Ever wonder how some Michigan cities got their names?  We hope to shed some light on that mystery…

Colon, MI

Colon was named when the founder was flipping through the dictionary, came upon the word “colon”, and decided that the rivers and lake sytem around the area looked like that particular body organ.

Fenton, MI

The town founders were playing a game of poker and decided the winner would get naming rights of the town.  William Fenton won, but the city could has easily been LeRoy or Rockwell.

Ishpeming, MI

Originally called Lake Superior Location, the name was later changed to Ishpeming, which is te Chippewa word for “heaven” or “high place”.

Shiawassee, MI

There is actually no translation that exists for this county name.  It was believed that it was named for the river that twists through the county and may in fact mean “twisting river”.