News & 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.
The History of Casco Michigan comes alive in a stack of real photo postcards. One-room schools, bean fields, orchards and family homes show how a modest St. Clair County farm township built its daily life.
From the brick Hotel Lenox to St. Augustine’s stone church and the steady hum of the Grand Trunk Railway, the history of Richmond Michigan between 1890 and 1930 shows how a modest farm town adopted modern life without losing its close community ties.
Michigan has a pretty interesting history that goes beyond what you usually hear about. While many people think of its big factories and industrial growth, there are also many lesser-known stories that have helped shape the state’s identity and culture. These …
We examine a local legend of Indian gold and a hermit who made a castle at Loosemore point near the tip of Michigan’s Thumb.
Defunct Michigan automakers once filled Detroit, Lansing and Kalamazoo with factories, jobs and big promises. This feature profiles Packard, Hudson, AMC, REO, Hupmobile, Detroit Electric and Checker, and explains how each tried to stand against the Big Three before finally closing the doors.
The History of November 11, 1911 Cyclone at Owosso Michigan begins like many Midwestern stories, with an ordinary Saturday that turned strange. The day was unseasonably warm. Families in Owosso, a factory town on the Shiawassee River, went about their business …
Chesaning grew along the Shiawassee with mills, farms, rail service, and Main Street parades. See how a Chippewa place-name and early industry shaped a Michigan river town between 1900 and 1930.
See how a river, a merger, and a shift from lumber to factories shaped Saginaw, Michigan. Bridges, phones, and the Hoyt Library mark a city learning new trades—and planning for the next season.
