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.

Bay City Michigan Riverfront Events: A Guide to Festivals on the Saginaw River in 2026

Posted on August 13, 2026August 19, 2026 by Paul Austin

The industrial docks that once shipped white pine lumber across the globe now serve as the foundation for one of the most concentrated festival…

Bad Axe, MI Travel Guide: History & Local Attractions

Posted on August 10, 2026August 13, 2026 by Paul Austin

In 1861, surveyor Captain Rudolph Papst stumbled upon a discarded, rusted tool at a deserted hunting camp and decided the site needed a name. He…

History of Fitchburg Michigan – Why a Busy Farm Village Grew Quiet

Posted on August 10, 2026August 11, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The History of Fitchburg Michigan follows a sawmill village that served Ingham County farms with stores, blacksmiths, a church and a school. Better roads and machinery later weakened its business center while nearby farms became more productive.

History of Maple City: A Guide to the Traverse City Area

Posted on August 10, 2026August 14, 2026 by Paul Austin

Long before it became a quiet residential hub in Leelanau County, Maple City was known to Michigan loggers and laborers simply as "Peg…

Before Michigan Had Towns: 10 Indigenous Villages, Fish Camps and Farm Earthworks

Posted on August 9, 2026August 9, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Long before Michigan had county seats and surveyed townships, Native communities had villages, fishing stations, sugar camps, farm fields, trade routes and ceremonial places across the Great Lakes. The record is especially rich around Saginaw Bay and the Thumb.

Best Live Lake Erie Webcams: Detroit & SE Michigan Views

Posted on August 8, 2026August 10, 2026 by Paul Austin

Lake Erie is the shallowest and most volatile of the Great Lakes, where a sudden shift in wind direction can transform a calm morning into a wall of…

Michigan Dark Sky Parks: A 2026 Guide to the State’s Best Stargazing Locations

Posted on August 6, 2026August 19, 2026 by Paul Austin

Driving six hours to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula doesn’t guarantee a view of the Milky Way if you aren’t prepared for the logistical realities…

Barnes-Hecker Mine Disaster – 51 Men Lost in Michigan’s Deadliest Underground Catastrophe

Posted on August 6, 2026August 6, 2026 by Michael Hardy

The Barnes-Hecker Mine Disaster struck near Ishpeming on Nov. 3, 1926, when a collapse sent water, mud and rock into the underground workings. Fifty-one men died. Only Wilfred Wills escaped, climbing an 800-foot ladder as the mine filled beneath him.

Saginaw Bay’s Northern Arc: Five Towns Along Michigan’s Working Shore

Posted on August 4, 2026August 29, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Follow five towns along northern Saginaw Bay where timber, rivers, railroads, gypsum, cheese and tourism shaped local life. This Michigan history hub gathers videos, photographs, supporting articles and travel stops from Pinconning through Omer, Au Gres and Alabaster to Tawas Bay.

Michigan State Campgrounds: A Guide to DNR Systems and Regional Favorites

Posted on August 4, 2026August 9, 2026 by Paul Austin

If you wait until the snow melts to book your summer stay at Michigan state campgrounds, you’ve already lost the best sites to planners who started…