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Harris Township, Michigan
Location within Menominee County and the state of Michigan
Location within Menominee County and the state of Michigan
Harris Township, Michigan is located in Michigan
Harris Township, Michigan
Harris Township, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Harris Township, Michigan is located in the United States
Harris Township, Michigan
Harris Township, Michigan
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Michigan
County Menominee
Area
 • Total 143.3 sq mi (371 km2)
 • Land 143.2 sq mi (371 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation
850 ft (259 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,113
 • Density 14.8/sq mi (5.7/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
49845 (Harris)
49896 (Wilson)
49807 (Bark River)
49873 (Perronville)
Area code(s) 906
FIPS code 26-109-36760
GNIS feature ID 1626437

Harris Township is a type of local government area called a civil township. It is located in Menominee County in the state of Michigan, United States. In 2020, the population of Harris Township was 2,113 people.

Exploring Harris Township's Location

Harris Township is found in the northeast part of Menominee County. It stretches about 24 miles from north to south. To the east, it shares a border with Delta County. To the north, it borders Marquette County.

Distances to Nearby Cities

  • The city of Escanaba is about 16 miles east. You can get there using US Routes 2 and 41.
  • The village of Powers is about 6 miles to the west.
  • Menominee, which is the main city of the county, is about 58 miles south by road.

Land and Water Features

Harris Township covers a total area of about 143.3 square miles. Almost all of this area, 143.2 square miles, is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.1 square miles, is water.

Several rivers flow through the township:

  • The Cedar River and its smaller streams drain the southern part.
  • The Bark River starts near the eastern border.
  • The Ford River drains the northern part.
  • Tenmile Creek, a branch of the Ford River, drains the central area.

All the water from Harris Township eventually flows into Lake Michigan.

Hannahville Indian Community

Most of the Hannahville Indian Community is located within Harris Township. This is a special area for the Hannahville Potawatomi tribe.

Communities Within Harris Township

Harris Township includes several smaller communities that are not separate cities. They are called unincorporated communities.

Harris Community

Harris is one of these unincorporated communities. It is located along US 2 and US 41.

  • Early History: A post office was first set up here in 1880. It was named "DeLoughary" after George W. DeLoughary, a local farmer and its first postmaster.
  • Renaming: The post office closed briefly but reopened in 1883. It was later renamed "Harris" in 1900. This was to honor Michael B. Harris, a lumberman who settled there in 1875. He also became a state legislator.
  • ZIP Code: The Harris post office uses the ZIP Code 49845.

Perronville Community

Perronville is another unincorporated community in the township. It is located on M-69.

  • Railroad and Sawmill: A railroad was built through this area in 1873. It was used to transport ore and timber. In 1883, Menasippe Perron built a dam and a sawmill here.
  • Naming: The settlement was named after Menasippe Perron. He also became the first postmaster in 1897.
  • ZIP Code: The Perronville post office uses ZIP Code 49873. It serves the northern half of the township.

Wilson Community

Wilson is an unincorporated community in the western part of Harris Township. It is also located along US 2 and US 41.

  • ZIP Code: The Wilson post office uses ZIP Code 49896. This ZIP code covers the southern third of Harris Township, but not the community of Harris itself.

Population Changes Over Time

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 1,561
1920 1,621 3.8%
1930 1,344 −17.1%
1940 1,465 9.0%
1950 1,345 −8.2%
1960 1,195 −11.2%
1970 1,237 3.5%
1980 1,563 26.4%
1990 1,542 −1.3%
2000 1,895 22.9%
2010 1,968 3.9%
2020 2,113 7.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 1,895 people living in Harris Township. This included 656 households and 516 families. By 2020, the total number of people living in the township had grown to 2,113.

Education in Harris Township

Students in Harris Township attend schools in different districts.

  • Most of the township is part of the Bark River-Harris School District.
  • A smaller part of the township is in the North Central Area Schools district.

Hannahville Indian School

The Hannahville Indian School is also located in Harris Township. This school is connected with the Bureau of Indian Education. It also works as a charter school, which means it has more freedom in how it operates.

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