Harrisville

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 onshore 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.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,157
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  1,900
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,819
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,579
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  1,522
• Ring-billed Gull

  Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815 · Aves
  1,500
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  1,459
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,375

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2015-02-16
  5 km WNW of Alpena, Michigan