Harbor Springs History

The first permanent settlement of the Harbor Springs area was by a tribe of Odawa Indians somewhere around 1740. They named the land Waganakising, meaning “it is bent” in reference to the oddly bent pine tree that jutted out of the steep bluff along the Lake Michigan shore.

Harbor Springs, founded by the Jesuits, was then called L'Arbre Croche, which means "Crooked Tree." Eventually the area was renamed by the French traders to "Petit Traverse," or Little Traverse when it's first post office opened on March 27, 1862. Little Traverse was again renamed to Harbor Springs in March of 1881, probably after its natural harbor and the many nearby springs. The Village of Harbor Springs was later incorporated in 1881 and then as a city in 1832.

Harbor Springs was home to a man by the name of Ephraim Shay (1839–1916), who was known for his invention of the Shay locomotive. He built an unusual hexagonal shaped house in downtown Harbor Springs, which still stands today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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