Happy birthday Michigan! While you might be turning 186 years young, here at Local 4 would like to say you don’t look a day over 40.
Whether you are all the way up north in Marquette or as south as Lambertville, we Michiganders can all agree that Michigan has been aging with beauty and grace.
Recommended Videos
We are blessed with 103 state parks that cover 357,000 acres of the Great Lakes state. From the Sand Dunes to Pictured Rocks, there are many ways to enjoy the beauty that our state has to offer.
Besides nature, the Mitten has really cool history that is displayed throughout our state. Don’t believe me? Take a snow day and check out The Henry Ford Museum or the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library in Grand Rapids.
Okay, there’s history and nature but besides that, what else makes Michigan cool?
Well, how many states can say they have a German-themed town like Frankenmuth or a city filled with mid-century homes like Midland or a city where Gibson guitars were produced like Kalamazoo? How many states can say they are surrounded by 94,600 square miles of water? Not many states can say that a subgenre of Rock was invented in their state, like Motown. -- or can say that Madonna, Jack White or Patti Smith is from their state.
From the craft beer to the craft scenery, I would like to say that Michigan is pretty neat.
Below you can find some fun facts about our great state and several #PureMichigan pictures from your Local 4 team. ✋
Michigan is derived from the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian word meaning “large lake.”
National Geographic
Michigan is home to about 360 bird species.
National Geographic
Michigan is the only state in the contiguous 48 that can look southward into Canada.
Kim DeGiulio, WDIV
The Kellogg brothers accidentally created Corn Flakes in Battle Creek in 1898.
National Geographic
The village of Colon is known as the magic capital of the world.
FAB Magic
Michigan’s state gem is Chlorastrolite. The stone ranges in color from yellow-green to almost black and is found primarily in the Upper Peninsula
State of Michigan
Residents living in Detroit were the first Americans to have telephone numbers.
Dorsey College
Eastern Market is the “largest and oldest market of its kind,” serving Detroit for more than 170 years. Eastern Market is also the largest open-air flowerbed market in the U.S.
Visit Detroit
While Florida may have the most overall golf courses in the country, it’s Michigan that has 500 “public” golf courses, the most golf courses accessible to the general public in the country, more than southern states like Texas and Arizona combined! Michigan also has 3 of the top 100 golf courses in the country, Crystal Downs, Oakland Hills Country Club and Arcadia Bluffs.
Rhonda Walker, WDIV
“I miss catching sunsets by the water and dunes … they are unforgettable.”
Megan Woods
Listen to Michigan’s state song below:
Comment below why you are proud to be a Michigander, and what your favorite #PureMichigan fun fact is!