Little Harbor, Michigan facts for kids

Little Harbor was once a small town in Schoolcraft County, Michigan, United States. It was located right on the northern shore of Lake Michigan. Today, nothing remains of this old settlement. It is now considered a "ghost town" because all its buildings and people are gone.

What Was Little Harbor?

Little Harbor was a busy place for a short time, mainly known for its sawmill. It was built in a special spot with a natural harbor. This harbor was about twenty feet deep and protected from all sides. People could enter the town from the southeast through a narrow passage. To get into the town from the land, there was a stairway leading down from a bluff.

How Little Harbor Began

The town of Little Harbor was founded between 1885 and 1887. Two men, Alfred Tracy and William L. Marble, started it. Even before they built the town, some fishing cabins were already there. These cabins were noted during a survey in 1848. The town was located between the areas of Garden and Thompson on the Garden Peninsula.

Life in the Town

Little Harbor was a small town, only about three blocks long. It had two rows of houses where people lived. There was also a boarding house, a general store, and a pool hall for entertainment. A long wharf stretched out into the harbor, several hundred feet long.

The main business was a sawmill and shingle mill, all in one building. This type of mill was common back then. It could cut different kinds of wood, like cedar and white pine. They made not only regular lumber but also shingles for roofs, hardwood flooring, and lath.

The Logging Process

In the winter, workers would cut logs from the forests. A man and his team of horses would bring these logs to the top of the bluff. From there, the logs were rolled down to a special area called a "live logs skidway." This made it easy to get the logs to the mill for cutting.

Changes and the End of Little Harbor

After an economic problem in 1893, the town was sold. Martin Valetine took over and ran the town for several years. Later, he sold it to Isaac and Bill Bonifas, and then to Ben Miller. By this time, most of the valuable timber in the area was gone.

Ben Miller decided to take the mill apart. He stored the equipment on the shore, planning to ship it away. However, a famous person known as the "only known pirate of the Great Lakes," Dan Seavey, stole all the equipment. He then sold it off.

In the early 1900s, Little Harbor was still used as a fishing port. But eventually, the wharf was washed away by the water. Over time, all the houses and buildings disappeared. Today, nothing is left of the original town of Little Harbor.