Welcome to an intriguing journey through the captivating state of Michigan! Nestled within the heart of the Great Lakes region, Michigan is a land of diverse landscapes, rich history, and cultural treasures waiting to be explored. From the shores of the Great Lakes to the vibrant cities, charming small towns, and natural wonders that define its character, Michigan offers a wealth of fascinating facts and stories that unveil the tapestry of its identity. Continuing the Content Bash 50 States from Alaska to Delaware to Massachusetts, join us as we embark on a voyage through these 50 enlightening and surprising facts that showcase the unique essence of the Wolverine State.

 

What is Michigan known for?

1. Detroit! It’s the largest city in Michigan, and probably its most well-known. Known as the Motor City, Detroit is a historically significant American city celebrated for its pioneering role in the automotive industry, as well as a vibrant musical heritage — notably as the birthplace of Motown. While facing economic challenges, Detroit has embraced revitalization efforts, with a focus on urban farming, entrepreneurship, and community-driven initiatives. Its diverse population contributes to a rich cultural scene, and the city’s history, including its role in the Underground Railroad and labor movements, underscores its enduring importance in American history. There’s no city in America quite like Detroit.

2. The Great Lakes! The state’s nickname is the Great Lakes State, and it’s sure not for nothing, thanks its proximity and relationship to the five Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. If you ever have trouble remember what the five Great Lakes are then keep in mind that Super Man Helps Every One (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario).

3. Colleges! Michigan is home to prestigious universities and educational institutions, including the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and other notable colleges like Wayne State University and Andrews University. These institutions contribute to the state’s reputation for academic excellence and research in various fields. If you think you are smart enough to go to any of those schools then we dare you to click their respective hyperlinks and apply!

 

 

Early History of Michigan

4. Way way back in 1668, the French explorer René-Robert Cavelier explored the Great Lakes region and claimed it for France.

5. In 1701, another French explorer named Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac established Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit — which we know as present-day Detroit — as a fur trading post. The link to the explorer’s name and the city’s relationship to cars should be painfully obvious.

6. During the French and Indian War in 1760, the British forces captured Detroit and the area remained under the thumb of the British the next 20+ years until the Treaty of Paris was established.

7. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris was established after the American Revolution and with it, the boundary between the United States and British Canada was also established using the Great Lakes.

8. When the Jay Treaty was signed in 1796, British forts were evacuated from the Great Lakes.

9. The Great Detroit Fire of 1805 devastated the city, though fortunately there were no human casualties. The city was rebuilt by creating a street plan that mimicked that of Washington D.C.

10. During the War of 1812, the British took Detroit back in their control until the end of the war.

11. The Toledo War was a thing that happened during 1835 and 1836, with Ohio and Michigan fighting over a strip of land. Though Ohio won, Michigan was granted statehood as a consolation prize.

12. On January 26, 1837, Michiganders finally became Americans, for that was the day Michigan was admitted to the Union as the 26th state.

 

Michigan topography and geography

13. Michigan was covered with a sheet of ice up to a mile high during the Ice Age that began like 2.4 million years ago. After all that ice melted and thawed out, the Great Lakes were formed, along with all of the other distinctive features the Michigan landscape is known for, including all those rivers, waterways, inland lakes, sand dunes, valleys, and rolling hills.

14. Detroit is the largest city in Michigan but the capital is Lansing!

15. With a total area of 96,716 square miles — including land and water — the 11th biggest state is Michigan, sandwiched between Wyoming and Minnesota.

16. Wanna drive across Michigan? It is 386 miles from east to west. Driving north to south would be 456 miles.

17. Michigan has islands! The folks at the U.S. Geological Survey say there are 420 named islands in the Great Lakes that belong to Michigan, including Mackinac Island in Lake Huron.

18. Some of the largest freshwater sand dunes in the world are located in Michigan, like the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along the eastern shoreline.

19. The lowest point in Michigan is Lake Eerie at 571 feet above sea level.

20. Michigan has the distinct feature of being the only United State to be made up of two peninsulas: the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula.

21. There are an astonishing number of inland lakes in Michigan: 62,798 to be exact, according to the good people at Michigan Lakes and Streams Association.

22. Mount Arvon is the highest point in Michigan, topping out at 1,979 feet above level.

 

What famous people are from Michigan?

23. Michigan has produced several Hall of Fame baseball players: Charlie Gehringer (Fowlerville, MI); John Smoltz (Detroit); Hal Newhouser (Detroit); Ted Simmons (Highland Park); Jim Kaat (Zeeland); and Kiki Cuyler (Harrisville).

24. Plenty of notable filmmakers who have made some of the most impactful and influential movies ever made were born in Michigan. They include Francis Ford Coppola, The Hughes Brothers, John Hughes, Sam Raimi, and Paul Schrader.

25. Many well-known jazz musicians and vocalists were born in Michigan, like Alice Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, Betty Carter, and Dianne Reeves.

26. Some very uncool people who call themselves rock-n-roll musicians were born in Michigan. We’d rather name some of the very cool rock-n-roll musicians with Michigan ties, like Jack and Meg White, Madonna, Iggy Pop, Marshall Crenshaw, Anthony Kiedis, and Alice Cooper — to say nothing of everyon in Motown.

27. Eminem just may be the most famous musician from Michigan, at least post-Motown. His relationship to Detroit is so strong that he even made a movie about it with 8 Mile. However, the rapper born Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born in St. Joseph, Missouri.

28. Actors and other television/film personalities born in Michigan include Sandra Bernhard, Seth Meyers, Gilda Radner, and Tom Selleck.

29. The famous aviator and first pilot to fly a solo transatlantic flight was Charles Lindbergh, and he was born in Detroit in 1902.

 

Where should I visit in Michigan?

30. The American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Michigan is a captivating tribute to the world of magic and illusion. Founded in 1978, the museum preserves and showcases a remarkable collection of artifacts, memorabilia, and historical documents related to the art of magic, offering visitors a unique insight into the history and evolution of this mesmerizing craft. Magic fans who are fans of the legendary Harry Blackstone Sr. will especially love it.

31. You can find the world’s largest cherry pie tin in Traverse City, Michigan, the city that calls themselves the Cherry Capital of the World. This big-ass pie was made by Chef Pierre Bakeries in 1987 and weighed 28,350 pounds, using a big-ass pie tin that was 26 inches deep and 18 feet wide and built by the Jacklin Steel Supply Company.

32. The University of Michigan Museum of Art is a must-visit for any art lover, where you will find works by Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, and Helen Frankenthaler, among many other big wheels and heavyweights.

33. Established over a hundred years ago in 1904, the Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit calls itself “America’s oldest original aquarium,” and it’s a symbol of that famous Detroit resiliency after being shut down and reopened twice: in 2005 after the city fell on hard times and again during the pandemic of 2020. Both times they rebuilt and came back stronger than ever.

34. The largest weathervane in the world is in Montague, Michigan. It is 48 feet high and weighs like 4,300 pounds. If you get lost and end up there, the weathervane should help you get back on track.

35. Aviation nerds will dig the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where visitors can explore all the wonders of flight, learn about aviation history, and experience the many thrills of aerospace technology firsthand. It even has an indoor amusement park!

 

Fun, weird, cool & interesting Michigan facts

36. The Paulding Light mystery in Paulding, Michigan has fascinated folks for decades. It’s a weird-ass light that appears every day and remained unexplained until some kids from Michigan Tech were able to replicate it with car headlights in 2010.

37. Battle Creek, Michigan is known as Cereal City. That’s because two of the biggest American cereal companies ever — Post and Kellogg’s — were founded in this town, and to this day, they still hold The National Cereal Festival every year.

38. The good people at the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) tell us that there have been more than 200 “credible” Bigfoot sightings in the state of Michigan since they started keeping track.

39. The Tulip Time Festival has been an annual event in Holland, Michigan since 1929, with the sight of many thousands of tulips blossoming all around time. You should totally go to the festival next time — all are welcome!

40. Michigan is sometimes called the Mitten State. Why? Look at it! It’s shaped like a mitten! Kinda, anyway. We didn’t name it.

41. Hell, Michigan is an unincorporated township in Livingston County, Michigan, and they obviously have heck of a fun time with that name. Their website boasts that “more people tell you to go to our town than anywhere else on Earth” and that is probably true.

42. This fact is not fun or cool or weird. Flint, Michigan, has faced significant challenges over the past four decades, including a devastating decline in the automotive industry, resulting in economic hardship and urban decay. One of the most prominent tragedies was the Flint water crisis, which emerged in 2014 due to a series of decisions that led to lead-contaminated drinking water, affecting the health and well-being of residents and sparking widespread concern and scrutiny. The crisis underscored systemic issues related to public infrastructure, environmental justice, and government response — and these are issues that are nowhere near no close to being resolved. Pretty much only one person is really talking about this and we should all be listening to her.

43. Michigan has a floating post office! The J.W. Westcott II is a boat that delivers mail to ships underway around the Great Lakes, and it happens to be the only floating ZIP code in the country.

 

Official state symbols of Michigan

44. Nandi Comer was appointed state poet laureate of Michigan in 2023 — the first in over 70 years. The state also has a few city and county poets laureate, including Masaki Takahashi (Lansing), Beverly Matherne (Upper Peninsula), and Kyd Kane (Grand Rapids). Nandi’s collection of poems Tapping Out deserves to be in the canon of 21st century Black poetry.

Click on the book cover to purchase Tapping Out (Poems) by Nandi Comer!

45. In 1937, “My Michigan,” with music by H. O’Reilly Clint and lyrics by Giles Kavanagh, was voted the official state song. However, hilariously, the song is almost never performed in public because doing so would require paying the publishers a royalty that will not expire until after the end of 2028.

46. What’s the official state bird of Michigan, the American robin, of course! In 1931, an election was held by the Michigan Audubon Society to decide the state bird and the robin’s ubiquitousness in the American northeast made this a pretty easy decision. It’s also a state symbol for Connecticut and Wisconsin.

47. Here is the Michigan state flag! Adopted in 1911, the flag features the state motto si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice, which is “If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you” in Latin.

48. The white-tailed deer was elected the official game mammal of Michigan in 1997, and ten (10) other states — including Arkansas and Illinois — have also elected it as a state symbol.

49. Even though mastodons went extinct over 10,000 years ago, their fossils have been found all over Michigan. Naturally, it would follow that Michigan would name the Mammut americanum the official state fossil in 2002. Indiana also named the mastodon their state fossil in 2022.

50. In 1995, the painted turtle was named the official reptile of Michigan — just like Colorado, Illinois, and Vermont. These lil guys were first categorized by the German naturalist Johann Gottlob Schneider in 1783 and can be found all over a significant part of the eastern United States.

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