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.

Michigan Salt Industry History – 1800s Thumb Production, Decline & What Remains Today

Posted on January 14, 2026January 14, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The production of salt from the deep brine wells around the Upper Thumb propelled the fishing industry to national prominence because they could preserve fish.

History of Omer Michigan – Fire, Flood, and a Small City That Endured Disaster (1866-1940)

Posted on January 13, 2026February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Omer, Michigan was once a busy lumber town with banks, mills, and a growing Main Street. Fire and floods nearly erased it. This story explains how Omer endured—and why its history still matters.

General George Meade – US Army Engineer, Great Lakes Surveyor and Gettysburg Commander

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

In the mid 1800’s much of Michigan was wilderness. In 1857, Captain George Meade took over the Lakes Survey mission of the Great Lakes.

History of Michigan Chicory Production – From Ditch Weed to Coffee’s Breakfast Sidekick (1860-1940)

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

Michigan once supplied nearly all of America’s chicory. This report traces how farms, factories, and railroads built a quiet but profitable coffee industry across the state.

Short History of The Walker Tavern at Cambridge Junction Michigan – House at the Crossroads – (1832-1940)

Posted on January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Walker Tavern at Cambridge Junction was built in 1832 along the Old Chicago Road. Its story reveals how Michigan travel evolved—from Indigenous trails to stagecoaches, highways, and roadside tourism.

Michigan’s Great Sauk Trail – A 400 Mile Native American Legacy

Posted on January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Great Sauk Trail is a major Native American route that ran between Detroit, Chicago and terminated at Rock Island on the Mississippi river. Originally created by migrating bison, the trail was only about a foot wide but also a foot deep as eons of travelers walked along it single file. It was used over a thousand years.

Michigan Grave Robbers Brazenly Operated During the 1800s

Posted on January 4, 2026January 4, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Grave robbing was a gruesome yet common crime in the late 1800’s as medical schools sought bodys for study.

The Secret History of Tower Beach Amusement Park, Sylvan Lake (1890–1940)

Posted on January 1, 2026February 23, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Before cottages and cars, Tower Beach Sylvan Lake Michigan thrived as a trolley-fed amusement park. Families packed picnic baskets, rode the interurban, and spent risky, unforgettable summer days by the water.