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Harrisville, Michigan
City of Harrisville
Intersection of US 23 and the terminus of M-72
Intersection of US 23 and the terminus of M-72
Location within Alcona County
Location within Alcona County
Harrisville, Michigan is located in Michigan
Harrisville, Michigan
Harrisville, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Harrisville, Michigan is located in the United States
Harrisville, Michigan
Harrisville, Michigan
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Michigan
County Alcona
Platted 1870
Incorporated 1887 (village)
1905 (city)
Area
 • Total 0.63 sq mi (1.64 km2)
 • Land 0.63 sq mi (1.64 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
623 ft (190 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 493
 • Estimate 
(2019)
467
 • Density 738.92/sq mi (285.25/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)
48740
Area code(s) 989
FIPS code 26-36860
GNIS feature ID 0627866

Harrisville is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Alcona County. The population was 493 at the 2010 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 Harris 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.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.61 square miles (1.58 km2), 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 US Coast Guard.

The town also boasts Harrisville State Park, which includes a wooded campground along the beach.

Sturgeon Point Light Station, 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 330 miles (530 km) 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 D&M passenger depot is made of stone, which makes it one of two along the railway (the other being in Standish). It is privately maintained by local citizens as part of the municipality's historical legacy.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 549
1890 987 79.8%
1900 403 −59.2%
1910 444 10.2%
1920 460 3.6%
1930 438 −4.8%
1940 437 −0.2%
1950 485 11.0%
1960 487 0.4%
1970 541 11.1%
1980 559 3.3%
1990 470 −15.9%
2000 514 9.4%
2010 493 −4.1%
2019 (est.) 467 −5.3%
Source: Census Bureau. Census 1960- 2000, 2010.

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 808.2 inhabitants per square mile (312.0/km2). There were 329 housing units at an average density of 539.3 per square mile (208.2/km2). 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.

Transportation

Major highways

  • US 23, 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 75 miles (121 km) to the south. About 135 miles (217 km) to the north is Mackinaw City and the Mackinac Bridge and the north end of the lower peninsula's I-75.
  • M-72 In 1936, downtown Harrisville became the eastern terminus of the 133-mile (214 km) M-72, which runs across the lower peninsula from Empire. It is one of three true cross-peninsular highways.

Bus

Airport

Harrisville City Airport is 2200 feet (671 m) 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

Harmony weekend 2007 parade 01
Harmony Weekend 2007, Parade
Harmony weekend 2007 craftshow 01
Harmony Weekend 2007, Craft Show
Harmony weekend 2007 barbershop 01
Harmony Weekend 2007, Men's Full Chorus

Notable residents

  • John T. Frederick, buried in Harrisville, professor of English literature University of Notre Dame and author many books including Green Bush.
  • Harrisville was the birthplace, hometown, and burial place of Hall of Fame baseball player Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler. He is buried in Saint Anne Cemetery in neighboring Harrisville Township. 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.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Harrisville (Míchigan) para niños

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