Huron County, Michigan

History

Huron County was originally attached to Sanilac and Tuscola counties. It was created by Michigan Law on April 1, 1840 and was fully organized by an Act of Legislature on January 25, 1859. Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach) was then county seat, until 1865, when the court house burned with nearly all the records. It was moved to Port Austin and remained there until 1873, when the Board of Supervisors permanently made Bad Axe the County Seat.

The name Huron was derived from the word "hures" as used in the phrase "In elles hures" (what heads) as applied by an astonished French traveler to the Wyandotte or Huron Indians on beholding their fantastic mode of dressing the hair. These Indians were dispersed by the Iroquois in 1649.

In the 17th and early 18th century in this region, the Thumb of Michigan, the suffix "onti" or "ondi" was used in place names such as Skenchioetontius and E. Kandechiondius. "Onti" means to jut out. The name Wyandotte, Huron descendants, was said to mean "dwellers of the peninsula". A headland or peninsula in Onondaga is "onoentoto".

In the early 18th century, the Thumb of Michigan was called the best beaver hunting in America, and the Detroit region was called Tio-sahr-ondion, which was near Skenchioe [now Huron and Sanilac Counties]. Tiosahrondion meant "where it is beaver dams athwart many".

About 1700, on French maps, "Chasse des caster des ami de Francois" was the region of Saginaw and the Thumb of Michigan. It meant the beaver hunting grounds of the friends of France.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,137 square miles (5,530 km²), of which 836 square miles (2,170 km²) is land and 1,301 square miles (3,370 km²) (61%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Highways

Demographics

The 2010 United States Census indicates Huron County had a 2010 population of 33,118. This is a decrease of -2,961 people from the 2000 United States Census. Overall, the county had a -8.2% growth rate during this ten-year period. In 2010 there were 14,348 households and 9,328 families in the county. The population density was 39.6 per square mile (15.3 square kilometers). There were 21,199 housing units at an average density of 25.4 per square mile (9.8 square kilometers). 97.5% of the population were White, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 2.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 41.1% were of German, 15.9% Polish, 6.8% Irish, 6.1% English and 6.0% American ancestry.

There were 14,348 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were husband and wife families, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.0% were non-families, and 30.7% were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county, the population was spread out with 20.7% under age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 20.4% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The 2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate indicates the median income for a household in the county was $38,789 and the median income for a family was $46,533. Males had a median income of $26,688 versus $15,198 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,342. About 1.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under the age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw is the controlling regional body for the Catholic Church.

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Elected officials

Huron County Board of Commissioners

Politics

Huron county has traditionally been strongly Republican. Since 1936 it has voted every Republican presidential candidate with the only exceptions of 1964 and 1996.

Parks and recreation

Tourism is also important to Huron County with bay front and lakefront towns such as Sebewaing, Caseville, Port Austin, Port Hope, and Harbor Beach, attracting tourists from all over. Huron County borders the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. There are two state parks – Sleeper State Park and Port Crescent State Park. Three roadside parks – Jenks Park, Brown Park, and White Rock Park. Also, Huron County maintains nine county parks along the shoreline, which are Caseville Park, Lighthouse Park, Stafford Park, McGraw Park, Philp Park, Port Austin Bird Creek Park, Wagener Park, Oak Beach Park, and Sebewaing Park.

Cities

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

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