Harbor Springs, Michigan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Harbor Springs, Michigan
—  City  —
Downtown Harbor Springs
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
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/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.

Contents

[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 Michigan.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5]

[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.[6]

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

Panorama from the bluff overlooking the city

[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.
  • Robert Klark Graham (June 9,1906 – February 13, 1997), inventor, eugenisist, businessman.
  • F. James McDonald (1922 – 2010), former president and chief operating officer of General Motors.[8]

[edit] Images

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 45°25′54″N 84°59′31″W / 45.43167°N 84.99194°W / 45.43167; -84.99194

Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages