On September 5, 1881, Michigan’s Thumb was engulfed by one of the deadliest forest fires in state history. In this gripping episode of The End of the Road in Michigan, we recount the devastating story of the 1881 Parisville Fire, which destroyed 446 buildings and claimed 22 lives in a single afternoon.

Through vivid storytelling and eyewitness accounts, we explore how this small Polish immigrant community faced total destruction—and how a handful of mysterious "miracles" gave them hope amid the ashes. Discover the legacy of Michigan’s deadliest Thumb fire and how Parisville rose from its ruins to rebuild stronger than before.

A production of Thumbwind Publications