The Village of Harbert, Michigan 49115
A Harbor Country® Community

Scandinavian families created a thriving resort community after the turn of the century in pretty little Harbert. Poet Carl Sandburg enjoyed many Harbor Country summers there. A Swedish bakery, real estate office, and a bank are just about all there is to this small lakeshore town.  The local residents like it just fine that way and intend to preserve its small town flavor and charm. No theme parks, malls, parking lots or traffic jams, thank you. History The emergence of the railroad secured the founding of Harbert. John Glavin, an engineer on the Lake shore and Michigan Southern Railroad, noted the area’s barren land on one of his runs between Chicago and Detroit. Glavin investigated and found the land affordable. Farmer Glavin had a new career. But while Glavin founded the community in the 1850’s, a Chicago industrialist who as instrumental in building the town’s train depot aced-out farmer Glavin when it came to naming the village. Agriculture was the mainstay of the Harbert economy. Orchards and vineyards were established.
Carl Sandburg A pickle factory thrived for many years. All of the town’s products would be gathered at the Harbert depot for transport to Chicago and Detroit. And, like nearby communities, Harbert had its own pier for Lake Michigan cargo. Perhaps Harbert’s best known export comes from the Swedish Bakery which was established in the early 1900’s. But the community’s most famous visitor and resident was Carl Sandburg. Much of Sandburg’s Pulitzer Prize winning account of Abraham Lincoln was written at his Harbert home He and his wife raised award winning goats on his farm and shipped them throughout the country.  The Sandburgs lived in Harbert for 15 years.
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Area Links: Search Area Services by Category Chikaming Township www.chikamingtownship.org Harbert Chamber of Commerce? It does not exist.. it is in fact, The Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce  River Valley School District www.rivervalleyschools.org