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Thumb of Michigan


ZachariahDaMan

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I thought I would make a thread on the Thumb of Michigan. I just got back today from vacationing there at a cottage we rent south of Lexington. Lexington is 21 miles north of Port Huron. We went into a few downtowns there, they are listed below in order of the ones I liked the most:

1. Lexington

2. Croswell

3. Port Sanilac

4. Peck

5. Forester

I was wondering what towns you all like going to and if anyone else vacations there.

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I've never been to the thumb, either, besides passhing through Port Huron and have always imagined it as probably one of the most economically depressed regions with not much going on tourist wise. I know it's a stereotype, but I know nothing about the area. It would seem that it could capitalize of the lake like the westside of the state does off of Lake Michigan, but I don't really know of any resort towns on Lake Huron.

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I'll tell you, crossing the bridge is pretty interseting and cool. Actually, despite the lack of skyscrapers, it's probably just a good crossing, visually, as the Ambassador Bridge because on one side is a wide and clear river, and on the other it just opens up into Lake Huron. Another interesting thing is how much larger Sarnia looks because of it's residential high-rises than Port Huron. lol

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Bad Axe has quite a nice downtown actually. I was there once a few years ago. Back when I was in high school, me and 20 others drove to Caseville, and then later Port Austin which is way up there in thumb along the coast. The beaches there were really clean. I would say Caro and Bad Axe are the two biggest cities of the thumb, although neither are really all that big. I'm not sure the population estimates of those areas since it was hard to tell just driving through. But both had really nice downtowns. I would say there is likely no chance of major growth for the thumb area. There isn't much of an economy besides agriculture and some tourism. Yet suprisingly, there are some sizable houses out in those areas. I'm guessing these are people who want to get away from it all, but decided to commute 45 minutes to Saginaw or Bay City.

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I used to do a lot of driving around the thumb area. It's a good day trip from Detroit. I thought it was very pleasant, but then I'm easily entertained.

Port Huron has a good collection of Victorian architecture, although I got the impression that the city doesn't have much interest in preserving it. One day I met a man who owned a very old commercial building (like circa 1880s) in the shadow of the Bluewater Bridge. He wasn't doing much with the building, it needed rehabilitation but appeared to be structurally sound, and he invited up on the roof where he had an observation deck. He said that the city wanted to condemn it for condos. Now it's gone and guess what? No condos.

There are many nice small towns along the Huron coast, including Lexington. I went to school with somebody from Lexington and he hated it. It's probably the kind of place where there's nothing for young people to do, but it's good enough for a visit or vacation home.

South of Port Austin you'll find Huron City. It's a collection of old buildings that are open during the warm months but you can stop and walk around outside year round. Keep you eye out for Point Au Barques. It's not marked and you won't be invited in there if you don't know somebody who owns property there. Grindstone City is around there too.

The interior of the thumb is rural/agricultural with many small towns. The land is flat and the towns have squares with courthouses which remind me of Texas, although the courthouses are less grandiose. Bad Axe would fit this category.

There isn't a whole lot to do, but I'd recommend it for a day trip.

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i took a fishing trip out in the Thumb yesterday and got some pics, sorry i only have one downtown pic, i didnt have time to get any :(, i was gone for over 10 hours as it was. but i figured id showcase the natural beauty of the area anyway

but i drove through many towns, and i would say the nicest one is probobly Port Austin

but here is the pics i have

first off is the elevator in downtown Pigeon, its huge probobly almost 200 feet tall, i could see it for miles before i got to the town(probobly because its so flat out there lol)

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next up is the Sebewang River at the Sebewang Village Harbor, just downriver from downtown Sebewang

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heres the Pinnebog River in Port Crescent State park near Port Austin

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The mouth of the Pinnebog River

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On the other side of that point is Port Austin

DSC00605.jpg

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Jeez, why have I not seen this post before. I have spent alot of time in the thumb. My mom was born in Caro and lived there for the first couple of years of her life. Her Grandparents, my Great-Grandparents lived out there until they died. I still have a few relatives out there. They mostly live around a couple of very little towns called Colwood and Gagetown. We also used to vacation there when we were very young in Port Austin and Grindstone City. I was real little though so I don't remember too much, but I do remember the beaches being very nice. Funny thing is back then the lakes were rising so much that people thought they were going to lose their houses. Now the lake levels are so low you can walk about 100 ft. into East Grand Traverse Bay where their used to be water.

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i also have some relatives out there, my great uncle and aunt live in

Reese andsome of my other relatives live out in Unionville and Caro

Yea, i love the beaches out there there, at some you can walk way out there and its only up to your waist

im mad that i forgot to get a pic of the sugar factory in Sebewang though, that place is huge

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