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.

Pigeon Michigan Amusement Parlor c1900

Posted on July 1, 2020March 10, 2026 by Paul Austin

This picture of a street scene in Pigeon, Michigan is thought to be taken right around 1900. The amusement parlor

Then and Now – Platts Drugstore Port Sanilac

Posted on June 27, 2020March 30, 2023 by Michael Hardy

This historical Drugstore is deemed as being Michigan’s longest family owned continuously operating pharmacy in Michigan. It stands today as a boutique shop in Port Sanilac.

Two Views of Cass City in 1930 & 2020 – A Amazing Transition of Time

Posted on June 2, 2020March 10, 2026 by Malcom Mott

f Cass City Road in Cass City has stayed somewhat unchanged for the past 90 years. Some of the buildings remain, many have been remodeled. However, the ornate trim and front facades and balconies are long gone.

Kinde Michigan Grain Elevators and Depot

Posted on May 28, 2020March 10, 2026 by Malcom Mott

Kinde was once renowned as the “Bean Capital of the World“. Michigan white navy bean soup has been a staple for over one hundred years in the U.S. Senate dining room in the form of Senate bean soup

The Lake Huron Shipwreck of the Iron Chief

Posted on May 19, 2020June 7, 2023 by Malcom Mott

The picture post on our sister site about the huge dock in Forrestville gives rise to the question. Why did they name the boathouse the Iron Chief? A little exploring showed that there indeed was a ship with this unusual name but she was not made out of iron. Today, she lays in over a hundred feet of water off the shore of the Grindstone City in the Thumb Area Bottomland Preserve

The Pier Based Coast Guard Station Harbor Beach

Posted on May 13, 2020November 29, 2024 by Malcom Mott

The Coast Guard Station at Harbor Beach, originally built in 1910 and relocated in 1935, served as a training facility during WWII before closing in 1987. Despite preservation efforts, the station was demolished in 2004. It played a significant role in the Great Lakes waterway system and local maritime history.

Sebewaing Railway Depot – The Historical Center of the Western Thumb

Posted on May 4, 2020June 15, 2022 by Michael Hardy

While neglected, with broken windows, faded peeling paint and vines almost covering one end, this historic depot helped make the region an economic powerhouse for the eastern shore of the Thumb for decades

Emil Baur Gave Relief to the Indians at Ora Labora After 1871 Great Fire

Posted on April 30, 2020November 11, 2024 by Michael Hardy

In October of 1871, a great forest fire swept across much of the Thumb region including the section of Michigan that included the lands of the former colony of Ora Labora. The colony was in the process of being disbanded and the lands sold off, but large holdings remained including some cabins and buildings. The colony’s benefactor and primary landowner, the Harmony Society immediately sent $200 for distribution among the needy.

The Lumbering Era in Caseville, Michigan – River Hogs Conquer The Spring Log Run

Posted on April 28, 2020March 10, 2026 by Malcom Mott

In spring, the winter logging operations ended, and the long run to the sawmill began. In this picture, two men, called River Hogs, worked to keep the logs moving along the Pigeon River to the sawmill in Caseville. The work took skill and was dangerous. River Hogs were paid up to $3.50 per day.

The Hard Core Stone Workers at Grindstone City Michigan 1920s

Posted on April 23, 2020March 10, 2026 by Peter Rossi

From the 1830s until the 1910s, Grindstone City Michigan produced the premier grinding wheels in the United States. In 1888, the Cleveland Stone Co. Purchased the property owned by Worthington and Sons and became the sole owner of all quarry properties.