The Upper Thumb of Michigan refers to the northeastern region of Michigan’s “thumb” area, part of the state’s Lower Peninsula. Bordered by Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay, the region is known for its scenic shoreline, small towns, and outdoor recreational opportunities such as boating, fishing, and camping. Key towns in the Upper Thumb include Caseville, Port Austin, and Bad Axe. It’s a popular destination for summer tourism, featuring attractions like the Port Austin Farmers Market, Turnip Rock, and the Caseville Cheeseburger Festival. The Upper Thumb combines natural beauty with a laid-back, rural charm, making it a favorite getaway for locals and visitors alike.
From time to time, we like to visit the Hitching Post in Elkton. It’s a great place to stop after a round of golf at Century Oaks. It’s a great place to grab a proper bar burger. It’s a fascinating old building with strange stained glass in many windows. I always wondered about the history of this building and what role it played in the community.
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Drive from any point south of the Thumb north toward Port Austin, Michigan, to its tip, and you will encounter small towns and villages hanging on by a thread. The town at the tip of the Thumb has taken a different approach; offering the community a destination for the entire summer season.
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Point of Pines Hotel and Summer Resort operated in Port Austin Michigan from 1898 until about 1935. Mary Buttars ran the resort until her death in 1911.
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The Caseville IGA was a landmark as a kid growing up in the Upper Thumb The IGA was the store I remember growing up. It was old, the floors creaked, it smelled funny and it was crowded in the summer. I loved it.
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Excerpt on the Pointe Aux Barques Resort taken from the Standard Guide to Mackinac Island and Northern Michigan Resorts 1899.
The Standard Guide; Mackinac Island and Northern Lake Resorts. It is a visitors handbook written in 1898 detailing early tourism to Mackinac Island. For 25 cents it gave the potential visitor a glimpse of what to expect at Michigan’s premier tourist destination. However, the ads and descriptions of the other northern Michigan resorts of the day are fascinating.
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The calendar on your desk indicates that summer officially ends in about a week, but deep down you not quite ready to ditch the shorts and flip-flops for sweatshirts and football. It only really ends when you’ve done these 6 things in Michigan’s Upper Thumb.
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After a long and arduous search we deem one of the best cheeseburgers in Huron County is served at Shelley’s Bar in Grindstone City. This unassuming road house style bar & grill is a great find in the Upper Thumb.
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If you’re looking for things to do in Detroit, take a short road trip up M-25. The Port Sanilac Lighthouse was built in 1886 on the eastern shore of Michigan’s Thumb. This beautiful light serves the 60-mile shore between Fort Gratiot and Harbor Beach Light.
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