Michigan was admitted into the Union on January 26, 1837, as
the 26th State. Of course,
our history goes back much further. The name ‘Michigan’ is derived from the Native
American ‘Michi-Gama’ meaning “large lake”.
Native Americans are thought to have mined copper in northern
Michigan as early as 5000 BCE to 1200 BCE.
It was about 1841 when ‘modern’ mining took over.
Sault Ste Marie was settled by the French in
1668, making it the 3rd earliest settlement in what is now the United
States of America. After the war of Independence,
Michigan was included in what was then called the Northwest Territory.
Our oldest County is Wayne, founded in 1815. In 1846 Michigan
became not only the first State to abolish the death penalty (except in cases
of treason), but the first English-speaking government in the world to do so!
The State Capitol was built in 1879, our State Flower was declared in 1897, the State Bird in
1931, the State Tree in 1955, and the State Stone in 1965. Think you know them?
(answers found at the end)
Did you know that Michigan has 3,126 miles of freshwater
shoreline? And as you would expect from
the ‘Great Lakes State’, Detroit, Michigan is the home to the only floating
post office in the United States.
The Westcott Company was founded in 1874 as a vessel reporting
service, then the only way loved ones could know where their sailor family
members were on the Great Lakes. Later, it took on duties as a mail delivery
service, zip code 48222. The J. W.
Westcott II makes 15-18 deliveries every 24 hours, including mail, packages
from FedEx and UPS, and even occasional pizza deliveries.
Sadly, the ‘Wolverine State’ no longer has wolverines in the
wild. Some of us call ourselves Michiganians, others, Michiganders. It’s said that the term ‘Michigander’ was
coined by none other than Abraham Lincoln. In 1848, Michigan Governor Lewis Cass was running for President and (possibly
over-) emphasizing his military accomplishments. Mr. Lincoln then gave a speech
against Gov. Cass, calling him a ‘Michigander’, possibly to relate him to being
as silly as a goose. New research indicates there may have been earlier use of
the term, but no doubt that its use in a Presidential campaign would help it
get traction.
And with that, Happy Birthday Michigan!
Answers: State Flower – apple blossom; State Bird – robin;
State Tree – white pine; State Stone – Petoskey Stone. Real Michiganians, er,
Michiganders knew that already.
Photo: Tahquomenen Falls
