sherman Township, Huron County, Ohio. His parents were James and Phoebe Shay....
(1839–1916), known for his invention of the Shay locomotive
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
. The hexagonal shaped house he built in downtown Harbor Springs still stands today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The local elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
is named after him.
Another building of interest is the Douglas House on the shore of Lake Michigan. Designed by noted architect Richard Meier
Richard Meier
Richard Meier is an American architect, whose rationalist buildings make prominent use of the color white.- Biography :Meier is Jewish and was born in Newark, New Jersey...
and completed in 1973, this house is one of 150 structures listed in 2007 as America's Favorite Architecture.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, 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 store
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
s.
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.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,567 people, 683 households, and 383 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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.
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Airports
- The nearest airports with scheduled passenger service are in Pellston Regional AirportPellston Regional AirportPellston Regional Airport , also known as Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County, is a public airport located one mile northwest of the central business district of Pellston, a village in Emmet County, Michigan, United States....
and Traverse City Cherry Capital AirportCherry Capital AirportCherry Capital Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles south of the central business district of Traverse City, in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States...
. - Harbor Springs Municipal AirportHarbor Springs Municipal AirportHarbor Springs Municipal Airport , also known as Harbor Springs Airport, is a public airport located three miles east of the central business district of Harbor Springs, a city in Emmet County, Michigan, United States. This general aviation airport has no scheduled commercial flights.Although...
is a public general aviationGeneral aviationGeneral aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
with no scheduled commercial flights.
Highways
-
US-31U.S. Route 31U.S. Route 31 is a long north–south highway connecting northern Michigan to southern Alabama, with its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Mackinaw City, Michigan, and southern terminus at the combined U.S. Route 90 & U.S. Route 98 at Spanish Fort, Alabama...
, while not directly serving Harbor Springs, is accessible at the southern end of M-119 four miles southeast near Bay ViewBay View, MichiganBay View is an unincorporated resort community in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Bear Creek Township, Emmet County on Little Traverse Bay and abuts the east side of the city of Petoskey along U.S. Highway 31. The ZIP code is 49770 and the FIPS place code is 06260...
.
-
M-119M-119 (Michigan highway)The current highway was designated in 1979, replacing the former route of M-131; the routing has remained unchanged since. This section of highway had been part of M-13 on July 1, 1919, when the state trunkline highway system debuted...
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 CityMackinaw City, MichiganMackinaw City is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2000 census the population was 859. The name "Mackinaw City" is a bit of a misnomer as it is actually a village...
.
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 McDonaldF. James McDonaldFrancis James McDonald was an American engineer and business executive who worked his way up through the ranks at General Motors, ultimately serving as its president and chief operating officer from 1981 to 1987 during the tenure of chairman and chief executive Roger Smith.McDonald was born in...
(1922–2010), former president and chief operating officer of General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
.