Tag: Great Lakes history

Overlooked Michigan History You Likely Missed in School

Posted on March 21, 2026May 17, 2026 by Michael Hardy

Michigan’s history is often told through well-known events—Detroit’s auto industry, the Mackinac Bridge, or lumber booms. But across the state,

Detroit Buffalo Steamship Travel – The Fierce 1902 Rate War on the Great Lakes

Posted on March 15, 2026March 15, 2026 by Michael Hardy

the Harbor Beach News from July 1902. It highlights a fare war between the railroads and the steamships on excursions between Buffalo, New York, and Detroit, Michigan. It signals a sign that it’s the beginning of the end of steamship dominance on the Great Lakes in favor of railroads.

The Amazing History of Marine City, Michigan (Late 1800s–1950) – Michigan Moments Video

Posted on September 24, 2025October 5, 2025 by Michael Hardy

tep back in time to Marine City, Michigan between 1880–1950. From shipbuilding dominance to salt works and sugar refineries, this river town’s history shaped the Great Lakes economy.

Burnt Cabin Point Resort (Eagle Bay, Michigan) – The Thumb’s Vanished Northern Landmark – Video

Posted on May 18, 2025June 16, 2025 by Michael Hardy

We have dropped in to the Eagle Bay kayak launch many times while travelling to Grindstone City to have lunch

The Legacy of Gillingham Fishing Docks in Caseville, Michigan

Posted on April 11, 2025April 11, 2025 by Michael Hardy

A vintage postcard reveals the once-booming fishing docks of Caseville. Learn how the Gillingham Fish Company helped shape the Thumb’s economy—and what remains today.

Forgotten disaster – The tragic sinking of Thousand Islander in 1928

Posted on January 26, 2025August 16, 2025 by Michael Hardy

In November 1928, the passenger steamer Thousand Islander sank during a fierce gale on Lake Huron while being towed. Despite efforts to rescue its crew, the ship succumbed to the storm, highlighting the inherent dangers of Great Lakes navigation in that era.