Origin & History
Lighting the Way: The Story of Thumb Electric Cooperative
Picture living miles from town with no electric lights, no running water, and no power for your tools. That was life in the Thumb before 1938.
Every June 18, Thumb Electric Cooperative quietly celebrates a milestone that forever changed life in Michigan’s Thumb.
On that date in 1938, the dream of bringing electricity to rural families became a reality — one sparked not by profit, but by people.
In the early 1930s, life on the farm was still largely lit by lantern.
While electricity had become commonplace in cities and towns, rural areas were left in the dark — quite literally. Power companies saw no reason to stretch lines across miles of farmland for just a handful of customers. But rural families believed there had to be a better way.
They found it in cooperation.
In May 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order creating the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), offering low-interest loans to help communities build their own electric systems. Just six months later, a group of determined Thumb residents gathered at Wadsworth School to learn more. Frank Wilson of Ubly emerged as a natural leader, and with others at his side, began organizing what would become Thumb Electric Cooperative.
By March 1937, over 5,500 farmers had signed up for service.
A formal loan application was submitted to the federal government, and on April 30, 1937, the cooperative received its first big break — $2 million in funding. The dream was now a plan.
The pace that followed was nothing short of remarkable.
Engineers began staking lines and designing infrastructure. On September 10, 1937, the first pole was set just north of Ubly. Farmers, hopeful and hands-on, began wiring their barns and homes in anticipation.
On June 18, 1938, Thumb Electric Cooperative energized its lines for the very first time.
Ruth and Wanda Wilson, daughters of Frank Wilson, turned the control wheel that sent electricity flowing from the Ubly power plant. Michigan Governor Frank Murphy threw the ceremonial switch, and just like that, 752 farm families saw the lights come on. What had once seemed impossible was now humming with life.
BUILT BY THE COMMUNITY
For the Community
The original Board of Directors reflected the region it served — men and women from across the Thumb, each representing their towns and neighbors:
Frank Wilson – Ubly
Elmer Stieg – Bad Axe
Ruth Brandmair – Caro
Charles Gates – Bad Axe
Martin Fisher – Ubly
Guy Petiprin – Unionville
Joseph Romain – Caro
Bob Spencer – Cass City
Albert Grifka – Tyre
They set a tone of stewardship and service that continues to guide TEC today.
In the years that followed, demand for electricity grew rapidly. The Ubly power plant, originally built with three diesel generators, soon needed more capacity. New plants and generators were added throughout the 1940s, ’50s, and beyond — in Ubly and Caro — to keep up with the needs of a thriving rural region.
By 1953, Thumb Electric had expanded to include 40 miles of transmission line and multiple substations. A new headquarters was built in Ubly in 1956, just across from the original office, and remains part of the cooperative’s operations to this day. Warehouses in both Ubly and Caro support TEC’s ongoing work across the Thumb.
A Legacy That Grows
What began with 1,400 miles of line and 752 homes now spans:
147 miles of transmission lines
Over 2,000 miles of distribution lines
15 substations
And a dedicated team of over 30 employees
From lighting up barns in 1938 to supporting the high-tech needs of modern rural life, TEC continues to evolve — powered by the same cooperative spirit that brought the first pole to the roadside north of Ubly.
At its heart, Thumb Electric Cooperative is a story of people — neighbors who believed in one another, worked together, and brought light to the Thumb.