THE THUMB

'The Thumb' is a region of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten; thus the Thumb is the area that looks like the thumb of the mitten.
The Thumb of Michigan refers to Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, Saint Clair, and Lapeer counties, forming the extended peninsula that stretches northward into Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay. This region is very flat, with fertile soil, and thus it has always been a largely agricultural area. People of white ancestry form the overwhelming majority of the population. The land was settled mostly by Polish and German immigrants, with much of the lifestyle and customs of residents reflecting this. Some towns, such as Harbor Beach, Caseville, Port Austin, Lexington, Port Huron, and Saint Clair enjoy seasonal tourism, due to their locations on the lake, bay or St. Clair River. Unique features include the town of Kinde, which was once the bean capital of the world; Sebewaing, the sugar beet capital of the world, and home to one of the four Michigan Sugar Company factories in the thumb; Bad Axe, a city named after a broken axe found lodged in the knot of a tree at the clearing of the settlement's chief crossroads; Harbor Beach is the home of the largest man-made beach; Caseville, where you can see one of the most beautiful sunsets over the Saginaw Bay; Bay Port, the world's largest fresh water fishing port; Pigeon, where the Cooperative Elevator is, which is one of the largest in the state; and Port Huron - the maritime capital of the Great Lakes - is where Lake Huron flows into the St. Clair River. This is the largest city in the thumb area, and is Thomas Edison's boyhood home. Michigan's Thumb is also home to many festivals like the Yale Bologna Fest and the Cheeseburger in Caseville festival.
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