Harbor Springs, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harbor Springs, Michigan
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| City of Harbor Springs | |
Downtown Harbor Springs along M-119
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Location within Emmet County
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 Harbor Springs, Michigan
Location in Michigan
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Emmet |
| Incorporated | 1880 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
| • Land | 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 669 ft (204 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,274 |
| • Density | 977.74/sq mi (377.57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49740
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| Area code(s) | 231 |
| FIPS code | 26-36560 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0627758 |
Harbor Springs is a city and fun resort community located in Emmet County, Michigan, United States. In 2020, about 1,274 people lived there.
This city sits in a calm bay on the north side of Little Traverse Bay. This bay is part of Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic building on the Harbor Point peninsula. This peninsula helps protect the deepest natural harbor (a safe place for boats) on the Great Lakes.
Harbor Springs is connected to other towns by roads. M-119 links up with US 31 about 7 miles (11 km) to the east and south. This road also leads to Bay View and Petoskey, which is about 4 miles (6 km) away.
The area is famous for its old summer resorts. One example is Wequetonsing. This resort was started by businessmen and lawyers from Illinois.
Contents
History of Harbor Springs
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The first European settlement here was a mission built by French Catholic Jesuits. They called this area L'Arbre Croche, which means "Crooked Tree." By 1847, L'Arbre Croche had the largest group of Native Americans in Michigan.
Later, French traders arrived and renamed the area Petit Traverse, meaning "Little Crossing." As more settlers came from the eastern United States, they changed the village's name to Harbor Springs. The village officially became a city in 1880.
The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians are a federally recognized tribe. They are descendants of the many Odawa (Ottawa) groups who lived in this area. Their tribal offices are in Harbor Springs, and they have a gaming resort in Petoskey.
Ephraim Shay (1839–1916) was famous for inventing the Shay locomotive. He built a unique, hexagonal-shaped house in downtown Harbor Springs. This house is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The local elementary school is even named after him!
The Douglas House is a special home on the shore of Lake Michigan. It was designed by architect Richard Meier and finished in 1973. In 2007, the American Institute of Architects listed this house as one of "America's Favorite Architecture" buildings.
The Club Ponytail was a music hall in Harbor Springs. Sadly, it was destroyed by a fire in 1969.
Geography and Climate
Harbor Springs covers a total area of about 1.30 square miles (3.37 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Climate in Harbor Springs
The climate in Harbor Springs is called a Humid Continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 164 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,052 | 541.5% | |
| 1900 | 1,643 | 56.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,805 | 9.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,600 | −11.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,429 | −10.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,423 | −0.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,626 | 14.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,433 | −11.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,662 | 16.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,567 | −5.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,540 | −1.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,567 | 1.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,194 | −23.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,274 | 6.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Harbor Springs Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 1,194 people living in Harbor Springs. They lived in 558 households, and 294 of these were families. The city had about 918.5 people per square mile (354.6 per square kilometer).
Most of the people living in Harbor Springs were white (92.0%). There were also Native American (4.8%), Asian (0.8%), and African American (0.3%) residents. About 2.0% of the population identified with two or more races.
The average age of people in the city was 55.8 years old. About 15.7% of residents were under 18 years old. Many residents were older, with 32.2% being 65 years or older.
Getting Around: Transportation
Airports Near Harbor Springs
- The closest airports with regular passenger flights are Pellston Regional Airport and Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport.
- Harbor Springs Municipal Airport is a public airport for smaller planes. It does not have scheduled commercial flights.
Highways in the Area
- M-119 runs east-west through Harbor Springs. West of the city, this highway goes north along Lake Michigan. It passes through a scenic area called the "Tunnel of Trees" and ends at Cross Village. East of the city, it follows the shore of Little Traverse Bay and connects to US Highway 31 (US 31), which you can use to reach Petoskey.
C-77 is a county road that starts in Harbor Springs and goes north to Cross Village.
C-81 is another county road. It starts just east of the city and heads north towards Mackinaw City.
Famous People from Harbor Springs
- Andrew Blackbird: A leader and historian of the Odawa (Ottawa) tribe.
- Jocko Cunningham: A racing car driver.
- Robert Klark Graham: An inventor and businessman.
- F. James McDonald: A former president and chief operating officer of General Motors.
- Joe Dart: A musician.
- Hord Hardin: The chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club from 1980 to 1991.
Images for kids
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Harbor
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Post office
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Sign on M-119
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View of downtown from the bluff
See also
In Spanish: Harbor Springs para niños
