[2] The 1830s saw a quick jump in land prices around Port Huron, as well as a substantial influx of new residents.

It was organized into a village in 1849, and into a city in 1857, and by 1864, over 4000 people lived in Port Huron, with the increase in economic development led primarily by the lumber trade.

[2] By 1870, the lumber business went into a decline, but the rise of manufacturing and tourism in Port Huron led to a stable and diversified economy.

Some significant buildings were constructed in the Port Huron downtown, for example as a result of the St. Clair Hotel fire of 1903.

Port Huron's commercial sector thrived at first, but after World War II, much of the new development began taking place outside of the downtown area.

Urban renewal in the 1970s caused a substantial section of the downtown to be razed and replaced with modern structures.