Harrisville: Alcona's county seat on the lake

Harrisville is Alcona County’s only city and its county seat — and with fewer than 500 people, it’s one of the smallest cities in Michigan. Don’t let the size fool you: it’s a real Lake Huron harbor town, and for many people it’s the heart of the county.

The city sits right on the water, with a state-protected harbor (an official “harbor of refuge” for boaters caught out in Lake Huron weather), a marina, and a city beach. Harrisville State Park is unusual in that it’s right in town, off US-23 — a wooded campground with a sandy Lake Huron beach and a nature trail, walkable from downtown. The little downtown along Main Street has shops, places to eat, and a summer concert series down at the harbor pavilion. There’s even a one-of-a-kind detail on the road map: Harrisville is the eastern end of M-72, the highway that runs clear across the Lower Peninsula to Empire on Lake Michigan — so you can drive Michigan coast to coast and finish at the Harrisville waterfront.

For day-to-day life, the county offices, courts, and services are here, and it’s the main spot for groceries and errands on this part of the shore. It’s quiet, especially off-season, but the harbor and the state park keep summers lively.