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Port Huron, 1880-1960

T. J. Gaffney

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 130

In this wonderful collection of images, discover Port Huron as it once was. Although Port Huron is now referred to as the "Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes," its initial growth happened because it was a point where roads, rails, and water all met to create the center of commerce it became. Return to a time when people rode streetcars and interurbans, took day trips to Detroit on ships such as the Tashmoo and the Greyhound; when they worked and shopped in downtown stores; and when they lived in diverse ethnic neighborhoods such as South Park and the First Ward. Many of the postcards seen here were mailed at or near the beginning of the 20th century and were a way to communicate basic information between friends and family. These images have now returned to introduce a new generation to what Port Huron once was. In an age where e-mails instantly travel back and forth, it can be hard to imagine how those receiving these messages anxiously awaited what messages arrived with these penny postcards.

Rails Around the Thumb

T. J. Gaffney

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 130

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Discover how important railroads once were to Michigan's Thumb region in this wonderful collection of images. Although the area is best known for its agrarian roots, the railroad operations were involved in so much more, from light industries that fed the auto industry to shipments of fish from Saginaw Bay into eastern markets. Return to a time when everyone knew the route of the "Polly-Ann," local citizens identified the time of day by the sound of a train whistle, and the arrival of a train crew nearly doubled a town's population. Many of the images in this book have never been seen before, or, if so, only in a family's living room, soon to be returned to grandpa's trunk in the attic. These images surfaced to introduce future generations to what railroading in the Thumb once was. In an age when many of these railroad lines have disappeared, it can be hard to believe how many once crisscrossed this area.