Michigan Thumb

The Thumb
Mid-Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
The Thumb seen here in yellow in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, located east of the Tri-Cities, and north of Metro Detroit. The region is also branded as the Blue Water Area of Michigan.

The counties which constitute the Thumb are those forming the extended peninsula that stretches northward into Lake Huron and Saginaw Bay. There is no formal declaration for which of these counties are part of the Thumb. However, virtually all common definitions include Huron, Tuscola, and Sanilac counties. This definition is sometimes extended to include Lapeer and St. Clair counties as well.

The Thumb region is very flat with fertile soil, the reason for its historical role as a chiefly agricultural area. Major agricultural products include sugar beets, navy beans,corn, fruits, and fish from the Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron. Manufacturing - particularly concerning the Automotive Industry - is also prevalent in Michigan's Thumb. Many different types of industries can be found in the thumb, mostly located in the southern portion of the region near the larger metropolitan areas of Detroit and Flint.