Harper Avenue's roots are steeped in the rich history that marked the 1800 and early 1900's in the greater Detroit area.  Harper Avenue was originally called French Claim Road because it ran through many of the French farms that dotted the landscape in the 1800's.  When Harper Avenue was extended from Detroit to Mount Clemens in the 1920's, the street was briefly renamed again to Mount Clemens Drive.  The name didn't last too long, and it was renamed to the Harper Avenue we know today.

At no time has Harper Avenue been considered a small-scale road.  In fact, a newspaper article from 1928 hailed Harper as one of the county's greatest highways.  The article also regarded the paving of Harper Avenue(at a cost of $500,000 for all six miles) as one of the salient factors in the acceleration of business in general in St. Clair Shores.  Harper Avenue was also one of the earliest roads to have lighting, further contributing to its popularity as a major corridor from Detroit to the suburbs of Macomb County.

Harper Avenue and the residents of St. Clair Shores have witnessed interesting building and business trends throughout the decades along Harper Avenue.  From the early general stores and local bars to the requisite service stations and banks, these trends seem cylical as the years pass.

Fast forward to the 21st century where the passengers and pedestrians can still see evidence of the beginnings of Harper Avenue in buildings such as Grissom's PUb and Belle Tire.  In the last few decades, many of the properties along Harper have been redeveloped to accomodate the needs and demands of a modern lifestyle.  Harper Avenue and its related infrastructure has been regularly maintained and updates to meet the demand of the local and regional population.  The trend of redevelopment and regular maintanence continues as each year passes.  H.AVE! you driven Harper Avenue lately?