No One Remembers When the Thumb Was Famed as Michigan’s Blue Water Playground

Can residents of Michigan's Thumb consider themselves the most forgotten-about part of the state? The region was once a jewel of a destination for travelers being famed as the "Beautiful Blue Water Playground."

The name and identity of the region appear to have faded into history.

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With the Lake Michigan coast and Upper Peninsula getting much of the love from tourists, the Lake Huron coast, both the northern portion from, say Alpena to Pinconning, and the "Thumbcoast" appear to not get the same kind of attention.

The topic came up recently on the Michigan History group of Facebook. The posting shares a map held in the collection of Michigan State University (which maintains a rich map library). The map was a product of the Southeastern Michigan Tourist and Publicity Association and colorfully shows recreational activities across the Thumb showcasing a highway known as the Blue Water Route from Port Huron around the Thumb to Bay City.

The map was produced sometime between 1926 and 1933. We can be fairly certain of the date as the highway around the Thumb is labelled M-29. That designation was put in place in '26 and changed in '33 when the road was upgraded to the federal highway system as US 25.

READ MORE: Why Are There So Few State Parks on Michigan's 'Thumb Shore?'

When was the last time you recall places like Harbor Beach, Port Hope and Port Austin getting the kind of tourist love given to Traverse City, Holland or New Buffalo? Perhaps the Lake Huron coast is just the way the locals want it, a Blue Water paradise that may be forgotten by the larger travelling public.

Editor's Note: The image that accopmanies this article is from Port Crescent State Park at the tip of Michigan's Thumb.