26+ Fun Facts You Need to Know About the State of Michigan
It’s Michigan’s birthday January 26th! The State of Michigan is over 180 years old. There are so many fascinating facts about Michigan. See how many Michigan facts you knew before reading.
Interesting Facts About the State of Michigan You Need to Know
- University of Michigan was founded in 1817 in Detroit. It was one of first public universities in the United States.
- The Petoskey stone is the state’s stone.
- Tom Brady was a quarterback for the University of Michigan.
- The Agriculture College of the State of Michigan was founded in 1855, now called Michigan State University.
- Michigan State University was the first agricultural college in the United States.
- On November 1, 1957, the Mackinaw Bridge opened to the public. It stretches 5 miles long connecting the upper and lower peninsulas.
- On January 26, 1837, Michigan became the 26th state in the United States.
- Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline (3,126 miles) in the world (lots of great beaches!)
- The capital was originally Detroit, but changed in 1847 to Lansing.
- Michiganders will show you with their hand, where they live, since Michigan looks like your hand.
- Michigan is known as the mitten state.
- Detroit telephone customers were the first in the nation to receive phone numbers.
- Michigan is the one state with 2 peninsulas (upper and lower).
- People living in the upper peninsula are know as yoopers (name from U.P-ers). The people living in the lower peninsula are known as trolls, as they live below the Mackinac Bridge.
- Stevie Wonder, Saginaw Michigan native, attended then Michigan’s School for the Blind in Lansing Michigan.
- The 38th United States President, Gerald R. Ford (born in Nebraska) was raised in Grand Rapids Michigan.
- Basketball legend Magic Johnson went to Everett High School in Lansing Michigan.
- Wherever you stand, you are no more than 85 miles from a Great lake or more than 6 miles from an inland lake.
- Detroit is home of the Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. Game on!
- Battle Creek is known as Cereal City thanks to the Kellogg’s Company.
- The city of Novi got it’s name from it’s Stagecoach stop #6, No. VI.
- Grand Rapids Michigan is known as furniture city. It was once the largest producer of furniture in the state.
- In 1908 there was a 1 mile stretch of road paved with concrete, making it the first paved road.
- Michigan is the only place where there is a floating post office. The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat that delivers mail to ships that pass under the ambassador bridge in Detroit while they are moving. They have been in business for over 125 years.
- Henry Ford, formed the Ford Motor Company in 1903.
- Michigan is the only state that touches 4 of the 5 Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie)
- Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has the largest commercial deposit of copper in the world.
- The grunge band The Verve Pipe was formed in East Lansing Michigan.
- In 1835, The Michigan Toledo war over Michigan’s southern border happened. Michigan was not allowed into the Union, until it conceded the Toledo Strip in Ohio. It was surrendered and Michigan received the Upper Peninsula instead.
- In 1841, the University of Michigan moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor.
- Detroit is Michigan’s largest city.
- Famous people born in Michigan: Terry Crews, John Hughes, David Spade, Stevie Wonder, Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, Madonna, Henry Ford, Tim Allen, Diana Ross, Jack Parr & Ed McMahon (to name a few).
- The Mackinac Island State Park was first a National Park before being transferred to the state.
- Michigan has the large state park system in the U.S, with 102 state parks.
- Michigan has Arboreal Tunnels (trees grow over the road) all over the state, including the Tunnel of Trees
- The Upper Peninsula holds it’s own state fair.
- A look inside the dome of the Michigan Capital.
Experience Michigan Upper Peninsula Fair
Now it’s your turn
Let me know how many facts you already knew.
Do you know of other fun Michigan facts?
The La-Z-boy Company started in Monroe Michigan and they still have their head quarter there.
I forgot about them. That is great information!
Mackinaw is the city spelling. The bridge name is spelled Mackinac.
Your never more than 85 miles from a Great Lake or more than 6 miles from an inland lake.
Mackinac Island State Park was the first National Park before being transferred to the state.
With 102 state parks Michigan has the largest state park system in the U.S.
You are right. When I think about the city, the island and the bridge, I get my letters mixed up (don’t make me spell out the Fort name!). Thanks for noting this. I have made the corrections and added your super facts also!