It's National Michigan Day! Unique facts, interesting history about the Great Lakes State.
Happy Michigan Day!
National Michigan Day is celebrated every year on January 18. States are celebrated by the order they entered the union, starting in July, according to National Day Calendar®, which founded the holidays in 2017. Delaware, the first state to join, is celebrated July 13. That's followed by National Pennsylvania Day on July 20 and eventually National Michigan Day on Jan. 18.
"This initiative is our way of honoring each state in the order they joined the Union, offering a dedicated day to celebrate the unique heritage, achievements, and spirit of each state," its website says.
Michigan's actual birthday is Jan. 26, 1837. It is also known as the Mitten State, the Wolverine State or even the Great Lakes State.
Here are some more fun facts, notable days in history and more about Michigan.
Important days in Michigan history*
1620: French explorers Étienne Brulé and Grenoble discover Lake Superior.
1701: Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac and his lieutenant set up a trading post on the Detroit River — Fort Pontchartrain —which is where Detroit is now located.
1792: Michigan holds its first election under the British Parliament's Constitutional Act.
1837: Michigan is admitted to the Union as the 26th state after President Andrew Jackson signs the bill into law.
1896: Henry Ford builds his first experimental automobile, the quadricycle, at his home in Detroit.
1974: Gerald R. Ford of Grand Rapids becomes the 38th President of the U.S.
2002: Jennifer Granholm becomes the first female Governor of Michigan.
* according to NationalToday.com.
All things Michigan
Michigan is surrounded by water. It has tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and more total shorelines than any state except Alaska. Here are five other fun facts about the state.
What's the best month in Michigan? What's the worst month in Michigan? Even better, how would you rank all 12 months of the year? Here's a definitive list.
The traditional Michigan accent is starting to disappear. Here's why.
Michigan is the best state in America for craft beer lovers, with more than 400 operating breweries in the state.
It's not easy to pronounce some of the names you'll find across Michigan. Here are 25 Michigan roads and destinations you're probably saying wrong. And readers shared the 20 words that trip them up.
And in case you didn't know (you did): Michigan is the No. 1 state in America.
Places to visit in Michigan
CNN recently put together a list of the best places to visit in 2024, and a region of Michigan is one of the 24 spots mentioned.
Our 2022 bucket list of 31 things you didn't know you should do in Michigan. Plus, a winter bucket list and a bucket list of 50 summer activities.
Michigan has so many unique rocks and fun places to visit to find them. Here are the state's five coolest rocks.
Have a free day coming up? Here are 20 day trips you can take around Michigan.
Here's a list of 22 hidden Michigan gems you should try.
Interesting facts about Michigan
According to NationalToday.com, here are some fascinating facts about Michigan:
It has the world’s largest quarry: Michigan is home to the largest limestone quarry on Earth.
Michigan has a state reptile: The painted turtle is Michigan’s state reptile.
There’s a floating post office: Michigan is home to the only floating post office in the world, J.W. Westcott II. Here's more about it.
Michigan haters
It's not uncommon for folks to leave Michigan's treasured top half completely out of maps or labeled as part of Wisconsin (come on!). Here's seven times the U.P. was left off maps or labeled incorrectly.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: National Michigan Day is January 18: State facts, interesting history
