The Port of Algonac is at the point where the St. Clair River becomes a delta region called the St. Clair Flats in southeast Michigan. The Port of Algonac is just 1.5 kilometers (less than a mile) from Walpole Island in Ontario, Canada. The Port of Algonac is about 23 nautical miles (41 kilometers or 32 miles by air) south-southwest of Port Huron The Port of Algonac is about 31 nautical miles via Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair River (52 kilometers or 32 miles by air) northeast of Detroit. In 2009, the population of the Port of Algonac was about 4600 people.
Early settlers in the Port of Algonac area depended on farming and fur trading for their livelihood. In 1805, John Martin made the Port of Algonac his home; however, it was called Pointe Du Chene or Manchester at the time.
In 1836, the Port of Algonac was the fourth township established on the St. Clair River. By 1863, about 700 people lived there. The small town had a grist mill, a few sawmills, a wool factory, and a church.
Many of the people who settled the early Port of Algonac were immigrants from Canada. St. Clair County was established in 1836, and Michigan became the 26th state in the United States in 1837.
Located on the world's biggest fresh-water delta, the Port of Algonac has many canals within the city, giving it the nickname "The Venice of Michigan." It is the home of Chris Crafts Boats. Chris Craft fitted his rowboat with a gasoline engine and set a record speed of nine miles per hour. In 1915, he won the Gold Cup in his Miss Detroit. Around 1920, Christopher Columbus Smith and his partner Arthur Wood won the Gold Cup six times in a row, creating boating history and forming the basis of motorboat racing in the United States.
Many fine wooden boats were created in the Port of Algonac at the Chris Craft factory. For many years, the factory was one of the biggest employers in the region. The factory also made boats that were used in United States war efforts.
Review and History Port Commerce Cruising and Travel Satellite Map Contact Information
