Editing Huron County, Michigan

{{short description|County in Michigan, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county         = Huron County
 | state              = Michigan
 | ex image             = Port Austin Reef.jpg
 | ex image size        = 300px
 | ex image cap         = [[Port Austin Light]]
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = April 1, 1840 (created)<br/> January 25, 1859 (organized)<ref name="clarke" />
 | seat wl             = Bad Axe
 | largest city wl     = Bad Axe
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 2137
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 836
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 1301
 | area percentage      = 61%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 31407 
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 30927 {{loss}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone           = Eastern
 | footnotes  = {{gnis|1622974}}
 | district             = 9th
 | named for    = [[Lake Huron]]
 | web       = co.huron.mi.us }}

'''Huron County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|jʊər|ɒ|n|,_|-|ən}} {{respell|HURE|on|,_-|ən}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]], the population was 31,407.<ref name=QF>{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/huroncountymichigan/POP010220|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 15, 2021}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Bad Axe, Michigan|Bad Axe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref>
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 {{convert|90|mi|km}} of shoreline, from [[White Rock, Michigan|White Rock]] on Lake Huron to [[Sebewaing, Michigan|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, Michigan|Flint]], and [[Saginaw, Michigan|Saginaw]]. Much of the tourism is in the Port Austin and Caseville area.

==History==
Huron County was originally attached to neighboring [[Sanilac County, Michigan|Sanilac]] and [[Tuscola County, Michigan|Tuscola]] counties. It was created by Michigan law on April 1, 1840,<ref>{{cite book |author=George Dawson |date=1840 |title=Acts of the Legislature of the State of Michigan Passed at the Annual Session of 1840 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aDg4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA196 |location=Detroit |pages=196–200}}</ref> and was fully organized by an Act of Legislature on January 25, 1859.<ref name="clarke" /> Sand Beach (now [[Harbor Beach, Michigan|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, Michigan|Port Austin]] and remained there until 1873, when the county's Board of Supervisors designated [[Bad Axe, Michigan|Bad Axe]] as the county seat.<ref>[http://www.deckervillelibrary.com/huron_county_earliest_settlers_chapter_2%20(9-31).htm "Huron County Earliest Settlers", Chapter 2 (9-31)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517011204/http://www.deckervillelibrary.com/huron_county_earliest_settlers_chapter_2%20(9-31).htm |date=May 17, 2008}}, Deckerville Library</ref>

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 people|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.<ref name="clarke">{{cite web |url=http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/huron.html |publisher=[[Clarke Historical Library]], [[Central Michigan University]] |title=Bibliography on Huron County |accessdate=January 19, 2013 |archive-date=April 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418194327/http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/huron.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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 [[Wyandot people|Wyandotte]], Huron descendants, was said to mean "dwellers of the peninsula". A headland or peninsula in [[Onondaga language|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 [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|2137|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|836|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1301|sqmi}} (61%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113024015/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_26.txt|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2013|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 25, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

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

===Adjacent counties===
'''By land'''
* [[Sanilac County, Michigan|Sanilac County]]  (southeast)
* [[Tuscola County, Michigan|Tuscola County]]  (southwest)
'''By water'''

* [[Arenac County, Michigan|Arenac County]] (northwest)
* [[Iosco County, Michigan|Iosco County]] (northwest)

===Highways===
* {{jct|state=MI|M|19}} - runs north and south through the southern half of the county
* {{jct|state=MI|M|25}} - runs along the outer edge of the county, along the shore of Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay
* {{jct|state=MI|M|53}} - runs north and south through the central part of the county
* {{jct|state=MI|M|142}} - runs east and west through the central part of the county

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 210
|1860= 3165
|1870= 9049
|1880= 20089
|1890= 28545
|1900= 34162
|1910= 34758
|1920= 32768
|1930= 31132
|1940= 32584
|1950= 33149
|1960= 34006
|1970= 34083
|1980= 36459
|1990= 34951
|2000= 36079
|2010= 33118
|2020= 31407
|estyear=2023
|estimate=30927
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 4, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=US Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 25, 2014}}</ref><br/>1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=September 25, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mi190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 25, 2014}}</ref><br/>1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=September 25, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2018<ref name=QF/>
}}

The [[2010 United States Census]]<ref name=AFF>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=March 11, 2012}}</ref> 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 {{convert|39.6|/mi2|/km2|}}. There were 21,199 housing units at an average density of {{convert|25.4|/mi2|/km2|}}. 97.5% of the population were [[White American|White]], 0.4% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.4% [[African American|Black or African American]], 0.3% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.4% of some other race and 0.9% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 2.0% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race). 41.1% were of [[German American|German]], 15.9% [[Polish American|Polish]], 6.8% [[Irish American|Irish]], 6.1% [[English American|English]] and 6.0% [[Americans|American]] ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|title=U.S. Census website|author=Data Access and Dissemination Systems (DADS)|work=census.gov}}</ref>

There were 14,348 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were [[Family|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 [[American Community Survey|2010 American Community Survey 3-year estimate]]<ref name=AFF/> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saginaw.org/|title=Diocese of Saginaw|work=saginaw.org}}</ref>
* All [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America|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.<ref>[https://www.comeuntochrist.org/worship-with-us "Worship With Us: Church Locator"], ''ComeUntoChrist.org'', 2020. Retrieved on March 24, 2020.</ref>

==Government==
The county government operates the [[County jail|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 commission|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===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Prosecutor|Prosecuting Attorney]]: Timothy J. Rutkowski
* [[Sheriff]]: Kelly J. Hanson
* [[County Clerk]]: Lori S. Neal 
* [[Treasurer|County Treasurer]]: Deb McCollum
* [[Register of Deeds]]: Sarah Durr
* [[Circuit Court]] [[Judge]]: Hon. M. Gerald M. Prill
* [[Probate Court]] [[Judge]]: Hon. David L. Clabuesch
* [[Michigan district courts|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)
{{div col end}}
<small>as of 2018</small><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.huron.mi.us/about_overview.asp|title= Brief Overview of Huron County|website= www.co.huron.mi.us|access-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.co.huron.mi.us/election-results|title=Huron County Official Election Results}}</ref>

==Politics==
Huron County voters have generally supported Republican Party candidates. Since 1884, they have selected the Republican Party nominee in 81% of national elections (29 of 36). In 2016, [[Donald Trump]] carried the county by the largest margin in 32 years, won by an even larger margin in 2020, and improved even more in 2024.

{{PresHead|place=Huron County, Michigan|whig=no|source1=<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS US Election Atlas]</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|13,224|5,522|223|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|12,731|5,490|221|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|10,692|4,579|673|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|8,806|6,518|160|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|8,434|8,367|334|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|9,671|7,629|166|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|8,911|6,899|285|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|6,126|6,827|1,902|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|6,491|6,023|4,118|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|9,419|5,714|81|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|11,073|3,966|52|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|10,553|4,434|1,180|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|9,297|5,721|158|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|9,832|4,456|308|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|8,743|3,607|1,202|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|6,263|7,349|14|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|9,592|5,775|19|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|10,493|3,192|19|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|10,639|2,421|29|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|7,978|2,562|108|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|9,538|2,301|59|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|10,570|2,654|34|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|5,240|3,949|2,018|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|5,707|5,770|213|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|7,046|3,797|32|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|8,843|988|1,067|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|8,354|1,581|182|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|4,743|1,816|135|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|1,813|1,236|3,288|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|3,565|1,477|227|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|4,191|1,486|218|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|3,632|2,120|244|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|3,396|2,808|127|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|1,692|2,222|873|Michigan}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|1,608|1,988|1,063|Michigan}}
{{PresFoot|1884|Democratic|1,355|1,898|179|Michigan}}

==Parks and recreation==
Tourism is important to Huron County with bay front and lakefront towns such as [[Sebewaing, Michigan|Sebewaing]], [[Caseville, Michigan|Caseville]], [[Port Austin, Michigan|Port Austin]], [[Port Hope, Michigan|Port Hope]], and [[Harbor Beach, Michigan|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.

==Communities==
[[File:Huron County, MI census map.png|thumb|right|550px|[[United States census|U.S. Census]] data map showing local municipal boundaries within Huron County. Shaded areas represent incorporated cities.]]

===Cities===
* [[Bad Axe, Michigan|Bad Axe]] (county seat)
* [[Caseville, Michigan|Caseville]]
* [[Harbor Beach, Michigan|Harbor Beach]]

===Villages===
* [[Elkton, Michigan|Elkton]]
* [[Kinde, Michigan|Kinde]]
* [[Owendale, Michigan|Owendale]]
* [[Pigeon, Michigan|Pigeon]]
* [[Port Austin, Michigan|Port Austin]]
* [[Port Hope, Michigan|Port Hope]]
* [[Sebewaing, Michigan|Sebewaing]]
* [[Ubly, Michigan|Ubly]]

===Civil townships===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Bingham Township, Huron County, Michigan|Bingham Township]]
* [[Bloomfield Township, Huron County, Michigan|Bloomfield Township]]
* [[Brookfield Township, Huron County, Michigan|Brookfield Township]]
* [[Caseville Township, Michigan|Caseville Township]]
* [[Chandler Township, Huron County, Michigan|Chandler Township]]
* [[Colfax Township, Huron County, Michigan|Colfax Township]]
* [[Dwight Township, Michigan|Dwight Township]]
* [[Fairhaven Township, Michigan|Fairhaven Township]]
* [[Gore Township, Michigan|Gore Township]]
* [[Grant Township, Huron County, Michigan|Grant Township]]
* [[Hume Township, Michigan|Hume Township]]
* [[Huron Township, Michigan|Huron Township]]
* [[Lake Township, Huron County, Michigan|Lake Township]]
* [[Lincoln Township, Huron County, Michigan|Lincoln Township]]
* [[McKinley Township, Huron County, Michigan|McKinley Township]]
* [[Meade Township, Huron County, Michigan|Meade Township]]
* [[Oliver Township, Huron County, Michigan|Oliver Township]]
* [[Paris Township, Michigan|Paris Township]]
* [[Pointe Aux Barques Township, Michigan|Pointe Aux Barques Township]]
* [[Port Austin Township, Michigan|Port Austin Township]]
* [[Rubicon Township, Michigan|Rubicon Township]]
* [[Sand Beach Township, Michigan|Sand Beach Township]]
* [[Sebewaing Township, Michigan|Sebewaing Township]]
* [[Sheridan Township, Huron County, Michigan|Sheridan Township]]
* [[Sherman Township, Huron County, Michigan|Sherman Township]]
* [[Sigel Township, Michigan|Sigel Township]]
* [[Verona Township, Michigan|Verona Township]]
* [[Winsor Township, Michigan|Winsor Township]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[Bay Port, Michigan|Bay Port]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Bach, Michigan|Bach]]
* [[Berne, Michigan|Berne]]
* [[Cracow, Michigan|Cracow]]
* [[Filion, Michigan|Filion]]
* [[Glencoe, Michigan|Glencoe]]
* [[Grindstone City, Michigan|Grindstone City]]
* [[Helena, Huron County, Michigan|Helena]]
* [[Huron City, Michigan|Huron City]]
* [[Ivanhoe, Michigan|Ivanhoe]]
* [[Kilmanagh, Michigan|Kilmanagh]]
* [[Lewisville, Michigan|Lewisville]]
* [[Linkville, Michigan|Linkville]]
* [[Parisville, Michigan|Parisville]]
* [[Pawlowski, Michigan|Pawlowski]]
* [[Pinnebog, Michigan|Pinnebog]]
* [[Pointe Aux Barques, Michigan|Pointe aux Barques]]
* [[Popple, Michigan|Popple]]
* [[Rapson, Michigan|Rapson]]
* [[Redman, Michigan|Redman]]
* [[Rose Island, Michigan|Rose Island]]
* [[Ruth, Michigan|Ruth]]
* [[Valley Island, Michigan|Valley Island]]
* [[Verona, Huron County, Michigan|Verona]]
* [[Weale, Michigan|Weale]]
* [[White Rock, Michigan|White Rock]]
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Michigan}}
* [[List of Michigan State Historic Sites in Huron County, Michigan]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Huron County, Michigan]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.co.huron.mi.us/ Huron County website]
* [http://www.huroncounty.com/? Huron County economic development corporation]
* {{cite web|url=http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/huron.html|publisher=[[Clarke Historical Library]], [[Central Michigan University]]|title=Bibliography on Huron County|access-date=January 19, 2013|archive-date=April 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418194327/http://clarke.cmich.edu/resource_tab/bibliographies_of_clarke_library_material/michigan_local_history/county_material/huron.html|url-status=dead}}
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=8MCtumKVWhgC&dq=huron+county+historical+society+michigan+white+rock&pg=PP1 Huron County Historical Society (Michigan), ''Huron County, Michigan''. (2001, Arcadia Publishing)].
* [http://huroncountyview.mihomepaper.com Huron County View (newspaper)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20001206204000/http://michigansthumb.com/ Huron Daily Tribune (newspaper)]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Huron County, Michigan
|North     = ''[[Lake Huron]]''
|East      = ''[[Lake Huron]]''<br/>[[Huron County, Ontario]] {{flagicon|Canada}}
|Southeast = [[Sanilac County, Michigan|Sanilac County]]
|Southwest = [[Tuscola County, Michigan|Tuscola County]]
|West      = ''[[Saginaw Bay]]''
}}

{{Huron County, Michigan}}
{{Central Michigan}}
{{Michigan}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|43|52|N|83|02|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-MI|display=title}}

[[Category:Huron County, Michigan| ]]
[[Category:Michigan counties]]
[[Category:1859 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1859]]