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.

Black-and-white photo of a crowded downtown street with many early cars parked and large American flags hanging overhead, with storefronts lining the block.

History of St. Johns Michigan – The Secrets of Mint City When it Ran on Rail Time (1890-1940)

Posted on March 7, 2026March 7, 2026 by Michael Hardy

St. Johns, Michigan, has long been the place in Clinton County where the official business gets done. It is the

History of Cheboygan Michigan – A River Town Between Timber and the Great Lakes (1840 – 1940) – Video

Posted on February 20, 2026February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

These early postcards capture Cheboygan when the riverfront did the heavy lifting. Steamships tied up at the dock, a canning plant and paper mill hummed nearby, and Main Street stayed crowded day after day. It’s a snapshot of a town built to move goods, not commuters.

History of St. Helen Michigan – From Logging Boom to Beautiful Lakeside Village (1870-1940) – Video

Posted on February 15, 2026February 19, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Learn how St. Helen, Michigan transformed from a bustling lumber town into a peaceful lake community and even the boyhood home of Charlton Heston.

Short History of Camp Custer Michigan – Eye-opening Views of a Boot Camp, Hospital, and Military Legacy (1917 – 1968)

Posted on February 13, 2026February 19, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The history of Camp Custer Michigan begins in 1917, when farmland near Battle Creek became a massive Army training center. Its soldiers, nurses, hospitals, and barracks shaped two world wars and left a lasting mark on the region.

Brief History of Ortonville Michigan – The depot, the mill, and the day the rails failed (1890-1940)

Posted on February 12, 2026February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Ortonville’s early 1900s video show a working Main Street, a depot on the Detroit United Railway line, and a hotel called the Yolande House. A federal crash report from 1929 adds the hard edge: progress came fast, and it came with risk for local riders.

Surprising History of Farmington Michigan – From Frontier Village to Thriving City (1820 – 1940)

Posted on February 10, 2026February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The history of Farmington Michigan from 1890 to 1940 tracks a town shaped by farming, rail travel, fires, and steady civic growth along Grand River Avenue.