When President Taft Came to Battle Creek (1911)
President William Howard Taft’s 1911 stop in Battle Creek drew a massive crowd — and this postcard captured the flags, bunting and excitement on the platform.
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.
John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company Headquarters 1817 – The Robert Stewart House – Video
The American Fur Company headquarters on Mackinac Island once controlled trade across the Great Lakes. Built in the early 1800s, it shaped Michigan’s economy, society, and role in early American capitalism.
Inside Camp Jeanette – A 1930s Waterford Summer for Detroit Kids
Boys crowd around a long worktable inside Camp Jeanette in Waterford, Michigan, a children’s camp tied to the Good Samaritans of Michigan. The message on the back reads like a straight-up fundraising pitch: the group said it was giving about 1,000 …
Cabins and Supplies on U.S. 2: Miller’s at Little Hog Island (1958)
A 1958 glimpse of U.P. travel: Miller’s General Store at Jim and Mort Miller’s Cabins near Little Hog Island, where U.S. 2 drivers stopped for gas, supplies, and a night near Lake Michigan.
The Littlest Doctor’s House Call (Goebel’s Malt Extract)
This is an early 1900s advertising postcard for Goebel’s Malt Extract, showing kids playing “doctor” — a little “patient” resting while the pint-size physician makes a house call beside a bottle of the product. Goebel was a major Detroit brewer, and …
Linkville Michigan History (1890–1930) A Small But Viberent Thumb Farming Town that Vanished – Video
Linkville, a small unincorporated village in Michigan, thrived between 1890 and 1930 as a farming community and key railroad stop. However, post office closures and improved transportation led to its decline, leaving St. Paul Lutheran Church as its enduring landmark.
History of Berne Michigan – A 1900 Snapshot of this Forgotten Ghost Town
Berne, Michigan was a quiet farming hamlet in 1900. This report covers daily life—farming, schoolhouses, church gatherings—and the families who helped build this rural Thumb-area village.
Amazing History of Walled Lake Michigan – 16 Old Photos Showing a Lakeside Boomtown
Once a quiet farming village, Walled Lake became one of Michigan’s busiest summer destinations. Dance halls, amusement rides, and lakeside crowds reshaped the town between 1890 and 1940.