Alcona County is a county in Michigan, United States, on the Lake Huron shoreline of the northeastern Lower Peninsula. It had a population of 10,167 at the 2020 census and covers 675 square miles (1,750 km2) of land plus 1,116 square miles (2,890 km2) of water, centred near 44°43′N 83°16′W.
Harrisville is the county seat, and its postal code is 48740. The county has one city, one incorporated village, two census-designated places, and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities spread across eleven civil townships. Alcona County sits in the Eastern time zone, and its FIPS code is 26001.
Towns & Villages in Alcona County
Alcona County’s 23 named places range from the small lakeside city of Harrisville down to crossroads communities with a store and a church. Only Harrisville is incorporated as a city and only Lincoln as a village; Hubbard Lake and Lost Lake Woods are census-designated places (CDPs) built up around recreational lakes, and everything else below is an unincorporated community, listed as “Unincorp.”
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisville | City · seat | — | 48740 |
| Lincoln | Village | — | 48742 |
| Hubbard Lake | CDP | — | — |
| Lost Lake Woods | CDP | — | — |
| Alcona | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Alvin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Backus Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Barton City | Unincorp. | — | 48705 |
| Black River | Unincorp. | — | 48721 |
| Bryant | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Curran | Unincorp. | — | 48728 |
| Curtisville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glennie | Unincorp. | — | 48737 |
| Greenbush | Unincorp. | — | 48738 |
| Gustin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Killmaster | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kurtz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Larson Beach | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mikado | Unincorp. | — | 48745 |
| Springport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spruce | Unincorp. | — | 48762 |
| Wallace | Unincorp. | — | — |
Townships
Michigan townships are the primary unit of local government here, and most Alcona County place names double as township names.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisville Township | — | Surrounds Harrisville city |
| Caledonia Township | — | Lincoln |
| Curtis Township | — | Glennie |
| Greenbush Township | — | Greenbush |
| Mikado Township | — | Mikado |
| Alcona Township | — | Black River |
| Millen Township | — | Barton City |
| Gustin Township | — | Part of Hubbard Lake |
| Mitchell Township | — | Part of Hubbard Lake |
| Hawes Township | — | — |
| Haynes Township | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 48740 — Harrisville (also serves Alcona, Lost Lake Woods)
- 48742 — Lincoln (also serves Caledonia Township)
- 48745 — Mikado
- 48738 — Greenbush
- 48737 — Glennie (also serves Curtisville)
- 48762 — Spruce
- 48705 — Barton City
- 48721 — Black River
- 48728 — Curran
Hubbard Lake shares delivery with several of the ZIPs above depending on which shore a mailing address sits on; smaller crossroads such as Alvin, Bryant, Gustin, Killmaster, Kurtz, Springport and Wallace are served by the nearest listed post office rather than having their own ZIP.
Geography
Alcona County stretches from a sandy Lake Huron shoreline inland across rolling, forested moraine country pocked with inland lakes, the largest being Hubbard Lake near the county’s centre. The Au Sable River forms part of the county’s southern boundary, and roughly two-thirds of the county’s total area is water once Lake Huron is counted. State and national forest land covers much of the interior.
Alcona County borders Alpena County to the north, Montmorency County to the northwest, Oscoda County to the west, Ogemaw County to the southwest, and Iosco County to the south. Lake Huron, with the Ontario shoreline beyond it, forms the entire eastern edge.
Demographics
Alcona County had 10,167 residents at the 2020 census. Lincoln and Harrisville are its two largest built-up places, with Hubbard Lake close behind as a seasonal-lake community that grows substantially in summer. The county’s median household income trails the Michigan median of $69,183, consistent with a rural, retirement- and tourism-heavy economy. Population density works out to roughly 15 people per square mile of land, among the lowest in the Lower Peninsula.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism, seasonal and retirement housing, forestry, and small-scale services anchor the local economy. Hubbard Lake and the Lake Huron shoreline draw summer cottagers who roughly double the county’s population between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Harrisville State Park, on the Lake Huron shore in the county seat, is a year-round draw and a regional camping hub. Huron National Forest land covers a large share of the county’s western townships.
History
Alcona County was set off in 1840 and organized as a county government in 1869. It was originally named Negwegon County, after an Ottawa chief, but the Michigan legislature renamed it Alcona in 1843 — one of several invented Michigan county names coined by explorer and Indian agent Henry Rowe Schoolcraft. Lumbering drove the county’s first economic boom in the late 19th century, and Great Lakes shipping and fishing shaped its Lake Huron shore towns before tourism took over in the 20th century.
Getting There
US-23 runs the length of the county along the Lake Huron shore, with M-65 and M-72 connecting inland communities.
- Alpena — 25 miles north
- Oscoda — 20 miles south
- West Branch — 40 miles southwest
- Grayling — 45 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in neighboring Iosco County; Alpena County Regional Airport also serves the area from the north.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Alcona County?
It is on the Lake Huron shore of northeastern Lower Michigan, between Alpena and Iosco counties.
What is the population of Alcona County?
10,167 at the 2020 census.
How big is Alcona County?
675 square miles (1,750 km2) of land plus 1,116 square miles (2,890 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Alcona County?
Harrisville is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Alcona County?
One city (Harrisville), one village (Lincoln), two census-designated places, and about eighteen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Alcona County?
48740, 48742, 48745, 48738, 48737, 48762, 48705, 48721 and 48728.
What is Hubbard Lake known for?
It is the county’s largest inland lake and a major seasonal-cottage community near the geographic centre of the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Michigan.