Sans Souci, Michigan

Sans Souci (also Harsens Island) is an unincorporated community in Clay Township of St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Michigan at coord|42|34|45|N|82|33|51|W|city.gnis|1624914] Located on the eastern shore of Harsens Island at the mouth of the St. Clair River, it lies at the edge of the St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area. M-154 is the primary road on Harsens Island. There is no direct road connection to the mainland; however, a ferry transports vehicles across the North Channel of the St. Clair River, landing in Pearl Beach near Algonac.DeLorme. "Michigan Atlas & Gazetteer". 11th ed. Yarmouth: DeLorme, 2003, p. 43. ISBN 0-89933-335-4.]

Sans Souci was established as a shipping and trading center on Harsens Island and was given a post office in April 1900. Meaning "without care" in French, it was named by its first postmaster, William LaCroix, who had large holdings there. The name of the post office was changed to Harsens Island in December 1960.cite book | last = Romig | first = Walter | authorlink=Walter Romig | year = 1986 | title = Michigan Place Names | origyear= 1973 | publisher = Wayne State University Press | location = Detroit, Michigan | id = ISBN 0-8143-1838-X] "Harsens Island" is the name of the post office for the delivery area of ZIP code 48028, which includes the settlement at Sans Souci. [ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US48028&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 48028 5-Digit ZCTA, 480 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder] , U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census] "Sans Souci" does not appear in the list of acceptable names for delivery. [ [http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp ZIP Code Lookup] , United States Postal Service]

While "Harsens Island" is the name of the post office, this is at variance with non-postal sources; in determining an official name for the place, the Board on Geographic Names decided on a single official name in 1961, ruling in favor of "Sans Souci,"gnis|1624914] by which name the community appears on maps. The ZCTA for ZIP Code 48028 had a population of 1,285 at the 2000 census. [ [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=86000US48028&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_DP1&-ds_name=D&-_lang=en Geographic Area: 48028 5-Digit ZCTA] , Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, "American FactFinder", United States Census Bureau, Retrieved on January 31, 2008.]

In addition to Sans Souci, several other populated places are also located on Harsens Island and smaller islands to the south:
* Grande Pointe, on the northeast end of the island at coord|42|35|58|N|82|32|43|W|, [gnis|1624574|Grande Pointe, Michigan] was a resort colony founded in 1888 by the Grande Pointe Improvement Company of Detroit. A post office operated from October 1889 until January 1892.cite book | last = Romig | first = Walter | authorlink=Walter Romig | year = 1986 | title = Michigan Place Names | origyear= 1973 | publisher = Wayne State University Press | location = Detroit, Michigan | id = ISBN 0-8143-1838-X]
* Maple Leaf is located immediately southwest of Sans Souci at coord|42|34|41|N|82|34|11|W|. [gnis|1624704|Maple Leaf, Michigan]
* Muirs is southwest of Maple Leaf on M-154 at coord|42|33|23|N|82|35|14|W|. [gnis|1624771|Muirs, Michigan]
* Clays Landing is further southwest on M-154 at coord|42|33|06|N|82|36|16|W|. [gnis|1624457|Clays Landing, Michigan]
* Bedore is on the Bates Highway (the continuation of M-154) at coord|42|33|28|N|82|36|47|W|. [gnis|1624378|Bedore, Michigan]
* Forster is on the Bates Highway past Bedore at coord|42|33|40|N|82|37|06|W|. [gnis|1624546|Forster, Michigan]
* Riverside is on the Bates Highway past Forster at coord|42|33|32|N|82|37|49|W|. [gnis|1624861|Riverside, Michigan]
* Miller is on the Bates Highway past Riverside at coord|42|32|57|N|82|39|32|W|. [gnis|1624743|Miller, Michigan]

References