First Female Lighthouse Keeper Michigan: The Untold Story of Catherine Shook
In 1849, Catherine Shook was appointed the first woman lighthouse keeper in the State of Michigan. She ran the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse until 1851.
Category: History
We examine stories and events that shaped the history of the Upper Thumb and Michigan. While we focus on the Thumb region, other Great Lakes historical events are covered. Major events include the lumbering era and the 1871 and 1881 great fires. We cover major pioneers and personalities that shaped the region. To hear many of our best stories, visit and subscribe to our Podcast, “The End of the Road in Michigan.”
Our best Michigan history posts are found below.
Steamship Excursion From Detroit 1910
While railroads had been in service for much of the major cities in southern Michigan, excursion steamships were still a comfortable and viable option to get to Michigan’s northern resort areas. You could board a ship on a Friday evening, have dinner on board, and arrive in north Michigan the next morning.
Detroit Buffalo Steamship Travel – The Fierce 1902 Rate War on the Great Lakes
the Harbor Beach News from July 1902. It highlights a fare war between the railroads and the steamships on excursions between Buffalo, New York, and Detroit, Michigan. It signals a sign that it’s the beginning of the end of steamship dominance on the Great Lakes in favor of railroads.
Michigan Red Cross History – Mobile Nurses in the Thumb During the 1920s
Did you know that in the 1920s, the Red Cross provided essential health care services to Michigan’s rural Thumb region? Even in those days, the Red Cross was dedicated to reaching communities in need with creativity and determination.
Northern Michigan Braces for Major Winter Storm as Historic Snowstorm Video Revisits Michigan’s Past
Northern Michigan is preparing for a powerful late-season winter storm that could bring 1 to 3 feet of snow, ice accumulation, and wind gusts up to 60 mph, according to multiple warnings issued by the National Weather Service. The storm is …
History of Reed City Michigan – Railroads, Oil Fields, and a Small Town That Grew Big
Railroads built Reed City. Lumber sustained it. Then a massive oil well briefly turned the town into national news. This story traces the surprising history of Reed City Michigan.
Brief History of Interlochen Michigan – Between Two Lakes, Between Two Eras
Learn how a remote Michigan town went from logging outpost to global arts mecca. A 1917 state park purchase between two lakes gave rise to the National Music Camp and Interlochen Arts Academy.
Brief History of Brown City in the Early 1900s – A Working Town in Michigan’s Thumb
Brown City began as a railroad station in 1879 and quickly grew into a farm and shipping hub for Michigan’s Thumb region. Railroads, grain elevators, and later motorhome manufacturing shaped the town’s unusual history.