Harbor Country


Lake Michigan Sunset by Tom Gold

In the late 70's, local leaders formed the Harbor Country Council to gain recognition for eight charming southwest Michigan communities "closely huddled near the shores of Lake Michigan" and "re-ignite interest previously experienced in the 1920s and '30s," when this was a very popular resort area.



Only 70 miles from Chicago (about an hour and 15 minutes from the Loop), Harbor Country® spans just 15 miles along the lake, and officially includes Michiana, Grand Beach, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert and Sawyer, and Three Oaks, six miles inland.

Harbor Country Map

This page is a work in progress, and currently provides links to the Harbor Country® and various village Web sites, but check back; there's more to come.



Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce

Chikaming Township

Municipal Services
Various government offices, transportation, and lots of other useful area information.

Harbor Country® Welcome Site

Harbor Country® Life Podcasts


Official State of Michigan Site

Michigan Dept. of Treasury Property Tax Estimator

Fresh produce


The links for Union Pier, Lakeside, and Sawyer lead to their pages on the Harbor Country® site.

Michiana
"Michiana and Grand Beach were solely founded as resort communities. The Long Beach Development Company began subdividing and building Michiana in the 1920s."

Grand Beach
"A 600 acre shooting preserve was transformed into Grand Beach by the Grand Beach Company which brought 20 Sears and Roebuck cottages to the area in 1907 . . . Its 175-room Golfmore Hotel was one of the finest on the Great Lakes, catering to film stars and other celebrities . . . Lost in a spectacular blaze in 1939, the hotel's name is preserved in beautiful lake estates, clubs and neighborhood streets."

New Buffalo

New Buffalo Township

"Officially recognized in 1836 and in the early years as a safe harbor for ships traveling the Great Lakes. Known as the 'Southwest Gateway to Michigan,' New Buffalo is the cornerstone city and capitol of Harbor Country."

Union Pier

"Logging and timber were Harbor Country's major industries in the 1870s, requiring shipping piers along Lake Michigan's shoreline. One of those piers gave its name to today's quaint lakeshore community . . . little more than a corner store, garage, and an ice cream shop."

Union Pier Scrapbook  Old photos and memorabilia from Union Pier's past.

Lakeside

"At the turn of the century, Lakeside was home to some of the most famous Lake Michigan lakeshore resorts."

Harbert

"Scandinavian families created a thriving resort community after the turn of the century in pretty little Harbert."

Sawyer

"The Northernmost community of Harbor Country . . . Sawyer's claim to fame is the Warren Dunes, with several hundred acres of dunelands, campgrounds, and beaches, it's one of the largest state parks in Michigan."

Three Oaks

Three Oaks Township