Michigan History

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Michigan’s 175th Birthday

January 26th is Michigan’s 175th birthday! On January 26, 1837 President Andrew Jackson signed a bill declaring Michigan the 26th state of the union.
In honor of this special occasion, here are some facts about this great state from www.michigan.gov.

State Name: Michigan
Name Origin: Derived from the Indian word Michigama, meaning great or large lake.
Nickname: Wolverine State
Statehood: Jan. 26, 1837 (26th)
Capital: Lansing, since 1847; prior to that, Detroit.
State Motto: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice, which translates, “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”
Flower: Apple Blossom
Bird: Robin
Tree: White Pine
Stone: Petoskey Stone
Gem: Chlorastrolite
Fish: Brook Trout
Soil: Kalkaska Soil Series
Reptile: Painted Turtle
Game Mammal: White-tailed Deer
Wildflower: Dwarf Lake Iris
Fossil: Mastodon

I knew we had a state flower, tree, reptile, etc. But, I did not know we had a state soil! You learn something new everyday!

To celebrate Michigan’s 175th birthday, look around you and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us all! Turn your porch lights on Thursday night so Michigan shines brightly for all to see!

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December Events

If you’re looking for something fun to do in Michigan this December, here’s a short list of events:

December

2-2             Goodrich – Goodrich – Downtown Christmas in the Village             810-636-3409

2-3             Flushing – Flushing Candlewalk                                                       810-659-4141

2-5             Manistee – Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend    231-398-3262

2-5             Sandusky – “The Original” Ctry Christmas Lighted Farm Implement Parade         810-648-4445

2-8             Caro – Gingerbread Village                                                            989-673-5211

3-4             Ida – Christmas in Ida Festival                                                        734-269-6017

3-5             DeTour Village – Old Fashioned Village Christmas                          906-297-2787

4-4             Gladwin – Gladwin County festival of Lights Christmas Parade         989-429-6565

4-5             East Lansing – MSU Holiday Arts & Crafts Show                          517-355-3354

4-5             Holly – Dickens Festival                                                                 248-634-9571

10-12         Northville – Handcrafters Unltd Artisan Mkt – Tinsel & Treasures    734-459-0050

11-12         Holly – Dickens Festival                                                                 248-634-9571

31/31         Kalamazoo – New Year’s Fest                                                       269-388-2830

12/31-1/1   Grand Rapids – Hot New Year’s Eve Party                                    616-774-8461

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Today in Michigan History

July 7, 1845

The Detroit Daily News began publication.

The Detroit Daily News published until 1873, when it was renamed the Evening News. In 1905 the Evening News merged with the Detroit Tribune (which had gone through a series of names from 1877 until the merger) and the resulting paper was named the Detroit News.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

July 1, 1863

Michigan infantry suffered the greatest loss of any northern regiment in Civil War fighting.

The Twenty-Fourth Michigan Infantry regiment of the Iron Brigade engaged advancing Confederate forces at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War. In savage fighting, the Twenty-fourth Infantry suffered 80 percent casualties (400 of 500 men) on the first day of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

June 30, 1953

America was introduced to the Corvette.

The nation’s first sports car with a fiberglass body, the Chevrolet Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan. Impressed with other sports cars, General Motor’s design guru Harley Earl began work on the Corvette in 1951. Today, the Corvette remains one of the nation’s most popular sports cars. It even has its own museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

June 29, 1863

George Armstrong Custer was appointed to command the Michigan Cavalry Brigade.

Raised in Monroe, Michigan, George Armstrong Custer graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1861. Serving as a junior officer for the first two years of the Civil War, Custer—and two other junior officers—were promoted to brigadier general in late June 1863. The unique move was intended to instill élan in the Army of the Potomac’s cavalry command, which was often bested by Rebel cavalry. Custer received command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, which consisted of four regiments of Michigan cavalrymen. Several days later, Custer and his command played a key role in stopping Rebel efforts to break the center of the Union line in the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

June 28, 1860

John S. Barry was nominated for governor for fifth time.

In 1831, John Barry arrived in Michigan, settling first in White Pigeon and then Constantine. A successful merchant and one of the organizers of the Michigan Southern Railroad, Barry served as a delegate to the 1835 convention that wrote Michigan’s first constitution. A state senator, Barry was nominated by the Democratic party to run for governor in 1841. He was elected and reelected two years later. Barry was prohibited by a constitutional restriction to two consecutive terms. In 1849 the Democrats nominated him again and he won his third term. Barry left office in 1852, but ran twice more for governor (1854 and 1860), but lost each time.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

June 24, 1962

The Tigers played the longest game in baseball history.

The twenty-two-inning game against New York lasted seven hours. Yankee Jack Reed hit a two-run homer, the only one of his 222-game career, in the top of the twenty-second inning to beat the Tigers 9-7.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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Today in Michigan History

June 23, 1963

Thousands marched for racial equality in Detroit.

The nation’s largest civil rights gathering up to that time, an estimated 125,000 people marched down Woodward Avenue to Jefferson Avenue, carrying placards and singing “We Shall Overcome.” The march ended at Cobo Hall where the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. introduced his “I have a dream” speech. Two months later, King stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, and delivered a similar speech that became one of the greatest moments in American civil rights history.

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.

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