Huron County, Michigan

Huron County
Huron County
County
	Port Austin Light
	Location within the U.S. state of Michigan
	Michigan's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 43°52′N 83°02′W / 43.87°N 83.03°W
Country	United States
State	Michigan
Founded	April 1, 1840 (created); January 25, 1859 (organized)
Named for	Lake Huron
Seat	Bad Axe
Largest city	Bad Axe
Area
• Total	2,137 sq mi (5,530 km2)
• Land	836 sq mi (2,170 km2)
• Water	1,301 sq mi (3,370 km2) 61%
Population (2020)
• Total	31,407
• Density	15/sq mi (6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	co.huron.mi.us
	U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Huron County, Michigan

Huron County (/ˈhjʊərɒn, -ən/ HURE-on, -⁠ən) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 31,407.^[2] The county seat is Bad Axe.^[3] Huron County is at the northern tip of the Thumb, which is a sub region of Mid Michigan. It is a peninsula, bordered by Saginaw Bay to the west and Lake Huron to the north and east, and has over 90 miles (140 km) of shoreline, from White Rock on Lake Huron to Sebewaing on the Saginaw Bay. Huron County's most prominent industry is agriculture, as with most of the other Thumb counties. Huron County enjoys seasonal tourism from large cities such as Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw. Much of the tourism is in the Port Austin and Caseville area.

History

Huron County was originally attached to neighboring Sanilac and Tuscola counties. It was created by Michigan law on April 1, 1840,^[4] and was fully organized by an Act of Legislature on January 25, 1859.^[1] Sand Beach (now Harbor Beach) was the county seat until 1865, when the court house burned, destroying most of its records. The county seat was moved to Port Austin and remained there until 1873, when the county's Board of Supervisors designated Bad Axe as the county seat.^[5]

The name Huron was derived from the word "hures" as used in the phrase "În elles hures" (what heads) as applied by an astonished French traveler to the Wyandotte (Huron) Indians on beholding their mode of dressing the hair. During 1649 and the Beaver Wars of the mid-17th century, the Iroquois from the areas of New York and Pennsylvania drove out the Wyandotte, in order to control the fur trade.^[1]

In the 17th and early 18th century in this region, the Thumb of Michigan, the Wyandotte 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, an Iroquoian language, is "onoentoto".

In the early 18th century, the Thumb of Michigan was said to have the best beaver hunting in America. The Detroit region was called Tio-sahr-ondion, "where it is beaver dams athwart many". This was near Skenchioe [now Huron and Sanilac counties].

About 1700, French maps indicated the region of Saginaw and the Thumb of Michigan as "Chasse des caster des amis de François", "the beaver hunting grounds of the friends of Francis."

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.^[6]

Huron county is heavily agricultural. The county is generally flat, with some rolling hills.

Adjacent counties

By land

Sanilac County (southeast)
Tuscola County (southwest)

By water

Arenac County (northwest)
Iosco County (northwest)

Highways

M-19 - runs north and south through the southern half of the county
M-25 - runs along the outer edge of the county, along the shore of Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay
M-53 - runs north and south through the central part of the county
M-142 - runs east and west through the central part of the county

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	210		—
1860	3,165		1,407.1%
1870	9,049		185.9%
1880	20,089		122.0%
1890	28,545		42.1%
1900	34,162		19.7%
1910	34,758		1.7%
1920	32,768		−5.7%
1930	31,132		−5.0%
1940	32,584		4.7%
1950	33,149		1.7%
1960	34,006		2.6%
1970	34,083		0.2%
1980	36,459		7.0%
1990	34,951		−4.1%
2000	36,079		3.2%
2010	33,118		−8.2%
2020	31,407		−5.2%
2023 (est.)	30,927	^[7]	−1.5%
US Decennial Census^[8] 1790-1960^[9] 1900-1990^[10] 1990-2000^[11] 2010-2018^[2]

The 2010 United States Census^[12] indicates Huron County had a 2010 population of 33,118. This decrease of -2,961 people from the 2000 United States Census represents an 8.2% decrease. 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/km²). There were 21,199 housing units at an average density of 25.4 per square mile (9.8/km²). 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.^[13]

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^[12] 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 United Methodist Church is strong in the Thumb region.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw is the controlling regional body for the Catholic Church.^[14]
All Episcopal parishes are members of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has one meetinghouse in Huron County.^[15]

Government

The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and vital records, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has 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

Prosecuting Attorney: Timothy J. Rutkowski
Sheriff: Kelly J. Hanson
County Clerk: Lori S. Neal
County Treasurer: Deb McCollum
Register of Deeds: Sarah Durr
Circuit Court Judge: Hon. M. Gerald M. Prill
Probate Court Judge: Hon. David L. Clabuesch
District Court Judge: Hon. David B. Herrington
Commissioner Dist 1: Sami Khoury (R)
Commissioner Dist 2: Michael Meissner (R)
Commissioner Dist 3: Todd Talaski (R)
Commissioner Dist 4: Steve Vaughan (R)
Commissioner Dist 5: John L. Bodis (R)
Commissioner Dist 6: Joe Murphy (R)
Commissioner Dist 7: Mary Ellen Babcock (R)

as of 2018^[16]^[17]

Politics

Huron County voters have generally supported Republican Party candidates. Since 1884, they have selected the Republican Party nominee in 79% of national elections (27 of 34). In 2016, Donald Trump carried the county by the largest margin in 32 years.

United States presidential election results for Huron County, Michigan^[18]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	12,731	69.03%	5,490	29.77%	221	1.20%
2016	10,692	67.06%	4,579	28.72%	673	4.22%
2012	8,806	56.87%	6,518	42.10%	160	1.03%
2008	8,434	49.22%	8,367	48.83%	334	1.95%
2004	9,671	55.37%	7,629	43.68%	166	0.95%
2000	8,911	55.37%	6,899	42.86%	285	1.77%
1996	6,126	41.24%	6,827	45.96%	1,902	12.80%
1992	6,491	39.03%	6,023	36.21%	4,118	24.76%
1988	9,419	61.91%	5,714	37.56%	81	0.53%
1984	11,073	73.37%	3,966	26.28%	52	0.34%
1980	10,553	65.27%	4,434	27.43%	1,180	7.30%
1976	9,297	61.26%	5,721	37.70%	158	1.04%
1972	9,832	67.36%	4,456	30.53%	308	2.11%
1968	8,743	64.51%	3,607	26.62%	1,202	8.87%
1964	6,263	45.96%	7,349	53.93%	14	0.10%
1960	9,592	62.34%	5,775	37.53%	19	0.12%
1956	10,493	76.57%	3,192	23.29%	19	0.14%
1952	10,639	81.28%	2,421	18.50%	29	0.22%
1948	7,978	74.92%	2,562	24.06%	108	1.01%
1944	9,538	80.16%	2,301	19.34%	59	0.50%
1940	10,570	79.73%	2,654	20.02%	34	0.26%
1936	5,240	46.76%	3,949	35.24%	2,018	18.01%
1932	5,707	48.82%	5,770	49.36%	213	1.82%
1928	7,046	64.79%	3,797	34.91%	32	0.29%
1924	8,843	81.14%	988	9.07%	1,067	9.79%
1920	8,354	82.57%	1,581	15.63%	182	1.80%
1916	4,743	70.85%	1,816	27.13%	135	2.02%
1912	1,813	28.61%	1,236	19.50%	3,288	51.89%
1908	3,565	67.66%	1,477	28.03%	227	4.31%
1904	4,191	71.09%	1,486	25.21%	218	3.70%
1900	3,632	60.57%	2,120	35.36%	244	4.07%
1896	3,396	53.64%	2,808	44.35%	127	2.01%
1892	1,692	35.35%	2,222	46.42%	873	18.24%
1888	1,608	34.51%	1,988	42.67%	1,063	22.82%
1884	1,355	39.48%	1,898	55.30%	179	5.22%

Parks and recreation

Tourism is 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 – and three roadside parks – Jenks Park, Brown Park, and White Rock Park. Huron County also maintains eight county parks along the shoreline – Caseville Park, Lighthouse Park, Stafford Park, McGraw Park, Philp Park, Wagener Park, Oak Beach Park, and Sebewaing Park.