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Category Archives: Thumb

The Old Church in Deckerville

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, small towns, Thumb .

This old church stands on a farm along a dirt road near Deckerville. The town owes its name to Charles Decker, who established his lumber business in 1870. His construction of a sawmill and gristmill helped draw people to the area, leading to Deckerville’s incorporation as a village in 1893. Charles’s son, Martin Decker, served as the first postmaster in 1870, and the town eventually became a stop on the Pere Marquette Railroad.

The Thumb area experienced significant forest fires in both 1871 and 1881. While destructive, these fires had an unintended benefit: they cleared vast tracts of land, quickly transforming the region into a highly productive farming area.

Throughout its history, Deckerville has been home to a variety of industries. Beyond its initial lumbering roots, the village has seen fur-trading, woolen mills, flax mills, brick making, and even a sauerkraut factory. At one point, cheese making was also a thriving local industry.

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The Thumb’s Fire Victims

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Thumb .

Argyle Township is located between Cass City and the Lake Huron shoreline. On a dirt road among the trees is an old cemetery that goes by several different names: Hillside, Cole, and Wheatland. In the middle of the old cemetery is a large marker memorializing some of its inhabitants and the first people to be laid to rest in the cemetery. They were victims of the Great Fire of 1881. The marker reads:

“In Loving Memory of John M. Cole and his wife Susan Seder Cole. Pioneer settlers who homesteaded this farm in 1866 and started this cemetery by finding and burying victims of the forest fire Sept 5, 1881. He was a Union soldier serving in the 61st Vol Inf Co, 8th Mich Cav Vo G.

Erected by Their Children, most of whom were born on this farm 40 rods south of this point.”

I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the Coles after the devastating fire. It must have been an enormous hardship, but they still took the time to locate the bodies of their neighbors and bury them.

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The Swinging Bridge in the Thumb

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Bridges, Thumb .

While the Mackinac Bridge rightfully claims the title of Michigan’s longest suspension bridge for vehicular traffic, a lesser-known but equally significant structure holds the record for the state’s longest foot suspension bridge: the charming crossing in Croswell. Situated in the base of the Thumb, approximately thirty miles north of Port Huron, the town of Croswell lies along the banks of the Black River, the site of this unique pedestrian span. This 139-foot-long suspension bridge was erected in 1905 by the Michigan Sugar Company with the practical purpose of facilitating the safe passage of its workers across the Black River.

The original design of the bridge was rather rudimentary, consisting of only two supporting cables for the wooden planks and, surprisingly, no handrails for balance. Traversing such a structure must have been a precarious undertaking, and one can easily imagine the potential for missteps and an unexpected plunge into the river below. Adding a touch of local character, signs were installed at each end of the bridge. On the west side, a sign humorously advised, “Be good to your Mother In Law,” while the east side offered a more sentimental message: “Love Ye One Another.” These signs likely served as a gentle deterrent to prevent playful or mischievous individuals from swinging the bridge.

Recognizing the inherent instability of the original design, two additional cables were added a few years after its construction, providing much-needed handholds for pedestrians. In 2006, the bridge underwent a significant restoration project that included the replacement of all 135 planks, ensuring its safety and allowing visitors to continue enjoying this historic footbridge. It is a fun and weird experiance crossing the bridge as it sways and bounces. I think everyone should cross it at least once.

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Grindstone City Trading Company

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Iconic Buildings, Thumb .

This old building stands in Grindstone City at the tip of the Thumb. It was the Grindstone City Trading Company and it was the last company to own and operate the grindstone quarries and company store that were once the centerpiece of a thriving grindstone industry. The industry began in 1834 when Captain Aaron Peer discovered a high-quality gritstone in the area. This led to the establishment of quarries and mills to produce grindstones, which were exported internationally. The Cleveland Stone Company purchased all the properties and quarries in 1888 and became the sole proprietors.

The grindstone industry in Grindstone City declined after World War I. This was due to the development of carborundum, an artificial abrasive that was more economical to produce. This change caused the industry to cease operations around 1930.The Grindstone General Store is the last remaining business from the original Grindstone City. It is now a seasonal ice cream parlor and gift shop.

If you love exploring the Thumb and reading about its unique history be sure to look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Thumb available on Amazon HERE

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The Blue Man of Elkton

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in people, Thumb .

In early 1958, motorists around Elkton in Michigan’s Thumb region began reporting sightings of a “little blue man.” This glowing figure, described as looking like a spaceman, would mysteriously appear on rural roads and then vanish just as suddenly, leaving startled drivers with no trace of him. As time went on, the sightings grew more fantastic, with some claiming the man was ten feet tall, others two feet tall, and one even stating he “ran faster than any human.” The local police began searching for the cause of these strange reports.

The mystery was finally solved when three young men—Jerry Sprague, Don Weiss, and LeRoy Schultz—confessed to the prank. Inspired by news reports of flying saucers, they created a costume from long underwear, gloves, combat boots, a sheet with eyeholes, and a football helmet with blinking lights, all spray-painted glow-in-the-dark blue after a popular song. Sprague, who fit the underwear, would hide in a ditch and leap out as a car approached, running along the road to draw attention before quickly jumping into the trunk of the car driven by Weiss and Schultz. They carried out this prank on at least eight to ten nights over several weeks, and the police ultimately let them off with a warning.

I was taking pics of the historic log cabin in Ackerman Memorial Park and was reading the sign in front of it. It was there I learned about the “Blue Man”. It’s amazing the things you learn from historical signs.

If you love exploring the Thumb and reading about its unique history be sure to look at my new book Lost In Michigan’s Thumb available on Amazon HERE

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Frank Murphy’s House

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses, people, Thumb .

The picturesque town of Harbor Beach, nestled in Michigan’s Thumb, holds a piece of history: a beautiful gothic house, its white siding contrasting with a verdant green roof. A sign proclaims it the Murphy Museum, and a bronze plaque details the remarkable life of Frank Murphy. Born in this very town in 1890, Murphy’s journey took him from local lawyer to the highest echelons of American government. He served as Mayor of Detroit, Governor of Michigan, and U.S. Attorney General, culminating in his appointment to the Supreme Court by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Justice Murphy’s legacy is defined by his unwavering commitment to civil rights, most notably his powerful dissent against the Japanese internment camps, which he denounced as “legalized racism.” This house, his former home and law office, now stands as a testament to his enduring connection to Harbor Beach, where he was ultimately buried at Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic Cemetery.

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The Grice House

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses, Thumb .

Situated on M-25, just north of Harbor Beach and facing the marina, sits a picturesque fieldstone house constructed by James Grice, an English settler arriving in the 1860s. This historic home, which survived the infamous 1881 fire, now serves as a museum, allowing visitors to step back in time and experience the daily life of past generations.

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The Old Vermilya school

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Schools, Thumb .

In the sprawling farmland southwest of Columbiaville, the old Vermilya school stands as a poignant relic. Its construction dates back to the bygone year of 1875, and the years have certainly left their mark. The weathered clapboard siding, a fascinating mosaic of faded grays and peeling whites, tells a silent story of decades spent at the mercy of the elements. This schoolhouse, a sentinel of a forgotten time, ceased its educational role in 1941, when its students were redirected to the more modern, bustling classrooms of Columbiaville. From my vantage point along the roadside, it appears this property is now privately owned. I was compelled to capture a photograph of this beautifully weathered structure, its aged charm a testament to a simpler era. The quiet dignity of the building, set against the backdrop of the rural landscape, made for a truly compelling image.

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The Moore House in Caro

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Houses, Thumb .

This beautiful old house with a thached Tudor style roof sits in a nieghborhood near downtown Caro. Originally built around 1868, the house was purchased in 1914 by William and Lovila Moore. William owned a telephone exchange company that had initially been based in Sandusky, Michigan, before relocating to Caro in 1896. When they acquired the property, it was designed in the Queen Anne style. In 1923, the Moores undertook a significant renovation of their home transforming it into the Tudor Revival style we see today. They also added a swimming pool, tennis courts, and various modern amenities. Lovila Moore resided in the house until her passing in 1937, while William J. Moore continued to live there until his retirement in 1947 and remained until he died in 1955.

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Wahjamega and the Farm Colony

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Forgotten Places, Thumb .

 

Near Caro, across from the Airport on M-81, is a complex of buildings. They were part of the farm colony of Wahjamega. The name “Wahjamega” is an acronym derived from the initials of its founding sawmill partners: William A. Heartt, James A. Montgomery, and Edgar George Avery.

In 1914, the state established a Farm Colony for Epileptics in Wahjamega, intended to address the overcrowding at the Lapeer State Home for Epileptics. It started out with good intentions for helping people, but the facility gained notoriety for its involvement in eugentics and the forced sterilization of patients, a practice conducted under Michigan law from 1914 to the mid-1960s.

Over the years, the facility has operated under various names. Today, a portion of it continues to function as the Caro State Psychiatric Hospital. Many of the old buildings are gone. This one still stands not far from the hospital. I assume it was patient housing at one time but I am not sure.

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