It is believed that trappers inhabited this property in the late 1700's but was owned mostly by various lumber companies . The area was heavily logged during between 1863  and 1911 with a large upsurge to provide lumber for rebuilding Chicago after the great fire of 1871.  The preferred tree was the distinctive white pine, the state tree of Michigan. Sawdust from the mills, estimated at 5.1 million tons, was dumped into lake Michigan and still washes up on the beaches around Manistique.  The story from a logger in his late 80's remembers the Thunder Lake Store property as a logging camp in the late 1930's, when he was logging the Thunder Bowl.

The property has changed hands multiple times over the years.  The more recognized proprietors were Hank and Josie Peterson of Peterson's Bar and Gary and Wanda Burkholder of The Thunder Lake Bar.  Harvey and Peggy Gray acquired the property in the 1980's and were the first people to focus it on merchandise. We purchased the store in 1999 and ran the store and deli until 2007.

In the Summer of 2007, the US Forest Service began reconstruction of the Murphy Creek bridge beginning in August reopening the bridge in early December with a temporary surface.  This closure during the most profitable time of the year brought on another evolutionary phase for the Thunder Lake Store.  Since only a few  distributors would brave the "Natural Beauty Road's" of the Hiawatha, we made the decision to close the store and focus on real estate, property management and living in the greatest place on earth!    We are now getting ready for the grand opening or our online store, just for grins, check the link at the top of the page.