Harbor Springs, Michigan
Harbor Springs is a city of 1,086 people in Emmet County, Michigan.
Why visit Harbor Springs
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 20 parks and trails, 8 places to eat and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lyric Theatre, Little Traverse Light, Chief Andrew J. Blackbird House and Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Harbor Springs Depot.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 75°F; February lows average 14°F, and about 124 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Harbor Springs
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Harbor Springs
Harbor Springs is a city and resort community in Emmet County, Michigan, United States. The population was 1,274 in the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Harbor Springs, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Little Traverse Light
Lighthouse · 1.1 mi
Lighthouse at Harbor Point on Little Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan in Emmet County, Michigan, United States
Museums and landmarks4
Chief Andrew J. Blackbird House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Michigan, United States
Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Harbor Springs Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Harbor Springs, the United States of America
Shay Hexagon House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Michigan, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds20
8 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes8
The New York
Diner · American
101 State Street, Harbor Springs
Mo-Su 17:00-21:00
History
The European-American settlement started with a mission by French Catholic Jesuits; 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 Crossing, when they arrived in the area. After more settlers came from the eastern United States, they changed the name of the village from Little Traverse to Harbor Springs upon its incorporation in 1881.
The federally recognized Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians are descendants of the numerous Odawa bands that occupied this area. They have their tribal offices in Harbor Springs and a gaming resort in Petoskey.
Ephraim Shay (1839–1916) is known for his invention of the Shay locomotive. The hexagonal-shaped house he built in downtown Harbor Springs is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The local elementary school is named after him.
The Douglas House on the shore of Lake Michigan was designed by architect Richard Meier and completed in 1973. This house is one of 150 structures listed in 2007 as America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.
The Club Ponytail was a music hall destroyed by fire in 1969.
From the History section of Harbor Springs, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare1
Map of Harbor Springs
63 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 15°F | 2.4 in | 39.3 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 14°F | 1.7 in | 27.2 in |
| Mar | 37°F | 20°F | 1.9 in | 12.2 in |
| Apr | 48°F | 32°F | 2.9 in | 4.5 in |
| May | 61°F | 43°F | 3.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 53°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 75°F | 59°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 75°F | 59°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 69°F | 51°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 41°F | 4.5 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 32°F | 3.0 in | 9.4 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 23°F | 2.4 in | 30.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Petoskey (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Emmet County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-07-22: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pellston Regional Airport of Emmet County (PLN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Petoskey 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Boyne City 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Charlevoix 15 mi southwest, about 25 min by car
- East Jordan 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Central Lake 28 mi southwest, about 46 min by car
- Bellaire 34 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Elk Rapids 42 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Greilickville 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Grayling 55 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Traverse City 56 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Harbor Springs, Michigan, WMrapids, CC0
- 2009-0619-HarborSprings-Hex, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Chief Andrew J Blackbird House Harbor Springs Michigan 2011, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad Harbor Springs Depot, Royalbroil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Little Traverse Lighthouse, Bkonrad, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.