 Benton Harbor was founded by Henry C. Morton, Sterne Brunson and Charles Hull, who all now have or have had schools named after them.Benton Harbor was mainly swampland bordered by the Paw Paw River, through which a canal was built, hence the "harbor" in the city's name.In 1860, the village was laid out by Brunson, Morton, Hull and others, and given the name of Brunson Harbor.