News History & Fun in Michigan
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.
Michigan’s beautiful landscape of rolling hills, sparkling lakes, and thick forests inspired early 20th-century entrepreneurs to build scenic lookout towers to entice the new generation of automobile tourists. In the 1910s and 1920s, as motoring became popular, roadside observation towers sprang …
From steam trains to sugar beets, the history of Gilford, Michigan reveals a remarkable journey of a rural town shaped by railroads, farming, faith, and lasting community spirit.
Historical pictures that shows Caseville Harbor from about 1941. This offers a glimpse of the history of Caseville Harbor. Looking out to Saginaw Bay, the only building that remains today is the Huron Yacht Club.
Located near present day Bay Port, Ora Labora known as “Christian German Agricultural and Benevolent Society of Ora et Labora” (Pray and Work), where it’s parishioners could combine work with prayer, and live according to the Methodist Church Discipline. Founded in 1862 on Michigan’s Wild Fowl Bay, the colony disappeared in 1867.
Once a vital railroad and farm hub in Michigan’s Thumb, Bach’s history reflects the hopes of its founder and the harsh turns of the Great Depression. Explore its German-American roots, boom years, and quiet fade into rural obscurity.
In 1913, Grand Rapids police arrested a woman for smoking a cigarette in a public park. The case sheds light on outdated norms and how public behavior was policed.
In May 1913, a Pere Marquette train derailed near Marlette, Michigan, after a backup engine caused the tracks to buckle. No one was killed—but the wreck drew a crowd.
We found an interesting photo from the 1950s that shows Aubrey M. Clarke seated in front of a panel of radio equipment, a microphone in one hand, and a confident smile on his face. Clarke’s call sign—W8OKV—is prominently displayed, along with …
