It is unimaginable to picture whole cities burning, much less whole counties, but that was the case in 1871, and then remarkably, ten years later again in 1881. The whole Michigan Thumb suffered two disastrous fires. The Thumb Fire of 1881 brought the American Red Cross to the first major disaster they brought relief to. The combination of the two fires marked the end of the lumber industry in the Thumb and the clearing of the land for agriculture...