Beautiful Harbor Springs is home to over 1,000 citizens and is a idyllic city and resort community in treasured Emmet County, Michigan. Harbor Springs is in a sheltered bay on the north shore of the Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan. The Little Traverse Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on the Harbor Point peninsula, which shelters the deepest natural harbor on the Great Lakes. M-119 connects with US 31 seven miles east and south at Bay View, and Petoskey, which is four miles away on the south side of the harbor.
The area is known for its historic summer resorts, such as Birchwood, Wequetonsing and Harbor Point. This European-American settlement started with a mission by French Catholic Jesuit they called this area L’Arbre Croche, meaning Crooked Tree. In 1847, L’Arbre Croche had the largest concentration of Native Americans in Michigan. French traders renamed the area Petit Traverse, or Little Traverse, when they arrived in the area. After more settlers came to the area from the eastern United States, they changed the name of the village to Harbor Springs, incorporating it in 1880. The federally recognized Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians are descendants of the numerous Odawa bands that historically occupied this area.
Downtown charming Harbor Springs you can do almost everything. This community thrives because locals support local businesses and the community is involved with its residents and visitors alike. You won’t find another town quite like Historic Harbor Springs. The downtown area does not have even one nationally franchised business, which is quite unusual, and I am sure you will agree. From world class restaurants, bakeries, movie theater, shopping, banks, realtor offices, beauty salons, bookstores, fudgery, shopping, churches, beaches, pier, marinas and even the local post office is Downtown Harbor Springs and so much more. This community is beautifully layed out with pedestrian walkways, bike paths, landscaping and parks. The local schools are phenomenal and its a great place to raise a family.