Harrisville: Alcona's county seat on the lake

Harrisville is Alcona County’s only city and its county seat. With fewer than 500 people, it’s also 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. It has a marina, a city beach, and a state-protected harbor — an official “harbor of refuge” for boaters caught out in Lake Huron weather. Harrisville State Park is unusual: it’s right in town, off US-23. The wooded campground has a sandy Lake Huron beach and a nature trail, and you can walk there 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. That means 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. It’s also the main spot for groceries and errands on this part of the shore. Things get quiet off-season, but the harbor and the state park keep summers lively.