Metal Detecting Michigan Ghost Towns – 17 Sites in the Thumb and What May Remain
Metal detecting Michigan ghost towns starts with old maps, parcel research and written permission. Review 17 former communities, likely period finds and legal limits.
Author: Michael Hardy
Michael is the owner of Thumbwind Publications LLC. It started in 2009 covering Michigan and the Upper Thumb. Today, his Michigan Moments series has established a loyal base of 110,000 followers.
Port Sanilac Garden Gala Brings History and Dinner Together Sept. 13
The Port Sanilac Garden Gala will pair a seasonal dinner, live music and local history Sept. 13 while raising money for the Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum.
Old Tawas Goes Digital: A Century of Lake Huron History Is Being Saved
A new preservation project to digitize Lake Huron history, including photographs, letters, maps, and newspaper clippings documenting generations of life around Tawas Bay. EAST TAWAS, Mich. — More than a century of Iosco County history is moving from museum shelves into …
Michigan Constitutional Convention: 612 Historic Recordings Return as Voters Face a Major 2026 Decision
Michigan is digitizing 612 recordings from its 1961-62 Constitutional Convention, bringing the voices behind today’s state constitution back as voters face the issue again in 2026.
The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge Golf Course Has Banned Your Fancy Clubs
The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge has turned its 1935 nine-hole course into a hickory-only, walking-only experience. Its story begins with unemployed miners, federal relief money and Ocha Potter’s disputed plan for a northern golf resort.
Spooky Bruce Mansion Tours Return, Opening 150-Year-Old Thumb Landmark to Visitors
The Bruce Mansion near Brown City now offers scheduled daytime visits, overnight investigations and private events inside one of Michigan’s best-known reputedly haunted landmarks.
History of Fitchburg Michigan – Why a Busy Farm Village Grew Quiet
The History of Fitchburg Michigan follows a sawmill village that served Ingham County farms with stores, blacksmiths, a church and a school. Better roads and machinery later weakened its business center while nearby farms became more productive.
Before Michigan Had Towns: 10 Indigenous Villages, Fish Camps and Farm Earthworks
Long before Michigan had county seats and surveyed townships, Native communities had villages, fishing stations, sugar camps, farm fields, trade routes and ceremonial places across the Great Lakes. The record is especially rich around Saginaw Bay and the Thumb.
Michigan Plug-In Solar: 7 Critical Facts That Could Help Cut High Electric Bills
Michigan plug-in solar could give homeowners and renters a cheaper way to generate electricity without a costly rooftop system. HB 5764 would remove advance utility approval for qualifying systems, but lawmakers face questions about electrical safety, utility rules, consumer savings and how the technology fits Michigan homes.
Port Hope ABC Day Returns Aug. 15 With Decoy Shed Dedication, Car Show and Bean Soup
Port Hope ABC Day returns Saturday, Aug. 15, with a mix of local history and small-town tradition. This year’s celebration includes a historic duck decoy shed dedication, vintage cars, bean soup, museum tours, outdoor vendors and a vintage base ball game along Lake Huron.