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.
These six Michigan Moments videos follow small towns shaped by Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay, railroads, lumber, cheese, fishing and inland roads. From Tawas to Linwood, each town adds another piece to the story of northeast Michigan and the Great Lakes Bay region.
Alabaster, Michigan, grew around gypsum, rail cars and Lake Huron shipping. These early photos show the U.S. Gypsum quarry, the aerial dock, the school, the hotel and the 1910 mill fire that nearly stopped the town’s main source of work.
Standish, Michigan grew from a railroad stop into a farm-market town, highway stop and oil-era community. Old images show the depot, Main Street, fishing docks and Halloween pranks.
Falmouth, Michigan, had an early brush with county government, but its lasting story came from work. Rail service, lumber, dairy, farm tools, banking and general stores turned the Missaukee County town into a practical hub for rural families.
The Drayton Plains hatchery was not just a pretty pond. In 1918, it was part of Michigan’s push to raise fish, stock public waters and manage nature by hand.
Belding, Michigan, became one of West Michigan’s most unusual factory towns, built on silk mills, company boarding houses, rail traffic, iceboxes and a busy Main Street.
Watch rare photos and learn how Prudenville, Michigan transformed from a lumber settlement into a thriving Houghton Lake destination built on fishing, hunting, tourism, dance halls, and family vacations that shaped northern Michigan.
Caseville transformed from an industrial hub in the late 1800s, characterized by fishing and lumbering, to a modern tourist destination. Its economy shifted towards tourism, attracting visitors with beaches and events, while its industrial past remains evident in historical sites and buildings.
Caro, Michigan, became more than a county seat. Its growth came from sugar beets, railroads, hospitals, public offices, electric power and the Caro Fair. This look back shows how one Thumb town became a working center for farm families, merchants and travelers.
The 1908 Metz Fire destroyed the village of Metz, Michigan, and killed 37 people. Hundreds were left homeless. The most painful chapter came when a Detroit & Mackinac Railway relief train derailed after intense heat damaged the rails near Nowicki’s Siding.
