Harbor House

Around 1955, the idea of Harbor House began to form in the mind of recovering alcoholic Henry Berton Davis, known to everyone as “Bert.” Bert discovered the only way he could maintain a life of sobriety was through continued involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous. He became a well-respected speaker for AA, an influential teacher, counselor, and above all, a friend who listened to those in need. The necessity for a place for men to find sobriety soon became the foremost thought in Bert’s mind. He graduated from Bethel College, a Presbyterian seminary, assuming the church would appropriate funds for his dream of Harbor House. Bert was unable to attain any financial help from the church, government agencies, or other civic groups. He remained resilient and eventually found financial assistance for Harbor House from a prosperous building contractor who was a friend and AA member.

Harbor House opened June 1, 1962, at 1369 Court Avenue. The program Bert built for Harbor House was deeply rooted in AA principles, religion, and philosophy. Due to Bert’s inventive techniques and unique skills as a counselor and teacher, Harbor House achieved its primary goal of rehabilitating men suffering from substance abuse. Three out of every four men who came to Harbor House maintained continued sobriety. Local government agencies noticed the achievements of Harbor House, and it soon became a vocational rehabilitation center and started receiving government funding. Community partners, friends in AA, and the working graduates of Harbor House helped Bert and his wife Hazel keep the doors of Harbor House open. Bert passed away in 1970, yet his legacy lives on in the continued success of Harbor House.