North east of Wilberforce on Loop Road (County Road 648), Harcourt found its beginnings as a flagstop on the IB&O Railway called Mumford Station. One of the newer communities in the area, established in 1903 by the founding of its post office and store. In 1911 a railway station was built in the hamlet of Harcourt. The community grew mostly from the lumber industry. In its early years, Harcourt was home to a lumber mill, school, community centre, store and post office. There were numerous mines in the area including a graphite mine just west of the village.

Until the late 1980s Harcourt was home to the primary mill and headquarters of G.W. Martin Lumber. At the time of his death in a tragic plane crash in 1984, at age 48, Grenville Martin had assembled one of the largest hardwood operations in North America, with mills throughout Ontario serving markets around the world. County Warden Murray Fearey considered Grenville Martin to have had the most impact on the County of Haliburton of any one individual. Sadly, Martin Lumber went out of business shortly after his death, however the headquarters has since been repurposed as a resort and the majority of the remnants of the mill are still present.

Harcourt today features a restaurant, convenience store/gas station, storage units, community centre, church, building supply, unique shopping opportunities and more. A mere ten minutes north of Harcourt is the south entrance to Algonquin Provincial Park and access to many Provincial Park trails including a spectacular one to High Falls.