PORT HURON. A city and the county seat of Saint Clair County, Mich., 60 miles northeast of Detroit ; on Lake Huron, at the head of the Saint Clair River, and on the Pere Marquette, the Grand Trunk Western, and the Grand Trunk railroads (Map: Michigan, L 6). It also has steamboat connection with Detroit, Chicago, Du luth, and other lake and river ports. The city is built on both sides of the Black Myer, which here flows into the Saint Clair. A railroad tunnel under the Saint Clair River connects with Sarnia, Canada; it is more than a mile in length, or, including approaches, nearly two miles, and its construction, completed in 1891, cost about 700,000. Port Huron has acquired considerable reputation as a summer resort, owing to its min eral water, but is of greater importance as a manufacturing, shipping, and commercial centre. There are a public library which is to occupy a new $60,000 structure, the gift of Andrew Car negie; the county bar library. with 10.000 vol umes; a public hospital and home; and several public parks. The notable edifices include the Federal Government building, city ball, county court-homie, and the Maccabee Temple, besides a number of business buildings.
Port lluron is a port of entry and controls a large commerce with Canada. Its total foreign
trade in 1901 consisted of exports valued at $9.126.000, and imports, $2,957,000. It has ex tensive shipbuilding interests, there being several dry docks and ship yards. Among other indus trial establishments are railroad shops of the Grand Trunk, foundries, boiler and engine works, farm machinery works, etc. The Port Huron Engine and Thresher Company at South Port Huron has a capitalization of $1.000.000. Un der a charter of 1899, the government is vested in a mayor, elected biennially, a unicameral coun cil, and administrative hoards. The school and cemetery boards are elected by the city council, which also confirms the mayor's nominations of members of the board of assessors and of the po lice commission. The board of estimates is chosen 1)y popular election. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Settled about 17 90 and variously called La Riviere Jar vais, Desmond, and Saint Joseph, Port Huron was organized as a village under its present name in 1949, and was chartered as a city in 1857. Population, in 1890, 13,543; in 1900, 19, 158.