Michigan Salt Industry History – 1800s Thumb Production, Decline & What Remains Today
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.
Tag: Michigan History
This tag hints at articles and stories about Michigan history and the Michigan Thumb region. Michigan was part of the Northwest territory, and starting in 1815, the fur trade and influx of settlers and land speculators began.
By the time Michigan became a state in 1838, much of the southern third was already cris-crossed with improved Indian trails and initial roads. In a few short years, the lumbering era would begin, followed by the agriculture growth resulting from the cleared land.
History of Omer Michigan – Fire, Flood, and a Small City That Endured Disaster (1866-1940)
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.
History of Michigan Chicory Production – From Ditch Weed to Coffee’s Breakfast Sidekick (1860-1940)
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)
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
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
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)
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.
Polly Ann Railroad – Rail Life Along Michigan’s Pontiac-to-Caseville Line (1889-1984)
Polly Ann Railroad history still runs under your feet. Follow the 100-mile route from Pontiac to Caseville, meet the depot towns, and see how freight and mail shaped daily life.