Harrisville, Michigan

Harrisville is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alcona County. The population was 437 at the 2020 census, making Harrisville the sixth-smallest city by population in the state of Michigan. The city is surrounded by Harrisville Township but is administratively autonomous. Located on Lake Huron, it is an official Michigan Department of Natural Resources Harbor of Refuge.

History

The place was first known as Davison's Mill after Crosier Davison, who in partnership with Simeon Holden, had purchased land and water power rights here in 1854. Benjamin Harris and his sons, Levi and Henry, of West Bloomfield, New York bought out the partners. A post office established on September 16, 1857, was named Harrisville, with Levi as the first postmaster.

The Harrises sold out to Weston, (George L.) Colwell & Company, who had H.G. Rothwell plat the community in 1870. Harrisville was incorporated as a village in 1887 and as a city in 1905.

In 1908, the town narrowly survived in the shadow of the Metz Fire, the largest modern forest fire in Michigan. It was the beneficiary of an on shore wind.

Pizer's Variety Store, originally The White Store, was at the corner of Lake Street and Main Street.

Ki Cuyler's Bar was a long time popular landmark which burnt in 2018. The building was torn down.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. It is considered to be part of Northern Michigan.

The city is on the western shore of Lake Huron and has a harbor for recreational boaters. The harbor is a center for salmon and trout fishing. It is also a designated "Harbor of Refuge" on Lake Huron by the United States Coast Guard. The town also boasts Harrisville State Park, which includes a wooded campground along the beach. Sturgeon Point Light, a lighthouse and museum, is a few miles to the north, and is open to the public.

Harrisville is on the edge of Huron National Forest, which offers outdoor recreational opportunities such as hunting, swimming, cross-country skiing and trout fishing. The forest contains of hiking trails. The Huron and Manistee National Forests were separately designated but were combined in 1945 for administrative purposes.

The Lake Huron beaches in and around Harrisville (including two state parks) have been recognized as being among the "top ten in Michigan." "Old-fashioned lake vacations abound on this pretty stretch of Lake Huron."

Harrisville is situated along the Lake State Railway, formerly the Detroit and Mackinac Railway (D&M). The 1901 D&M passenger depot is made of stone, which makes it one of two along the railway (the other being in Standish). As of 2023, it is privately maintained by local citizens as part of the municipality's historical legacy.

Climate

Demographics

2022 American Community Survey

American Community Survey estimates, there were people and households. The population density was . There were housing units at an average density of .To calculate density we use the land area figure from the places file in The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White and 0.2% Black or African American, with 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 6.2% of the population.

Of the households, 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% had seniors 65 years or older living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 5.3% were couples cohabitating, 13.3% had a male householder with no partner present, and 39.1% had a female householder with no partner present. The median household size was and the median family size was .

The age distribution was 17.6% under 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 36.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was years.

The median income for a household was $, with family households having a median income of $ and non-family households $. The per capita income was $. Out of the people with a determined poverty status, 23.3% were below the poverty line. Further, 36.0% of minors and 18.8% of seniors were below the poverty line.

In the survey, residents self-identified with various ethnic ancestries. People of English descent made up 25.8% of the population of the town, followed by German at 22.6%, Irish at 21.8%, Polish at 9.2%, Scottish at 6.4%, American at 6.2%, French at 6.0%, Czech at 5.0%, Italian at 4.0%, Dutch at 3.0%, French Canadian at 3.0%, Norwegian at 2.2%, Swedish at 1.6%, Hungarian at 1.0%, and Greek at 0.6%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 493 people, 231 households, and 130 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 329 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.6% White, 0.6% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 231 households, of which 18.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.7% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.55.

The median age in the city was 51.6 years. 16.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 29% were from 45 to 64; and 29.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.0% male and 55.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 514 people, 239 households, and 131 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 327 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.94% White, 2.14% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.97% Asian, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 239 households, out of which 18.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.57.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 16.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 29.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,500, and the median income for a family was $34,286. Males had a median income of $23,625 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,983. About 9.3% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

*, north of Standish, it has been designated the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway, and runs along the Lake Huron shoreline. US 23 is the most proximate connector to I-75, to which it connects in Standish, about to the south. About to the north is Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge and the north end of the lower peninsula's I-75.
* In 1936, downtown Harrisville became the eastern terminus of the M-72, which runs across the lower peninsula from Empire. It is one of three true cross-peninsular highways.

Bus

* Indian Trails provides daily intercity bus service between St. Ignace and Bay City, Michigan.

Airport

Harrisville City Airport is in length; it is located on Walker Road about a mile northwest of the city. A much larger public airport that serves the area and has nearly all weather capability is Oscoda–Wurtsmith Airport.

Local events

Harrisville is also home to the famous Glenview Clydesdales. There was an annual Barbershop festival (Harmony Weekend) in the city, typically in early September; and there is a large craft show over Labor Day weekend.

Government

The following is a list of elected officials of Harrisville, as of December 2018:
* Mayor: John Dobis (R)
* Clerk: Barbara Pierce (R)
* Treasurer: Thomas Keerl (R)
* Alderman Ward I: Abigail Thomas (D)
* Alderman Ward I: Karen L. Sanderson (R)
* Alderman Ward II: Mary Peterson
* Alderman Ward II: James Kaiser (R)
* Alderman Ward III: Barbara Luenberger (R)
* Alderman Ward III: Michael Baird (R)
* Zoning Administrator: Troy Somers

Notable residents

* John T. Frederick, buried in Harrisville, professor of English literature University of Notre Dame and author many books including ''Green Bush''.
* Kiki Cuyler, Hall of Fame baseball player. He is memorialized on a section of M-72 and in a local baseball field. A local bar that he once owned, known as Ki Cuyler's Bar and Grill, was a prominent local establishment before it burned down in December 2018.

Media

Newspapers

* The ''Alcona County Review'', located in Harrisville, is the newspaper of record, and has served the community since 1877.
* '' The Alpena News'' is the daily newspaper of record for much of northeastern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
* Daily editions of the ''Detroit Free Press'' and ''The Detroit News'' are also available throughout the area.

Radio

* WXTF-LP

References

Sources

*

Further reading

* (including Harrisville)]
*
*

External links

Official website

{{Michigan county seats

Cities in Alcona County, Michigan
County seats in Michigan
Populated places established in 1870
1870 establishments in Michigan
Populated places on Lake Huron in the United States