Category Archives: Thumb

A Soldiers Final Resting Place

Posted on by Posted in Cemetery, Thumb .

When thinking of Memorial Day many people can recall an image from a national cemetery with row and rows of headstones and American flags placed alongside them. I have visited many old rural cemeteries and see some individual tombstones with the Stars and Stripes proudly waving in the breeze. They may not be laid to rest with their brothers and sisters in a large elaborate cemetery, but that does not mean that the sacrifice they made was insignificant or forgotten. Thank you to the people who honor the veterans by placing flags next to the graves. I notice them and am grateful for their sacrifices.

I saw this headstone and flag on a hill in the Old Bayport Cemetery where many of the residents of the Ora Labora Colony are laid to rest.  you can read about that HERE

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The Forgotten Schoolhouse in the Thumb

Posted on by Posted in Schools, Thumb .

I saw this old school house somewhere between Bad Axe and Ubly. I can only assume it was an old school since there is a swing set next to it.

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Gateway To The Thumb

Posted on by Posted in small towns, Thumb .

Traveling down M-25 from Bay City into the Thumb you pass through the town of Unionville. The sign welcoming travelers proudly says “Gateway To The Thumb” The town was founded in 1854 when Horace C. Marvin built the first home in the area. He also built and operated a general store and was the towns first postmaster. He named the town Unionville after his native town of Union Ohio.

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The Pigeon House

Posted on by Posted in Houses, Thumb .

When I say “the pigeon house”, I don’t mean a house full of pigeons. I saw this old farmhouse near the town of Pigeon in the Thumb. It probably has pigeons living in it but I don’t know. I stopped got a pic from the road and moved on. If only walls could talk, they could tell a story of the life this house once had.

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Lost In Quanicassee

Posted on by Posted in Forgotten Places, Thumb .

I saw this old building in Quanicassee. I am not sure if it was a schoolhouse or not, it looks as if it had a sign above the door at one time. I don’t have a story to tell about this place I just thought it was interesting on one of my trips through the thumb. If you are wondering, according to Wikipedia the name Quanicassee is a Native American word meaning “lone tree”

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Bach Michigan, but not that Bach

Posted on by Posted in General Store, Thumb .

Southeast of Sebewaing is the little town of Bach which is home to this old general store. If you are like me and think the town was named after the famous composer than you would be incorrect. You know what they say about assuming, you make an ass out of you and… well I guess I better get back to the town of Bach.  The town was named after Fredric Bach who founded it in 1889. The little town even got a station on the Michigan Central Railroad and a post office in 1912.

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The Old General Store in Watrousville

Posted on by Posted in small towns, Thumb .

 

If you have ever driven down M-81 in the Thumb you have probably gone past this old building in the small town of Watrousvlle. The historical marker next to the building reads:

Aaron Watrous and his crew of loggers came here in the thumb in 1852 to cut the virgin pine of the Cass River Valley. In 1860 he platted the town naming it Watrousville, and a few years later constructed this building as a general store. The flagpole in front is thought to have been erected during the 1864 presidential campaign. Watrous died in 1868, and in 1882 the building became the Juniata Township Hall. Since 1972 it has been a museum of the Watrousville-Caro Area Historical Society.

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Seeking Refuge in Harbor Beach

Posted on by Posted in Lighthouses, Thumb .

Ships sailing along Lake Huron between Port Huron and the tip of the Thumb in the early 1800s had few places to seek refuge from the gales of November. Or any storm that whips up for that matter. A small harbor helped in Harbor Beach, but It was decided in the mid-1800s to build a break wall to create a safe haven for ships from the fury of Mother Nature. In 1885 a lighthouse was built replacing a light on a wooden frame. It guides ships to the opening in the break wall welcoming them to safety. It about a mile of shore but you can get a good view of it from a pier at the end of Trescott Street in Harbor Springs. I took this pic with a long telephoto lens. On Saturdays, in the summer you can take a boat to the lighthouse for a guided tour. here is their website for more info https://harborbeachlighthouse.org/

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The Air Force Base in the Thumb

Posted on by Posted in Thumb .

During the Cold War, the vital task of watching the skies for enemy airplanes was done by the Air Force. At the start of the Korean War, the Air Force built 28 radar installations around the country to watch the skies over North America. The 754th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was initially activated on 27 November 1950 at a temporary site at Oscoda AFB. After construction was completed on a new base a few miles south of Port Austin it was assigned to the new base in July 1951 and joined the militaries permanent radar network. The station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron’s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit’s radar scopes. Over the years the radar units were updated until the mid-1980s when the main bearing failed on the current radar dish.  The duties of watching the sky went to the FAA long-range radar site at Canton near Detroit. The radar was eventually fixed and the base was used until 1988.  It was determined that the FAA site in Canton would serve the needs of the country and the base in Port Austin officially closed. The base was sold into private ownership and the former Air Force buildings are now used as a bible camp and an RV park among other things. The road leading into the old complex is privately owned and closed to the public. I took a pic of the old radar stands from the road.

Thank you to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the military. It’s because of your commitment and sacrifices that give me the freedom to roam this beautiful state and country.

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The Pigeon Barn

Posted on by Posted in Barns and Farms, Thumb .

I have seen pics of the pigeon barn on the internet, but I never knew where it was located. Logic would dictate that it would be near Pigeon, but I saw it as I was leaving Port Austin. I figured I better stop and get a pic of it before the pigeon flies away. I love seeing murals on sides of barns, how about you?

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