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.
Before Interstate 94, before automobiles and even before Michigan became a state, travelers heading between Detroit and Chicago faced a long overland journey. In Clinton, one building became part of that traffic story. The structure remembered as the Old Stage House …
Fort Gratiot light was built in April 1829. It was situated north of an older tower light that has collapsed into the St. Clair river after a violent storm. The tower was constructed of brick to the height of 65 feet. In 1862 the height was increased to 82 feet to match the focal point of a new 4th order Fresnel lens.
Historic photographs trace Grand Blanc from Michigan’s pioneering school consolidation to the mills, railroads and businesses that shaped the community. Grand Blanc was still closely tied to the farms of Genesee County when residents made an important change to local education. …
Grand Blanc’s early history includes horse-drawn school buses, a working mill, a railroad depot and a business street adapting to automobile travel. Historic images show how farms, schools and local businesses shaped this Genesee County community before its later suburban growth.
Watch this Michigan Moments episode as we travel back to downtown to see a bit of Elkton Michigan history in 1940, when a single photograph captured a community on the brink of change. One vintage photograph tells an entire story. Parked …
A century-old photograph can sometimes catch technology at the exact moment it still seemed impossible. This image, dated 1915, shows a smiling young aviator standing beside an early biplane in Bad Axe, Michigan. Handwritten lettering identifies him as “The Bird Man …
Today the Port Hope Depot has been exquisitely restored. You can see exhibits in the passenger waiting room, the station masters office, luggage and freight room. Each room has been painted to match the original color.
From early hunting laws and 50-cent licenses to deer patches and opening-day reunions, the history of deer hunting in Michigan follows generations into the woods. Michigan’s deer-hunting history lives in more than just harvest reports. It survives in camp photographs, old …
Michigan’s Sanilac Petroglyphs contain more than 100 carvings along the Cass River. New research and tribal interpretation are changing how this ancient site is understood and protected.
Alexander Henry was a fur trader, merchant, militia commander, and novelist who lived during the American Revolutionary War. His exploits were legendary during the war between France and England over control of the Great Lakes region.
