The End of the Road in Michigan

In the early 1900s, Hancock’s Quincy Mine—nicknamed Old Reliable—was one of America’s most productive copper mines. It reached over a mile underground, ran the world’s largest steam hoist, and fueled Michigan’s Copper Country economy for decades.But the work was grueling, the hours long, and tensions boiled over in the 1913 strike—culminating in the Italian Hall disaster, one of the darkest days in Michigan’s labor history.In this End of the Road in Michigan episode, we uncover the full story: the rise, the innovation, and the strife that shaped the Quincy Mine and the community around it.Listen now and step back into a world where copper was king—and the cost of progress was paid in human lives.#QuincyMine #MichiganHistory #CopperCountry #EndOfTheRoadInMichiganA production of Thumbwind Publications

In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we take you back to the early 1900s, when Saugatuck transformed from a quiet lumber town into a vibrant summer retreat for Chicago’s city dwellers. You’ll hear how steamships, interurban trains, and hand-cranked ferries brought thousands to this lakeshore village.We revisit the days of the Big Pavilion, where electric lights lit up the harbor and music echoed across the water, and follow vacationers over Mt. Baldhead to the soft sands of Oval Beach.This episode also explores Saugatuck’s artistic legacy, with the founding of the Ox-Bow Summer School of Painting, and uncovers local stories — including Prohibition-era intrigue and the town’s growing reputation as a welcoming, creative community.It’s a story of reinvention, leisure, and the rhythms of summer that still echo today.A production of Thumbwind Publications

This episode traces North Adams, a Hillsdale County village that grew up along the rails and wired itself for the future. We open with the town’s most retold story—blacksmith Henry Taylor, a former slave who became a respected tradesman and was said to carry his anvil and once walk off with a potbelly stove. From there, we move down Main Street to Maccabee Hall, Barden’s Hotel, and C. J. Knapp’s store, then over to the 1912 Municipal Lighting Plant that brought electric light to homes and storefronts.We also cover a tough year: April 23, 1927, when sparks from a chimney ruined the village school. Classes shifted to Town Hall, the Odd Fellows hall, and the Congregational Church while a new building was planned. A 1927 newspaper snapshot rounds out daily life—about 500 residents, three churches, a 12-grade school on the University of Michigan list, a library of 900 books, and a full block of shops and services.A production of Thumbwind Publications

At the far eastern tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula lies De Tour Village, where the St. Marys River meets Lake Huron. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we trace De Tour’s history from its earliest Native American encampments and French voyageurs to the bustling lumber era of the late 1800s.We revisit the days when the harbor was crowded with freighters, the winters when ships froze in place, and the arrival of summer tourists drawn to nearby Caribou Lake resorts. Through maritime heritage, economic change, and enduring small-town life, De Tour’s story reflects the history of Michigan’s Great Lakes communities.A production of Thumbwind Publications

The History of Tower, Michigan (1900–1950) In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we travel to Cheboygan County to tell the story of Tower, a northern Michigan village built on timber and the railroad. At the turn of the 20th century, Tower was a booming lumber town — home to busy sawmills, the Stratton Handle Factory, and a thriving Main Street lined with shops, hotels, and saloons.But Tower’s fortunes changed quickly. In 1911, a massive wildfire destroyed much of its industry and infrastructure. Just over a decade later, the Black River flooded, threatening to destroy the Tower Dam and washing out sections of railroad track. Through fire, flood, and economic decline, Tower adapted — from a bustling mill town to a quiet rural community.Using rare historical accounts, this episode traces the rise, trials, and survival of Tower, Michigan, from 1900 to 1950. It’s a story echoed in small towns across the state — places built by the forest, changed by time, and held together by the people who stayed.A production of Thumbwind Publications

On September 5, 1881, Michigan’s Thumb was engulfed by one of the deadliest forest fires in state history. In this gripping episode of The End of the Road in Michigan, we recount the devastating story of the 1881 Parisville Fire, which destroyed 446 buildings and claimed 22 lives in a single afternoon.Through vivid storytelling and eyewitness accounts, we explore how this small Polish immigrant community faced total destruction—and how a handful of mysterious "miracles" gave them hope amid the ashes. Discover the legacy of Michigan’s deadliest Thumb fire and how Parisville rose from its ruins to rebuild stronger than before.A production of Thumbwind Publications

Before the freeways, before commercial flights, lake steamers were the gateway to the Midwest.In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we chart the rise and fall of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company—one of the Great Lakes' most iconic passenger lines. From grand vessels like the City of Detroit III and Greater Detroit, to the six-day cruises connecting Detroit, Cleveland, and Put-in-Bay, the D&C Line helped shape the travel culture of an industrializing Michigan.With luxury cabins, promenade decks, and sweeping lake views, these ships were floating cities—and they carried millions across Lake Erie and Huron.We bring you stories from passengers, stewards, and engineers, along with archival details and artifacts from Detroit's maritime past. Find out how this once-dominant fleet faded into history with the rise of the automobile—and what still remains today. This is the legacy of D&C Navigation—when ships ruled the lakes, and the end of the road was only the beginning.A production of Thumbwind Publications

In 1911, the tiny farming town of Tyre, Michigan, was rocked by a string of mysterious deaths in the Sparling family. Over the course of two years, four men from the same household died of sudden, agonizing illnesses. At first, it seemed like a tragedy. Then suspicion. And finally, murder.In this episode, we unravel the haunting story of “The Dying Sparlings”—a tale of poison, scandal, and a courtroom drama that captured the attention of a state. Was it the family doctor? The grieving mother? Or someone else entirely? This 20-minute narrative walks you through one of Michigan’s most notorious historical murder cases—and the ripple effects it had across the Thumb.A production of Thumbwind Publications

In January 1911, two young brothers vanished into the frozen waters of Lake Huron. What followed was one of the most daring rescue efforts in Great Lakes history.With ice closing in and time running out, a life-saving crew from Harbor Beach set out on a 40-mile journey by sleigh to bring them home. This episode of End of the Road in Michigan tells the true story of grit, community, and survival during one of Michigan’s coldest winters. 🔹 Bite-size pieces of Michigan history you likely never heard before.🔹 Based on original reporting from The Harbor Beach Times, January 5, 1911.A production of Thumbwind Publications

Pontiac’s War: Fire on the Frontier, Peace in the ShadowsIn 1763, as British flags replaced French ones across the Great Lakes, the First Peoples of Michigan faced a new empire—one that dismissed their diplomacy, severed their trade, and threatened their way of life. Led by Odawa war chief Pontiac and inspired by the spiritual teachings of Neolin, tribes from across the region united in a massive resistance campaign.This episode traces the dramatic siege of Fort Detroit, the harrowing use of smallpox at Fort Pitt, and the chilling aftermath of Pontiac’s assassination, including the haunting legend of Starved Rock. From war councils beneath the pines to vengeance on the banks of the Mississippi, Pontiac’s War was not just a rebellion—it was a defense of land, life, and sovereignty. And its echoes still shape the memory of the Great Lakes today. Tune in as End of the Road in Michigan brings this powerful story to life through dramatic narrative and historic insight.A production of Thumbwind Publications

Beneath the waters of Lake Huron lies one of the oldest known hunting grounds in North America. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we explore the discovery of the Alpena-Amberley Ridge—a submerged prehistoric land bridge once used by Ice Age hunters to track caribou.Archaeologists uncovered stone structures over 9,000 years old, reshaping our understanding of ancient life in the Great Lakes. We also examine the Indigenous stories that may align with this site’s hidden history.Read the story at The Lost City Beneath Lake Huron – Michigan’s Oldest Known Hunting GroundA production of Thumbwind Publications

The Sinking of the Lady Elgin – Milwaukee’s Night of Mourning In this emotional 10-minute episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we recount the 1860 wreck of the Lady Elgin—a luxury steamer torn apart in a midnight collision that killed nearly 300 people. Through survivor accounts, newspaper reports, and haunting details, this story explores how an entire city mourned, how bravery shone in the darkness, and why the disaster still resonates today.Read more about this tragedy at The 1860 Lady Elgin Disaster -  Lake Michigan's Deadliest ShipwreckA production of Thumbwind Publications

What do you do when your town dies? If you're William Carter and William McCoy in 1880s Michigan, you move your hotel — building and all — to where the action is. In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we trace the 140-year life of a single building that started in Port Crescent, found new life in Kinde, and reinvented itself as the Grand Central Hotel, Clancy’s, and finally the Wagon Wheel Inn. It’s a story of sawdust, railroads, Friday fish fries, and the long arc of small-town history.Tune in for a surprising tale of resilience, reinvention, and what happens when a hotel becomes part of a community’s identity. Read the full story at The Amazing Story of the Grand Central Hotel (Kinde, Michigan) – 1880s to 1970s – The Forgotten Inn That Traveled Across TimeA production of Thumbwind Publications

In this episode of End of the Road in Michigan, we uncover the remarkable 1838 journey of 15-year-old Edward Petit, the first European child born in Port Huron. As a teenage fur trader fluent in Ojibwe, Petit set out to locate a lost winter camp led by the elusive Chief O-ta-was. Braving freezing rain, hunger, and vast wilderness along the shores of Saginaw Bay, he completed one of the most successful trades in Michigan's early frontier history.This story sheds light on the human side of early settler-Indigenous relations and the forgotten routes that shaped Michigan’s Thumb.A production of Thumbwind Publications

Step aboard the grand steamers that once ruled the Great Lakes. In this episode, we trace the story of the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company — from its 19th-century founding to its peak as a fleet of luxurious passenger ships and, finally, to its quiet demise in the postwar era.You’ll hear about moonlit voyages, the majestic City of Detroit III, legendary designer Frank E. Kirby, wartime conversions, and the final season marked by tragedy. A compelling look at the transportation network that connected Michigan and the Midwest — and what it meant to the generations who sailed those inland seas.Read the full story at Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company: Remarkable Tales from Michigan’s Golden Age of Steam.A production of Thumbwind Publications