Wind Farm in the Thumb

They loom large in the thumb as you drive by. DTE Energy has set up a wind farm in a quadrangle cornered by Kinde, Bad Axe, Port Hope and Harbor Beach. Those 400 foot tall towers are pretty much jaw droppers on a windy day as the rotors churn. 140 of these giants are being installed by DTE in the thumb which is a 500 million dollar investment by the company.

Hershberger Amish Furniture in Snover

If you are traveling Van Dyke up in the thumb, you'll notice one sign indicating Hershberger Furniture south of Bad Axe. The 2 mile trek to the east on Shabbona Road is definitely worth a visit. It's a picturesque Amish farm in Snover where Aaron Hershberger creates beautiful rustic works of art from log beds and dressers to dining room tables, rocking chairs and bar stools.

Haunted Dark House in Brown City

You'll do a double take when you pass the Dark House on Van Dyke in Brown City.  The Bruce Mansion looks like something straight out of the Addams Family. October weekends, this scary 1876 home is open from 8-11pm. They take you on a tour of a cemetery as well.

Stone Lodge in Port Sanilac

The Thumb of Michigan can be hit-or-miss with places being open during the week after Labor Day.  Some even close up until Memorial Weekend! We found a gem of a restaurant/bar in Port Sanilac called the Stone Lodge. A sign proclaiming Go Tigers out front and a carved critter greeting us by the front door seemed promising. The rich wood and stone decor inside and chatty patrons at the beautifully adorned bar on a midweek afternoon added more pluses.  With Bud Light Lime specials for $1.50 and a terrific walleye dish, we knew this would make "the blog". They were even able to broadcast the Sunday Tiger playoff game that so many had to listen to on the radio! They are open seven days a week at 11am.

Sanilac Petroglyphs near Cass City

The Sanilac Petroglyphs in Michigan's thumb area are rock carvings that have been etched in sandstone hundreds of years ago by native Indians. They are the only known ones that exist in our state. They were discovered after a fire in the 1880's cleared the brush. Protected by the state now in a 240 acre park, these unique etchings are open Wednesday through Sunday starting June 2 through September 5. There are also trails that cross the Little Cass River for hikers. Visitors are given paper, pencils and plaques with replications of the designs to make rubbings of the ancient drawings to keep as great souvenirs.