Hartford, MI

Hartford is a Van Buren County city whose limits include one endpoint of the 14-mile Van Buren Trail, a former railroad right-of-way running toward South Haven. The trail gives Hartford a direct link to the county’s old rail map, while Hartford Motor Speedway keeps a different kind of track in the local picture with dirt racing through the warmer months. The city’s annual Strawberry Festival adds a third recurring marker, with a parade, 5K, food vendors, and the crowning of strawberry royalty. Hartford is a southwest Michigan city where rail history, motor racing, and strawberries all get their own lane.