Michigan Minute

On this day in 1781, a Spanish force captured Fort St. Joseph, raising Spain’s flag over Michigan. In 1855, Governor Kinsley S. Bingham established The Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, later MSU, which became the prototype for land-grant institutions.

On this day in 1847, inventor Thomas Edison was born. He acquired 1,093 patents and innovated the phonograph, light bulb, and motion picture camera. In 1936, actor Burt Reynolds was born in Lansing, Michigan. In 1937, GM recognized the UAW as the sole bargaining unit for its workers.

On this day in 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War, transferring Michigan from French to British rule. In 1922, the Detroit Symphony became the first orchestra to broadcast a concert on the radio. In 2014, Belle Isle became Michigan’s 102nd state park.

On this day in 1934, Vanderbilt, Michigan, recorded the state's coldest temperature at -51°F. In 1942, Detroit's auto manufacturers halted civilian car production to support the war effort, earning the city the nickname "Arsenal of Democracy."

On this day in 1997, Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman won his 1,000th regular season game. Also, in 1906, chess master Gisela Kahn Gresser was born in Detroit. She became the first American woman to achieve Master standing and be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1976, Detroiter Sheila Young became the first American to win three medals in one Winter Olympics. In 1994, satellite images showed Lake Superior completely frozen over. In 2017, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education by a historic tie-breaking vote.

On this day in 1844, the Grand Rapids vs. Kent dispute was settled, officially naming it Grand Rapids. In 1905, Merze Tate was born in Blanchard, Michigan. She became the first African American woman to achieve numerous academic milestones and joined Howard University's History Department.

On this day in 1959, Governor Jennifer Granholm was born. She made history as Michigan's first woman Attorney General and Governor, and later served as US Secretary of Energy. In 1991, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was barred from assisting in suicides. In 1988, the Brook trout was designated as Michigan’s state fish.

On this day in 1902, Charles Lindbergh was born in Detroit. He became the first person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic in 1927. In 1948, Vincent Furnier, known as Alice Cooper, was born in Detroit, famous for his elaborate stage props and dark performances.

On this day in 1838, passengers rode the Michigan Central Railroad from Detroit to Ypsilanti for the first time. In 1944, Detroit Red Wing’s Sydney Howe scored a double hat trick. In 1865, Michigan ratified the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery.

On this day in 1870, Elizabeth Madelon Stockwell became the first woman admitted to the University of Michigan. In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its first five players, including Detroit Tiger Ty Cobb.

On this day in 1967, Michigan completed I-94, becoming the first state with an interstate highway stretching border-to-border. In 1942, the Blue Star Mothers of America was founded in Flint to support children serving in WWII, and continues its mission today.

On this day in 1800, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, the first known Indigenous literary writer and poet, was born in Ste. Saint Marie. Known as Bamewawagezhikaquay in Ojibwe, she left behind writings in both English and Ojibwe, offering insights into early 1800s life.

On this day in 1919, future Detroiter Fred Korematsu was born. He resisted Japanese American internment during WWII and was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1955, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo was born, leading the team to numerous Big Ten titles.

On this day in 1919, Michigan ratified the 18th Amendment, leading to Prohibition. In 1945, actor Tom Selleck was born in Detroit. In 1971, Michigan launched its first rocket into space from Keweenaw.

On this day in 1898, Sault-Sainte Marie imposed a 6 mph speed limit, sparking criticism from The Soo Times. In 1958, Ozzie Virgil joined the Detroit Tigers as their first Latino player. In 2015, the Lansing Lugnuts established the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1847, citizens of Marshall, Michigan, thwarted slave catchers and helped the Crosswhite family escape to Canada. In 1859, Jesse Eugene Tenney became Michigan’s state librarian. In 2012, the Michigan gray wolf was removed from the endangered species list.

On this day in 1978, Detroit welcomed future Wimbledon winner Corina Morariu. She won major doubles titles and overcame leukemia. Michigan also became the 26th state in 1837.

On this day in 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first U.S. city to add fluoride to its tap water. This was part of a study comparing dental health with Muskegon, MI, which later also fluoridated its water. Learn about the origins and impact of water fluoridation.

On this day in 1924, Grace Gilbert, the famous Bearded Lady from Kalkaska, Michigan, passed away. In 1938, a colossal winter storm hit the Upper Peninsula, causing 32 inches of snow and trapping people with snowdrifts up to 18 feet tall.

On this day in 1913, Lorinda Anna Blair Etheridge, a Union nurse and vivandière, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1963, Malcolm X spoke at MSU about race and the Black Muslim religion.

On this day in 1969, Governor George Romney resigned to join Nixon's cabinet. In 2002, K-Mart filed for bankruptcy. And in 2007, Pfizer closed three research sites, leading to the creation of the University of Michigan's North Campus Research Complex.

On this day in 1893, the first train arrived at Detroit’s Fort Street Union Depot. In 1915, Kiwanis International was founded, with the first club organized in Detroit's Griswold Hotel.

On this day in 1837, Michigan's first locomotive-powered train began service from Adrian to Toledo. In 1988, the Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, celebrated for their polished style that bridged pop and soul.

On this day in 1941, Bob Heft was born in Saginaw, Michigan. At 17, he designed the 50-star American flag, which earned him a B-minus in class but later a call from President Eisenhower. This flag remains the longest-serving design in U.S. history.

On this day in 1943, Michigan bakeries were ordered to stop slicing bread to save steel for the war effort. Also today, Glenn Frey, co-founder of The Eagles and Royal Oak native, passed away in 2016. His music continues to inspire.

On this day in 1899, Ellen May Tower, a veteran of the Spanish American War, became the first woman in Michigan to receive a military funeral. In 1983, Detroit’s J. L. Hudson Department store closed its doors for the last time. And in 1931, James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa, was born.

On this day in 1937, Blanche Martin, the first African American MSU Trustee, was born. In 1938, Caberfae Ski Resort opened in the Manistee National Forest. And in 2018, a meteor lit up the Michigan sky.

On this day in 1818, Macomb County was named after General Alexander Macomb. In 1919, Michigan had its first all-woman jury, which quickly delivered a guilty verdict. And in 1954, WKAR launched its public television station, the third in the country.

On this day in 1856, Joseph R. Williams became the first president of the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. In 1913, Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion, was arrested in Battle Creek for violating the Mann Act and was posthumously pardoned in 2018.

On this day in 1854, Jim Paul registered the plot of land that would become Ontonagon, though he failed to secure the title. In 1862, Gov. Austin Blair approved a resolution to assist in the exchange of prisoners of war, focusing on Colonel Orlando B. Willcox, who was later promoted and awarded the Medal of Honor.

1959: Berry Gordy founds Tamla Records, the precursor to Motown, to release Marv Johnson's "Come to Me."

1805: President Jefferson signs act creating Michigan Territory. 1955: Detroit SAE reveals car exhaust contributes to smog. 1988: Dr. Hutton oversees first IVF-conceived quintuplets in Michigan.

1974: Charles Youngblood convicted in bribery scandal. 1964: William Clay Ford acquires Detroit Lions for $4.5 million.

1886: Detroit Free Press highlights "Milder Winters" linked to steam heat. 1973: Marquette Airport penalized for failing FAA anti-hijack measures. 1996: House task force advocates fair funding for Michigan's universities.

1831: Detroit gets daily mail, takes 14 days from New York. 1838: Gov. Mason deploys militia against Patriots raiding Detroit. 1997: Marilyn Kelly's investiture marks majority women Supreme Court.

1929: First non-stop flight Detroit to Miami, 9 hours, pilots Schlee and Brock. 1950: Chevrolet debuts affordable Powerglide, sells 300,000 in first year. 1971: B52 bomber narrowly misses nuclear plant, crashes into Lake Michigan.

1912: Danny Thomas, born Muzyad Yakhoob, invents the Spit Take, later founded St. Jude Children's Hospital. 1994: US Figure Skating Championship scandal at Joe Louis Arena as Nancy Kerrigan is attacked.

1870: U of M Board allows female students; Madelon Louise Stockwell leads the way. 1988: Michigan Central Station's last train departs, symbolizing Detroit's decline. 2018: Ford revives the iconic station, signaling Detroit's rebirth.

1918: Ford River Rouge plant launches, evolving into an industrial powerhouse. 1943: Fran Harris breaks radio gender barriers, becoming Michigan's first woman newscaster.

1848: Governor Epaphroditus Ransom inaugurated in Lansing, key developments. 1951: Ruth Thompson, Michigan's first woman in Congress. 2019: Rashida Tlaib, first Palestinian American woman in the US House, unique swearing-in.

On this day in 1920, an infamous pirate known as the Gray Ghost began haunting the Detroit River. Also in 1920, the FBI rounded up suspected communists in Michigan during the Red Raid. In 1974, Coleman Young became Detroit’s first Black mayor, serving for 20 years.

On this day in 2015, Richard Bernstein became Michigan Supreme Court's first blind justice. In 1954, the MSU Spartans won their first Rose Bowl. In 1989, The Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1899, the 306-foot paddle-wheeler SS Tashmoo was launched in Detroit, becoming a beloved Great Lakes pleasure boat. It sailed for 37 years until it sank after hitting a submerged rock, though all passengers were safely evacuated. In 1983, Fred Dakota opened The Pines, Michigan’s first Native-American owned casino, starting in his garage before expanding to a 3,200-square-foot facility in Baraga, Michigan.

On this day in 1933, Governor William Comstock marked the repeal of Prohibition by purchasing the first bottle of whiskey sold in Michigan: Old Taylor Bourbon. In 1998, the Dwarf Lake Iris was designated Michigan’s official wildflower after a public vote, surpassing the more common Large Flower White Trillium, which is found across the U.S. but not primarily in Michigan.

On this day in 1953, the Detroit River Railroad Tunnel switched from electric to diesel-powered locomotives, connecting Michigan to Ontario. In 1902, Houghton, Michigan, became the birthplace of professional hockey when the Portage Lake Hockey Club, the first to pay players, faced the University of Toronto. This game marked the beginning of pro hockey, leading to the formation of the International Hockey League two years later.

In 1959, MSU Professor Glendon Swarthout, inspired by his students heading to Florida for Spring Break, wrote a book about their experiences. The 1960 book "Where The Boys Are" was turned into a successful MGM film starring Connie Francis, debuting on this day. The film, book, and hit song popularized the Spring Break phenomenon well beyond MSU.

On this day in 1821, Michigan held its first public executions, where two Indigenous men performed a death dance before their hanging. It wasn’t until 1846 that Michigan became the first state to abolish executions for non-treasonous crimes. This week in 2014, the Michigan Citizen, a prominent voice for African-American and progressive communities, published its final edition after 36 years.

In 1913, the first train arrived at Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, the tallest train station in the world at the time. In 1963, Boyne Highlands Resort opened with world-first triple chair ski lifts and an Alpine-style lodge. In 2010, Geraldine Doyle, the real-life Rosie the Riveter, passed away. Her image from Lansing’s factory inspired the iconic "We Can Do It!" poster, symbolizing women's empowerment during WWII.

In 1660, Michigan's first recorded Christmas celebration took place near Keweenaw Bay, documented by Father Rene Menard with French-Canadian traders and Huron converts. In 1811, Eber Brock Ward, the first of the Iron Kings, was born and became Detroit's first billionaire. In 1965, snowboarding was invented in Muskegon by engineer Sherman Poppen, who created a snowboard for his daughters, later becoming an Olympic sport in 1998.