Huron Canning Company, Port Austin, Michigan (circa 1910)

Huron Canning Co.
Huron Canning Co. 1910

This rare photo shows a busy moment at the Huron Canning Company in Port Austin, Michigan, established in July 1910 with $20,000 in capital. The factory processed a range of produce grown across Michigan’s Thumb, including peas, kidney beans, sauerkraut, red beets, and apples.

Visible in the image are women workers near the entrance and a wagon unloading what may be beet tops or cabbage—produce tied to the cannery’s known specialties.

a newspaper with text on it
Battle Creek Enquirer -Battle Creek, Michigan -Sat, Jul 30, 1910 ·

A tragic incident that same month made headlines when Jacob Bolaski, a teamster delivering goods, was thrown from his wagon and fatally trampled. The photo captures the blend of industrial promise and rural risk that defined the early 20th-century agricultural economy in Huron County.

Michael Hardy

Michael is the owner of Thumbwind Publications LLC. It started in 2009 as a fun-loving site covering Michigan's Upper Thumb. Since then, he has expanded sites and range of content and established a loyal base of 60,000 visitors per month.

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