Michigan ( /ˈmɪʃɨɡən/ (help·info)) is a Midwestern The Midwestern United States is one of the four geographic regions within the United States of America that are officially recognized by the United States Census Bureau state A U.S. state is any one of 50 subnational entities of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. However, state citizenship is very flexible, and no government approval is required to of the United States of America The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. It was named after Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The third largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, it is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The word "Michigan" was originally used to refer to the lake, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe Ojibwe is an indigenous language of the Algonquian linguistic family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems. There is no single dialect that is considered the most prestigious or most prominent, and no standard writing system that covers all dialects. The relative autonomy of the term mishigama, meaning "large water" or "large lake".^[1][4]

Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the United States. It has the longest freshwater shoreline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes The Great Lakes are a chain of freshwater lakes located in eastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth. They are sometimes referred to as the "Third Coast" by some citizens of the United States, plus Lake Saint Clair Lake St. Clair is a lake that lies between Ontario, Canada and Michigan, United States, located about 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Approximately 430 square miles (1,100 km2) in area, the lake is part of the Great Lakes system; however, because of its relatively small size, it is very rarely included in enumerations.^[5] In 2005, Michigan ranked third for the number of registered recreational boats A pleasure craft is a boat used for personal, family, and sometimes sportsmanlike recreation. Typically such watercraft are motorized and are used for holidays, for example on a river, lake, canal or waterway. Pleasure craft are normally kept at a marina. They may include accommodation for use while moored to the bank, behind California California ( /kælɪˈfɔrnjə/ ) is a state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Arizona to the southeast, and, to the south, the Mexican state of Baja California. California is the most populous U.S. state. Its four largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, and Florida Florida ( /ˈflɒrɪdə/ ) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States. Much of the land mass of the state is a large peninsula with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.^[6] Michigan has 64,980 inland lakes.^[7] A person in the state is never more than six miles (10 km) from a natural water source, or more than 87.2 miles (140.3 km) from the Great Lakes coastline.

Michigan is the only state to consist entirely of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people associate with a mitten, with the mid-eastern region identified as The Thumb. This has led to several folkloric creation myths for the, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is sometimes dubbed "the mitten," owing to its shape. When asked where in Michigan one comes from, a resident of the Lower Peninsula may often point to the corresponding part of his or her hand. The Upper Peninsula The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that comprise the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. More casually it is known as the land "above the Bridge" . It is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by the St. Mary's River, (often referred to as The U.P.) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac The Straits of Mackinac is the strip of water that connects two of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and separates the Lower Peninsula of Michigan from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is a shipping lane connecting, for instance, the steel mills of Gary, Indiana, to the iron mines of Minnesota. Before the railroads reached Chicago, a five-mile (8 km)-wide channel that joins Lake Huron Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the east by Ontario, Canada and on the west by Michigan, USA. The name of the lake is derived from early French explorers who named it based on the Huron people inhabiting the region to Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America, and the only one located entirely within the United States. The third largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, it is bounded, from west to east, by the U.S. states of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The word "Michigan" was originally used to refer to the lake. The Upper Peninsula is economically important for tourism and natural resources.

Contents 1 History 1.1 17th century 1.2 18th century 1.3 19th century 1.4 20th century to present 2 Government 2.1 Law 2.2 Politics 2.3 Administrative divisions 3 Geography 3.1 Protected lands 3.2 Climate 3.3 Geology 4 Demographics 4.1 Religion 5 Economy 5.1 Taxation 5.2 Agriculture 5.3 Tourism 6 Transportation 6.1 Railroads 6.2 Roadways 6.3 Airports 7 Important cities and townships 8 Education 8.1 Colleges and universities 8.2 Community colleges and technical schools 9 Professional sports teams 9.1 Former professional teams 10 State symbols and nicknames 10.1 Sister states 11 See also 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links

History

See also: Timeline of Michigan history Glaciation · Paleo-Indian · Archaic · Woodland · Algonquian · French · British · Territory · State, History of railroads in Michigan Railroads have been vital in the history of the population and trade of rough and finished goods in the state of Michigan. While some coastal settlements had previously existed, the population, commercial, and industrial growth of the state further bloomed with the establishment of the railroad, History of Michigan Thousands of years before the arrival of the first Europeans, several indigenous tribes lived in what is today the state of Michigan. They included the Ojibwa, Menominee, Miami, Ottawa, and Potawatomi, who were part of the Algonquian family of Amerindians, as well as the Wyandot, who were from the Iroquoian family and lived in the area of present-, and History of Detroit The city of Detroit developed from a small French fort in the 18th century to one of the largest American cities in the early 20th century. Based on its auto industry, Detroit's economy expanded following World War II with a post war economic prosperity. Race riots in the late 1960s and the election of the city's first African-American Mayor

Michigan was home to various Native Americans Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii. They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as intact political communities. There has centuries before colonization by Europeans The start of the European colonization of the Americas is typically dated to 1492, although there was at least one earlier colonization effort. The first known Europeans to reach the Americas were the Vikings during the 11th century, who established several colonies in Greenland and one short-lived settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in the area the. When the first European explorers arrived, the most populous and influential tribes were Algonquian peoples The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American Native groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds, and hundreds of thousands of individuals who still identify with various Algonquian peoples. This grouping consists of peoples that speak Algonquian languages—specifically, the Ottawa The Odawa or Ottawa, said to mean "traders," are a Native American and First Nations people. They are one of the Anishinaabeg, related to but distinct from the Ojibwa nation. Their original homelands are located on Manitoulin Island, near the northern shores of Lake Huron, on the Bruce Peninsula in present day province of Ontario and in, the Anishnabe The Ojibwa or Chippewa (also Chippeway) is the largest group of Native Americans-First Nations north of Mexico, including Métis. They are the third-largest in the United States, surpassed only by Cherokee and Navajo[citation needed]. They are equally divided between the United States and Canada. Because they were formerly located mainly around (called "Chippewa" in French, after their language, "Ojibwe"), and the Potawatomi The Potawatomi are a Native American people of the upper Mississippi River region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a member of the Algonquian family. In the Potawatomi language, they generally call themselves Bodéwadmi, a name that means "keepers of the fire" and that was applied to them by their Anishinaabe (Ojibwe). The Anishnabe, whose numbers are estimated to have been between 25,000 and 35,000, were the most populous.

Although the Anishnabe were well-established in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula, they also inhabited northern Ontario Ontario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. (Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are larger but are not provinces.) Ontario is bordered by the provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and the U.S. states (from west to east) of Minnesota,, northern Wisconsin, southern Manitoba Manitoba (pronounced /ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə/ ) is a prairie province in Canada and has an area of 649,950 square kilometres (250,900 sq mi). Manitoba is bordered by the provinces of Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west, the territory of Nunavut to the north, and the US states of North Dakota and Minnesota to the south. Manitoba also has a, and northern and north-central Minnesota. The Ottawa lived primarily south of the Straits of Mackinac in northern and western Michigan, while the Potawatomi were primarily in the southwest. The three nations co-existed peacefully as part of a loose confederation called the Council of Three Fires The Council of Three Fires, also known as the People of the Three Fires, the Three Fires Confederacy, the United Nations of Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi Indians, or Niswi-mishkodewin in the Anishinaabe language, is a long-standing Anishinaabe alliance of the Ojibwe , Ottawa (or Odawa), and Potawatomi Native American tribes and First Nations. Other First Nations people in Michigan, in the south and east, were the Mascouten The Mascouten were a tribe of Algonquian-speaking native Americans who are believed to have dwelt on both sides of the Mississippi adjacent to the present-day Wisconsin-Illinois border. They are first mentioned by French missionaries, where they were described inhabiting southern Michigan. In 1712, they united with the Kickapoo and the Fox, after, the Menominee The Menominee are a nation of Native Americans living in Wisconsin. The Menominee, along with the Ho-Chunk, are the only tribes that are indigenous to what is now Wisconsin. The name "Menominee" comes from the Ojibwe name manoominii, meaning "wild rice people", as wild rice is one of their most important traditional staples, the Miami The Miami are a Native American tribe originally found in Indiana, southwest Michigan and Ohio, and now living also in Oklahoma, and the Wyandot The Wendat are indigenous peoples of North America, known in their native language as the Wendat. Modern Wyandots and Hurons emerged in the 17th century from the remnants of two earlier groups, the Huron Confederacy and the Petun. They were located in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario before being reduced by disease and dispersed by war, who are better known by their French name, "Huron".

17th century

French voyageurs A coureur des bois was an individual who engaged in the fur trade without permission from the French authorities. The coureurs des bois, mostly of French descent, operated during the late 17th century and early 18th century in eastern North America, particularly in New France. Later, a limited number of permits were issued to coureurs des bois who explored and settled in Michigan in the 17th century. The first Europeans to reach what later became Michigan were those of Étienne Brûlé's expedition in 1622. The first European settlement was made in 1641 on the site where Father (Père, in French) Jacques Marquette Father Jacques Marquette SJ , sometimes known as Pere Marquette, was a French missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan. Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet were the first non-Native Americans to see and map the northern portion of the Mississippi River established Sault Sainte-Marie Sault Ste. Marie is a city in and the county seat of Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and the oldest city in the Midwest region of the United States. It is at the eastern edge of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the Canadian border, separated from its twin -albeit larger- city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario by the St. Marys River. The.

Saint Ignace was founded in 1671 and Marquette Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 19,661 at the 2000 census. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern Michigan University. It is the largest city of the Upper Peninsula. The city of Marquette averages about 144 in 1675. Together with Sault Sainte-Marie, they are the three oldest cities in Michigan. "The Soo" (Sault Ste. Marie) has the distinction of being the oldest city in both Michigan and Ontario. It was split into two cities in 1818, a year after the U.S.-Canada boundary in the Great Lakes was finally established by the U.S.-U.K. Joint Border Commission.

In 1679, Lord La Salle René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico. La Salle claimed the entire Mississippi basin for France of France directed the construction of the Griffin, the first European sailing vessel on the upper Great Lakes. That same year, La Salle built Fort Miami Fort Miami was a fort on the bank of the St. Joseph River at the site of the present-day city of St. Joseph, Michigan, in the United States at present-day St. Joseph St. Joseph is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,789. It lies on the shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, about 60 miles east-northeast of Chicago. It is the county seat of Berrien County. St. Joseph is the.

18th century

In 1701 French explorer and army officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (1658-1730) was a prominent figure in the history of New France. He was christened Antoine Laumet but upon arriving in what is now Canada in 1683 at the age of 25, he changed his identity to sieur Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac. An adventurer and, some say, "visionary,"[citation needed] he rose founded Le Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan, an area bounded by Larned Street, Griswold Street, and the Civic Center or "Fort Ponchartrain on-the-Strait" on the strait between Lakes St. Clair and Erie, known as the Detroit River The Detroit River is a 32 mile long river in the Great Lakes system. The name comes from the French Rivière du Détroit, which translates literally as River of the Strait. The Detroit River has served an important role in the history of Detroit and is one of the busiest waterways in the world. The river travels south from Lake St. Clair to Lake. Cadillac had convinced King Louis XIV's Louis XIV ruled as King of France and of Navarre. He ascended the throne a few months before his fifth birthday, but did not assume actual personal control of the government until the death of his prime minister (Premier ministre), the Italian Cardinal Jules Mazarin, in 1661. Louis remained on the throne until his death in September 1715, four chief minister, Louis Phélypeaux, Comte de Pontchartrain Louis Phélypeaux , marquis de Phélypeaux (1667), comte de Maurepas (1687), comte de Pontchartrain (1699), known as the chancellor de Pontchartrain, was a French politician, that a permanent community there would strengthen French control over the upper Great Lakes and repel British The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801. It was created by the merger of the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England, under the Acts of Union 1707, to create a single kingdom encompassing the whole of the island of Great aspirations.

The hundred soldiers and workers who accompanied Cadillac built a fort enclosing one arpent An arpent is the name given to a unit of length and to a unit of area. It is not an SI unit. It is used in Quebec as well as in some areas of the United States that were part of French Louisiana^[8][9] (about .85 acre, the equivalent of just under 200 feet (61 m) per side) and named it Fort Pontchartrain Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit or Fort Détroit was a fort established by the French officer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac in 1701. The location of the former fort is now in the city of Detroit in the U.S. state of Michigan, an area bounded by Larned Street, Griswold Street, and the Civic Center. Cadillac's wife, Marie Thérèse, soon moved to Detroit, becoming one of the first white women to settle in the Michigan wilderness. The town quickly became a major fur-trading Before the colonization of the Americas, Russia was a major supplier of fur-pelts to Western Europe and parts of Asia. Fur was a major Russian export as trade developed in the early Middle Ages, first through the Baltic and Black Seas. With the development of railways, Russia traded through the European city of Leipzig and shipping post. The "Église de Saint-Anne" (Church of Saint Ann) was founded the same year. While the original building does not survive, the congregation of that name continues to be active today.

At the same time, the French strengthened Fort Michilimackinac Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower peninsula of the present-day state of Michigan in at the Straits of Mackinac to better control their lucrative fur-trading empire. By the mid-eighteenth century, the French also occupied forts at present-day Niles Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 12,204 at the 2000 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area and Sault Ste. Marie, though most of the rest of the region remained unsettled by whites.

From 1660 to the end of French rule, Michigan was part of the Royal Province of New France.^[10] In 1759, following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, in the French and Indian War (1754–1763), Québec City fell to British forces. Under the 1763 Treaty of Paris, Michigan and the rest of New France passed to Great Britain.^[11]

During the American Revolutionary War, Detroit was an important British supply center, but most of the inhabitants were either Native Americans or French-Canadians. Because of imprecise cartography and unclear language defining the boundaries in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, the British retained control of Detroit and Michigan. When Quebec was split into Lower and Upper Canada in 1790, Michigan was part of Kent County, Upper Canada. It held its first democratic elections in August 1792 to send delegates to the new provincial parliament at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake).^[12]

Under terms negotiated in the 1794 Jay Treaty, Britain withdrew from Detroit and Michilimackinac in 1796. Questions remained over the boundary for many years, and the United States did not have uncontested control of the Upper Peninsula and Drummond Island until 1818 and 1847, respectively.

19th century

During the War of 1812, Michigan Territory (effectively consisting of Detroit and the surrounding area) was captured by the British and nominally returned to Upper Canada. American forces forced the British out in 1813 and pushed into Canada.

The Treaty of Ghent implemented the policy of "Status Quo Ante Bellum" or "Just as Things Were Before the War." That meant Michigan stayed American, and the agreement to establish a joint US-UK boundary commission also remained valid. Subsequent to the findings of that commission in 1817, control of the Upper Peninsula and of islands in the St. Clair River delta was transferred from Ontario to Michigan in 1818. Mackinac Island (to which the British had moved their Michilimackinac army base) was transferred to the U.S. in 1847.

The population grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825. This brought a large influx of settlers to Michigan because it made transportation by ships through the Great Lakes possible. By the 1830s, Michigan had 80,000 residents, which were more than enough to apply for statehood.

In 1836 a state government was formed, although Congressional recognition of the state was delayed pending resolution of a boundary dispute with Ohio. Both states claimed a 468-square-mile (1,210 km²) strip of land that included the newly incorporated city of Toledo on Lake Erie and an area to the west then known as the "Great Black Swamp." The dispute came to be called the Toledo War. Michigan and Ohio militia maneuvered in the area but never exchanged fire. Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio. Michigan received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession and formally entered the Union on January 26, 1837.

Thought to be nearly valueless, the Upper Peninsula was discovered to be a rich and important source of lumber, iron, and copper. These became the state's most sought-after natural resources and generated early wealth. Geologist Douglass Houghton and land surveyor William Austin Burt were among the first to document many of these resources. Developers rushed to the state. Michigan led the nation in lumber production from 1850s to the 1880s. The lumber harvested in Michigan was shipped to the rapidly developing prairie states, Chicago, to the eastern states, and even all of the way to Europe.

The first official meeting of the Republican Party took place July 6, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan, where the party adopted its platform. Michigan made a significant contribution to the Union in the American Civil War and sent more than forty regiments of volunteers to the Federal armies.

20th century to present

See also: History of Ford Motor Company

Michigan's economy underwent a massive change at the turn of the 20th century. The birth of the automotive industry, with Henry Ford's first plant in Highland Park, marked the beginning of a new era in transportation. Like the steamship and railroad, it was a far-reaching development. More than the forms of public transportation, the automobile transformed private life. It became the major industry of Detroit and Michigan, and permanently altered the socio-economic life of the United States and much of the world. Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, is also a center of automotive manufacturing. Since 1838, the city had also been noted for its thriving furniture industry. Started because of ready sources of lumber, the furniture industry declined in the late 20th century.

Skyscrapers in downtown Detroit.

Michigan held its first United States presidential primary election in 1910, and in 1920 Detroit's WWJ became the first radio station in the United States to regularly broadcast commercial programs. Throughout that decade some of the country's largest and most ornate skyscrapers were built in the city. Particularly noteworthy are the Fisher Building, Cadillac Place, and the Guardian Building which are National Historic Landmarks.

Detroit boomed through the 1950s, at one point doubling its population in a decade. After the 1950s, Detroit's population began to shift to its suburbs, accelerating after racial strife in the 1960s and high crime rates in the 1970s and 1980s.

Michigan is the leading auto producing state in the U.S. even though some of the industry has shifted to less expensive labor overseas and in the Southern United States.^[13] With more than ten million residents, Michigan remains a large and influential state, ranking eighth in population among the fifty states.

The Metro Detroit area in the southeast corner of the state is the largest metropolitan area in Michigan (roughly 50% of the population resides there) and one of the ten largest metropolitan areas in the country. The Grand Rapids/Holland/Muskegon metropolitan area on the west side of the state is the fastest growing metro area in the state presently, with over 1.3 million residents as of 2006.

Metro Detroit's population is growing, and Detroit's population is still shrinking, though strong redevelopment in central part of the cities and a significant rise in population in the outskirts of the city are contributing to some population inflow. A period of economic transition, especially in manufacturing, has caused economic difficulties in the region since the recession of 2001.

Government

Michigan State Capitol in Lansing See also: List of Governors of Michigan and United States congressional delegations from Michigan

Law

Michigan Supreme Court at the Hall of Justice

Lansing is the state capital and is home to all three branches of state government. The Michigan State Capitol was dedicated in 1879 and has hosted the state's executive and legislative branches ever since. The chief executive is the Governor, and Jennifer Granholm currently holds the office. The legislative branch consists of the bicameral Michigan Legislature, with a House of Representatives and Senate. The Michigan legislature is a full-time legislature, though some representatives have voiced concerns about the long hours disrupting their home lives and wish to make the job part-time. The Michigan Court System consists of two courts with primary jurisdiction (the Circuit Courts and the District Courts), one intermediate level appellate court (the Michigan Court of Appeals), and the Michigan Supreme Court. There are several administrative courts and specialized courts. The Michigan Constitution provides for voter initiative and referendum (Article II, § 9,^[14] defined as "the power to propose laws and to enact and reject laws, called the initiative, and the power to approve or reject laws enacted by the legislature, called the referendum. The power of initiative extends only to laws which the legislature may enact under this constitution"). Michigan has two official Governor's Residences; one is in Lansing, and the other is at Mackinac Island.

Michigan's state universities are immune from control by the legislature, many aspects of the executive branch, and cities in which they are located; but they are not immune from the authority of the courts. Some degree of political control is exercised as the legislature approves appropriations for the schools. Furthermore, the governor appoints the board of trustees of most state universities with the advice and consent of the state Senate. Only the trustees of the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University are chosen in general elections.

Michigan was the first state in the Union, as well as the first English-speaking government in the world,^[15][16] to abolish the death penalty, in 1846. David Chardavoyne has suggested that the abolitionist movement in Michigan grew as a result of enmity towards the state's neighbor, Canada, which under British rule made public executions a regular practice.

Politics

See also: Elections in Michigan and Political party strength in Michigan Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (D).

Voters in the state elect candidates from both major parties. Economic issues are important in Michigan elections. The three term Republican Governor John Engler (1991-2003) preceded the current Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm. The state has re-elected its current Republican Attorney General Mike Cox since 2003. Michigan supported the election of Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. However, the state has supported Democrats in the last five presidential election cycles. In 2008, Barack Obama carried the state over John McCain, winning Michigan's seventeen electoral votes with 57% of the vote. Democrats have won each of the last three, nine of the last ten, and fifteen of the last eighteen U.S. Senate elections in Michigan with confidence on national economic issues posing a challenge. Republican strength is greatest in the western, northern, and rural parts of the state, especially in the Grand Rapids area. Republicans also do well in suburban Detroit which tends to be an important factor in deciding statewide elections. Democrats are strongest in the east, especially in the cities of Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, and Saginaw.

Historically, the first formal meeting of the Republican Party took place in Jackson, Michigan on July 6, 1854^[17] and the party thereafter dominated Michigan until the Great Depression. In the 1912 election, Michigan was one of the six states to support progressive Republican and third party candidate Theodore Roosevelt for President after he lost the Republican nomination to William Howard Taft.

Michigan remained fairly reliably Republican at the presidential level for much of the twentieth century. The state was one of only a handful to back Wendell Willkie over Franklin Roosevelt in 1940, and supported Thomas E. Dewey in his losing bid against Harry Truman in 1948. Michigan went to the Democrats in presidential elections during the 1960s, and voted for Republican Richard Nixon in 1972.

Michigan was the home of Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the United States. He was born in Nebraska and moved as an infant to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and grew up there.^[18][19] The Gerald R. Ford Museum is located in Grand Rapids.

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Michigan See also: List of Michigan county seats and List of municipalities in Michigan (by population)

State government is decentralized among three tiers — statewide, county and township. Counties are administrative divisions of the state, and townships are administrative divisions of a county. Both of them exercise state government authority, localized to meet the particular needs of their jurisdictions, as provided by state law. There are 83 counties in Michigan.

Cities, state universities, and villages are vested with home rule powers of varying degrees. Home rule cities can generally do anything that is not prohibited by law. The fifteen state universities have broad power and can do anything within the parameters of their status as educational institutions that is not prohibited by the state constitution. Villages, by contrast, have limited home rule and are not completely autonomous from the county and township in which they are located.

There are two types of township in Michigan: general law township and charter. Charter township status was created by the Legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan. In general, charter townships have many of the same powers as a city but without the same level of obligations. For example, a charter township can have its own fire department, water and sewer department, police department, and so on—just like a city—but it is not required to have those things, whereas cities must provide those services. Charter townships can opt to use county-wide services instead, such as deputies from the county sheriff's office instead of a home-based force of ordinance officers.

Geography

See also: Protected areas of Michigan, List of Michigan state parks, and Geography of Michigan Michigan map, including territorial waters. Aerial View of Sleeping Bear Dunes The Pointe Mouillee State Game Area

Michigan consists of two peninsulas that lie between 82°30' to about 90°30' west longitude, and are separated by the Straits of Mackinac. With the exception of two small areas that are drained by the Mississippi River by way of the Wisconsin River in the Upper Peninsula and by way of the Kankakee-Illinois River in the Lower Peninsula, Michigan is drained by the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence watershed and is the only state with the majority of its land thus drained.

The Great Lakes that border Michigan from east to west are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. It has more lighthouses than any other state. The state is bounded on the south by the states of Ohio and Indiana, sharing land and water boundaries with both. Michigan's western boundaries are almost entirely water boundaries, from south to north, with Illinois and Wisconsin in Lake Michigan; then a land boundary with Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula, that is principally demarcated by the Menominee and Montreal Rivers; then water boundaries again, in Lake Superior, with Wisconsin and Minnesota to the west, capped around by the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east.

The heavily forested Upper Peninsula is relatively mountainous in the west. The Porcupine Mountains, which are part of one of the oldest mountain chains in the world,^[20] rise to an altitude of almost 2,000 feet (610 m) above sea level and form the watershed between the streams flowing into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The surface on either side of this range is rugged. The state's highest point, in the Huron Mountains northwest of Marquette, is Mount Arvon at 1,979 feet (603 m). The peninsula is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined but has fewer than 330,000 inhabitants. They are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers"), and their speech (the "Yooper dialect") has been heavily influenced by the numerous Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled the area during the lumbering and mining boom of the late nineteenth century.

The Lower Peninsula, shaped like a mitten, is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km) from east to west and occupies nearly two-thirds of the state's land area. The surface of the peninsula is generally level, broken by conical hills and glacial moraines usually not more than a few hundred feet tall. It is divided by a low water divide running north and south. The larger portion of the state is on the west of this and gradually slopes toward Lake Michigan. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 m), or one of several points nearby in the vicinity of Cadillac. The lowest point is the surface of Lake Erie at 571 feet (174 m).

Little Sable Point Light south of Pentwater, Michigan.

The geographic orientation of Michigan's peninsulas makes for a long distance between the ends of the state. Ironwood, in the far western Upper Peninsula, lies 630 highway miles (1,015 km) from Lambertville in the Lower Peninsula's southeastern corner. The geographic isolation of the Upper Peninsula from Michigan's political and population centers makes the U.P. culturally and economically distinct. Occasionally U.P. residents have called for secession from Michigan and establishment as a new state to be called "Superior."

A feature of Michigan that gives it the distinct shape of a mitten is the Thumb. This peninsula projects out into Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay. The geography of the Thumb is mainly flat with a few rolling hills. Other peninsulas of Michigan include the Keweenaw Peninsula, making up the Copper Country region of the state. The Leelanau Peninsula lies in the Northern Lower Michigan region. See Also Michigan Regions

Numerous lakes and marshes mark both peninsulas, and the coast is much indented. Keweenaw Bay, Whitefish Bay, and the Big and Little Bays De Noc are the principal indentations on the Upper Peninsula. The Grand and Little Traverse, Thunder, and Saginaw bays indent the Lower Peninsula. After Alaska, Michigan has the longest shoreline of any state—3,288 miles (5,292 km). An additional 1,056 miles (1,699 km) can be added if islands are included. This roughly equals the length of the Atlantic Coast from Maine to Florida.

The state has numerous large islands, the principal ones being the Manitou, Beaver, and Fox groups in Lake Michigan; Isle Royale and Grande Isle in Lake Superior; Marquette, Bois Blanc, and Mackinac islands in Lake Huron; and Neebish, Sugar, and Drummond islands in St. Mary's River. Michigan has about 150 lighthouses, the most of any U.S. state. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. They were built to project light at night and to serve as a landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes. See Lighthouses in the United States.

The state's rivers are small, short and shallow, and few are navigable. The principal ones include the Au Sable, Thunder Bay, Cheboygan, and Saginaw, all of which flow into Lake Huron; the Ontonagon, and Tahquamenon, which flow into Lake Superior; and the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand, Muskegon, Manistee, and Escanaba, which flow into Lake Michigan. The state has 11,037 inland lakes and 38,575 square miles (99,910 km²) of Great Lakes waters and rivers in addition to 1,305 square miles (3,380 km²) of inland water. No point in Michigan is more than six miles (10 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes.^[21]

Protected lands

See also: List of Michigan state parks

The state is home to one national park: Isle Royale National Park, located in Lake Superior, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Other national protected areas in the state include: Keweenaw National Historical Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Huron National Forest, Manistee National Forest, Hiawatha National Forest, Ottawa National Forest, Fumee Lake Natural Area and Father Marquette National Memorial. The largest section of the North Country National Scenic Trail also passes through Michigan.

With 78 state parks, 19 state recreation areas, and 6 state forests, Michigan has the largest state park and state forest system of any state. These parks and forests include Holland State Park, Mackinac Island State Park, Au Sable State Forest, and Mackinaw State Forest.

Climate

Michigan USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Michigan has a humid continental climate, although there are two distinct regions. The southern and central parts of the Lower Peninsula (south of Saginaw Bay and from the Grand Rapids area southward) have a warmer climate (Koppen climate classification Dfa) with hot summers and cold winters. The northern part of Lower Peninsula and the entire Upper Peninsula has a more severe climate (Koppen Dfb), with warm, but shorter summers and longer, cold to very cold winters. Some parts of the state average high temperatures below freezing from December through February, and into early March in the far northern parts. During the winter through the middle of February the state is frequently subjected to heavy lake-effect snow. The state averages from 30–40 inches (76–100 cm) of precipitation annually.

The entire state averages 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year. These can be severe, especially in the southern part of the state. The state averages 17 tornadoes per year, which are more common in the extreme southern portion of the state. Portions of the southern border have been nearly as vulnerable historically as parts of Tornado Alley. Farther north, in the Upper Peninsula, tornadoes are rare.^[22]

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Michigan Cities in °F(°C)
City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Detroit	31/18 (-1/-8)	34/20 (1/-7)	45/28 (7/-2)	58/38 (14/3)	70/49 (21/9)	79/59 (26/15)	83/64 (28/18)	81/62 (27/17)	74/54 (23/12)	61/42 (16/6)	48/34 (9/1)	36/23 (2/-5)
Flint	29/13 (-2/-11)	32/15 (0/-9)	43/24 (6/-4)	56/35 (13/2)	69/45 (21/7)	78/55 (26/13)	82/59 (28/15)	80/57 (27/14)	72/49 (22/9)	60/39 (16/4)	46/30 (8/-1)	34/19 (1/-7)
Grand Rapids	29/16 (-2/-9)	33/17 (1/-8)	43/26 (6/-3)	57/36 (14/2)	70/47 (21/8)	78/56 (26/13)	82/60 (28/16)	80/59 (27/15)	72/51 (22/11)	60/40 (11/4)	46/31 (8/-1)	34/21 (1/-6)
Lansing	29/14 (-2/-10)	33/15 (1/-9)	44/24 (7/-4)	57/34 (14/1)	69/45 (21/7)	78/54 (26/12)	82/58 (28/14)	80/57 (27/14)	72/49 (22/9)	60/39 (16/4)	46/30 (8/-1)	34/20 (1/-7)
Marquette	20/3 (-7/-16)	24/5 (-4/-15)	33/14 (1/-10)	46/27 (8/-3)	62/39 (17/4)	70/48 (21/9)	75/54 (24/12)	73/52 (23/11)	63/44 (17/7)	51/34 (11/1)	35/22 (2/-6)	24/10 (-4/-12)
Muskegon	30/17 (-1/-8)	32/18 (0/-8)	42/25 (6/-4)	55/35 (13/2)	67/45 (19/7)	76/54 (24/12)	80/60 (27/16)	78/59 (26/15)	70/51 (21/11)	59/41 (15/5)	46/32 (8/0)	35/23 (2/-5)
Sault Ste Marie	22/5 (-6/-15)	24/7 (-4/-14)	34/16 (1/-9)	48/29 (9/-2)	63/39 (17/4)	71/46 (22/7)	76/52 (24/11)	74/52 (23/11)	65/45 (18/7)	53/36 (12/2)	39/26 (12/-3)	27/13 (-3/-11)
[4]

Geology

The geological formation of the state is greatly varied. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface of the Upper Peninsula (being principally of primitive origin), while Secondary deposits cover the entire Lower Peninsula. The Upper Peninsula exhibits Lower Silurian sandstones, limestones, copper and iron bearing rocks, corresponding to the Huronian system of Canada. The central portion of the Lower Peninsula contains coal measures and rocks of the Permo-Carboniferous period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire state.

Demographics

See also: Michigan census statistical areas Michigan population distribution. Map showing ancestry.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	3,757		—
1810	4,762		26.8%
1820	7,452		56.5%
1830	28,004		275.8%
1840	212,267		658.0%
1850	397,654		87.3%
1860	749,113		88.4%
1870	1,184,059		58.1%
1880	1,636,937		38.2%
1890	2,093,890		27.9%
1900	2,420,982		15.6%
1910	2,810,173		16.1%
1920	3,668,412		30.5%
1930	4,842,325		32.0%
1940	5,256,106		8.5%
1950	6,371,766		21.2%
1960	7,823,194		22.8%
1970	8,875,083		13.4%
1980	9,262,078		4.4%
1990	9,295,297		0.4%
2000	9,938,444		6.9%
Est. 2008[2]	10,003,422		0.7%

As of the July 1, 2008 population estimate, Michigan has an estimated population of 10,003,422, an increase of 64,930, or 0.7%, since the year 2000. As of 2000, the state had the 8th largest population in the Union.

The center of population of Michigan is located in Shiawassee County, in the southeastern corner of the civil township of Bennington, which is located directly north of the village of Morrice.^[23]

As of 2005-2007 three-year estimate, the state had a foreign-born population of 610,173, or 6% of the total population. In recent years, the foreign-born population in the state has grown. Michigan has the largest Dutch-American, Finnish-American and Macedonian-American populations in the United States.

The five largest reported ancestries in Michigan are: German (20.4%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.8%), English (9.9%), and Polish (8.6%).

Michigan has a large white population (81.3%). Americans of European descent including German, Irish, French, and British ancestry live throughout most of Michigan and Metro Detroit. People of Nordic (especially Finnish) and Cornish ancestry have a notable presence in the Upper Peninsula. Western Michigan is known for the Dutch heritage of many residents (the highest concentration of any state), especially in metropolitan Grand Rapids. Metro Detroit also has residents of Polish and Irish descent.

Dearborn has become the center of a large Arab-American community, now mostly Lebanese, who immigrated for jobs in the auto industry in the 1920s.^[24] About 300,000 people trace their roots to the Middle East.^[25] African-Americans, who came to Detroit and other northern cities in the Great Migration of the early 20th century, form a majority of the population of the city of Detroit and of other industrial cities, including Flint and Benton Harbor.

An individual from Michigan is called a "Michigander" or "Michiganian".^[26] Also at times, but rarely, a "Michiganite".^[27] Residents of the Upper Peninsula are sometimes referred to as "Yoopers" (a phonetic pronunciation of "U.P.ers"), and Upper Peninsula residents sometimes refer to those from the lower as "trolls" (they live below the bridge).^[28]

Demographics of Michigan (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	83.05%	14.92%	1.26%	2.10%	0.08%
2000 (Hispanic only)	2.98%	0.22%	0.11%	0.03%	0.01%
2005 (total population)	82.65%	15.05%	1.21%	2.57%	0.08%
2005 (Hispanic only)	3.51%	0.23%	0.11%	0.05%	0.02%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	1.35%	2.77%	-2.51%	24.24%	12.50%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	0.66%	2.67%	-2.71%	24.04%	10.70%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	19.89%	9.70%	-0.48%	36.87%	20.51%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Religion

The Roman Catholic Church was the only organized religion in Michigan until the 19th century. Detroit's St. Anne's parish, established in 1701, is the second-oldest Catholic parish in the country. The original French-Roman Catholics, reduced to a small minority by the influx of American Protestants, were soon reinforced by the arrival of Catholic immigrants from Ireland, and, later, from eastern and southern Europe. The Lutheran religion was introduced by German and Scandinavian immigrants; Lutheranism is second largest religious denomination in the state. Islam was introduced by immigrants from the Near East during the 20th century.^[29]

The largest denomination by number of adherents in 2000 was The Roman Catholic Church with 2,019,926 The largest Protestant denominations were the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod with 244,231 The United Methodist Church with 222,269 adherents The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with 160,836 adherents.^[30]

Economy

See also: List of companies based in Michigan and Economy of metropolitan Detroit Michigan is the center of the American automotive industry. Pictured is the Ford Shelby GT500 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The GT500 is manufactured in Ford's Flat Rock, Michigan assembly plant.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated Michigan's 2004 gross state product at $372 billion.^[31] Per capita personal income in 2003 was $31,178 and ranked twentieth in the nation. In May 2009, Michigan's unemployment rate rose to 14.1%,^[32] the highest in the nation during the recession.

Some of the major industries/products/services include automobiles, cereal products, information technology, aerospace, military equipment, copper, iron, and furniture. Michigan is the third leading grower of Christmas trees with 60,520 acres (245 km²) of land dedicated to Christmas tree farming.^[33][34] The beverage Vernors was invented in Michigan in 1866, sharing the title of oldest soft drink with Hires Root Beer. Faygo was founded in Detroit on November 4, 1907.

Michigan has experienced economic difficulties brought on by volatile stock market disruptions following the September 11, 2001 attacks. This caused a pension and benefit fund crisis for many American companies, including General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Since the early 2000s recession and the September 11, 2001 attacks, GM, Ford, and Chrysler have struggled to overcome the benefit funds crisis which followed an ensuing volatile stock market which had caused a severe underfunding condition in the respective U.S. pension and benefit funds (OPEB). Although manufacturing in the state grew 6.6% from 2001 to 2006,^[13] the high speculative price of oil became a factor for the U.S. auto industry during the economic crisis of 2008 impacting industry revenues. During this economic crisis, President George W. Bush extended loans from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) funds in order to help the GM and Chrysler bridge the recession.^[35] In January 2009, President Barack Obama formed an automotive task force in order to help the industry recover and achieve renewed prosperity for the region. With retiree health care costs a significant issue,^[36][37] General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler reached agreements with the United Auto Workers Union to transfer the liabilities for their respective health care and benefit funds to a 501(c)(9) Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA). In spite of these efforts, the severity of the recession required Detroit's automakers to take additional steps to restructure, including idling many plants. With the U.S. Treasury extending the necessary debtor in possession financing, Chrysler and GM filled separate 'pre-packaged' Chapter 11 restructurings in May and June 2009 respectively.^[38]

Michigan ranks fourth nationally in high tech employment with 568,000 high tech workers, which includes 70,000 in the automotive industry.^[39] Michigan typically ranks third or fourth in overall Research & development (R&D) expenditures in the United States.^[40][41] Its research and development, which includes automotive, comprises a higher percentage of the state's overall gross domestic product than for any other U.S. state.^[42] The state is an important source of engineering job opportunities. The domestic auto industry accounts directly and indirectly for one of every ten jobs in the U.S.^[43] Michigan ranked second nationally in new corporate facilities and expansions in 2004. From 1997 to 2004, Michigan was listed as the only state to top the 10,000 mark for the number of major new developments;^[13][44] however, the effects of the late 2000s recession have slowed the state's economy.

As leading research institutions, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, and Wayne State University are important partners in the state's economy. Michigan's workforce is well-educated and highly skilled, making it attractive to companies. Michigan's infrastructure gives it a competitive edge; Michigan has 38 deep water ports.^[45] In 2007, Bank of America announced that it would commit $25 billion to community development in Michigan following its acquisition of LaSalle Bank in Troy.^[46]

Detroit Metropolitan Airport is one of the nation's most recently expanded and modernized airports with six major runways, and large aircraft maintenance facilities capable of servicing and repairing a Boeing 747. Michigan's schools and colleges rank among the nation's best. The state has maintained its early commitment to public education.

Taxation

Michigan's top tax bracket on personal income is 4.35%. Some cities impose additional income taxes. Michigan's state sales tax is six percent. Property taxes are assessed on the local, not state, level. In 2007, Michigan repealed its Single Business Tax (SBT) and replaced it with a Michigan Business Tax (MBT) in order to stimulate job growth by reducing taxes for seventy percent of the businesses in the state.^[47] According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, recent growth in Michigan is 0.1%.^[48]

Agriculture

A wide variety of commodity crops, fruits, and vegetables are grown in Michigan, making it second only to California among U.S. states in the diversity of its agriculture.^[49] Michigan is a leading grower of fruit, including blueberries, cherries, apples, grapes, and peaches.^[50][51] These fruits are mainly grown in West Michigan. Michigan produces wines and a multitude of food products. Kellogg's cereal is based out of Battle Creek, Michigan and processes many locally grown foods. Michigan is home to very fertile land in the Flint/Tri-Cities and "Thumb" areas. Products grown there are corn, sugar beets, navy beans, and soy beans. Sugar beet harvesting usually begins the first of October. It takes the sugar factories about five months to process the 3.7 million tons of sugarbeets into 970 million pounds of pure, white sugar.^[52] Michigan's largest sugar refiner, Michigan Sugar Company^[53] is the largest east of the Mississippi River and the fourth largest in the nation. Michigan Sugar brand names are Pioneer Sugar and the newly incorporated Big Chief Sugar. Potatoes are grown in Northern Michigan, and corn is dominant in Central Michigan. Michigan State University is dedicated to the study of agriculture.

Tourism

See also: List of National Historic Landmarks in Michigan, List of Registered Historic Places in Michigan, and List of museums in Michigan Castle Museum (Saginaw) is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Michigan has a thriving tourist industry. Visitors spend $17.5 billion per year in the state, supporting 193,000 tourism jobs. Michigan's tourism website ranks among the busiest in the nation.^[54] Destinations draw vacationers, hunters, and nature enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada. Michigan is fifty percent forest land, much of it quite remote. Both the forests and thousands of miles of beaches are top attractions. Tourism in metropolitan Detroit draws visitors to leading attractions, particularly The Henry Ford, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and the Detroit Zoo, and to sports in Detroit. Other museums include the Detroit Historical Museum, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, museums in the Cranbrook Educational Community, and the Arab American National Museum. The metro area offers four major casinos, MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown, Motor City, and Caesars Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada; moreover, Detroit is the largest American city and metropolitan region to offer casino resorts.^[55]

Hunting is a major component of Michigan's economy. Michigan ranks first in the nation in licensed hunters (over one million) who contribute $2 billion annually to its economy. Over three-quarters of a million hunters participate in white-tailed deer season alone. Many school districts in rural areas of Michigan cancel school on the opening day of rifle season, because of attendance concerns.

Michigan's Department of Natural Resources manages the largest dedicated state forest system in the nation. The forest products industry and recreational users contribute $12 billion and 200,000 associated jobs annually to the state's economy. Michigan has more than 90 native species of trees, more than all of Europe combined. The state has highest number of golf courses and registered snowmobiles in the nation.^[56]

The state has numerous historical markers, which can themselves become the center of a tour.^[57]

With its position in relation to the Great Lakes and the countless ships that have foundered over the many years in which they have been used as a transport route for people and bulk cargo, Michigan is a world-class SCUBA diving destination. The Michigan Underwater Preserves are 11 underwater areas where wrecks are protected for the benefit of sport divers.

The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.^[58]

Transportation

Michigan has nine international crossings with Ontario, Canada:

• Ambassador Bridge, North America's busiest international border crossing the Detroit River (the only place in the contiguous United States where one can go due south to Canada).
• Blue Water Bridge, a twin-span bridge (Port Huron, Michigan and Point Edward, Ontario, but the larger city of Sarnia, Ontario is usually referred to on the Canadian side.
• Blue Water Ferry (Marine City, Michigan and Sombra, Ontario)
• Canadian Pacific Railway tunnel.
• Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry (Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario)
• Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
• International Bridge (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario)
• St. Clair River Railway Tunnel (Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario)
• Walpole Island Ferry (Algonac, Michigan and Walpole Island First Nation, Ontario
• A second international bridge is currently under development between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario.^[59]

Railroads

See also: List of Michigan railroads and History of railroads in Michigan

Michigan is served by five Class I railroads: the Canadian National Railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway, CSX Transportation, the Norfolk Southern Railway, and Conrail. These are augmented by several dozen short line railroads. The vast majority of rail service in Michigan is devoted to freight, with Amtrak and various scenic railroads the exceptions.^[60]

Main article: Michigan Services

Amtrak passenger rail services the state, connecting many southern and western Michigan cities to Chicago, Illinois. There are plans for commuter rail for Detroit and its suburbs (see SEMCOG Commuter Rail).^[61][62][63]

Roadways

See also: Michigan Highway System

Interstate 75 is the main thoroughfare between Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw extending north to Sault Sainte Marie and providing access to Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. The expressway crosses the Mackinac Bridge between the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. Branching highways include I-275 and I-375 in Detroit; I-475 in Flint; and I-675 in Saginaw.

Interstate 69 enters the state near the Michigan-Ohio-Indiana border, and it extends to Port Huron and provides access to the Blue Water Bridge crossing into Sarnia, Ontario.

Interstate 94 enters the western end of the state at the Indiana border, and it travels east to Detroit and then northeast to Port Huron and ties in with I-69. I-194 branches off from this freeway in Battle Creek.

Interstate 96 runs east-west between Detroit and Muskegon. I-496 loops through Lansing. I-196 branches off from this freeway at Grand Rapids and connects to I-94 near Benton Harbor. I-696 branches off from this freeway at Novi and connects to I-94 near St Clair Shores.

U.S. Route 2 enters Michigan at the city of Ironwood and runs east to the town of Crystal Falls, where it turns south and re-enters Wisconsin northwest of Florence. It re-enters Michigan north of Iron Mountain and continues through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to the cities of Escanaba, Manistique, and St. Ignace. Along the way, it cuts through the Ottawa and Hiawatha National Forests and follows the northern shore of Lake Michigan. Its eastern terminus lies at exit 344 of I-75, just north of the Mackinac Bridge. This is generally regarded as the main route through the Upper Peninsula, although some prefer to travel on M-28 as it tends to save time (U.S. 2 hugs the Lake Michigan shoreline for much of its length.)

Major bridges include the Ambassador Bridge, Blue Water Bridge, Mackinac Bridge, and International Bridge. Michigan also has the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel crossing into Canada.

Airports

See also: List of airports in Michigan

The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is by far Michigan's busiest airport, followed by the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.

Important cities and townships

Detroit skyline along the Detroit River. The Grand Rapids skyline centered on the Grand River. A Lansing Sunset Downtown Flint as seen from the Flint River. Ann Arbor skyline as seen from Michigan Stadium Further information: List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan

The largest municipalities in Michigan are (according to 2007 census estimates):

Rank	City	Population	Image
1	Detroit	916,952	Map showing largest Michigan municipalities.
2	Grand Rapids	193,627
3	Warren	134,223
4	Sterling Heights	127,349
5	Ann Arbor	115,092
6	Lansing	114,947
7	Flint	114,662
8	Clinton Township	96,253
9	Livonia	93,931
10	Dearborn	89,252

Other important cities include:

• Battle Creek ("Cereal City U.S.A.", world headquarters of Kellogg Company)
• Benton Harbor / St. Joseph (headquarters of Whirlpool Corporation)
• East Lansing (home of Michigan State University)
• Fremont (home of the Gerber Products Company)
• Jackson (headquarters of CMS Energy)
• Kalamazoo (Largest city in southwest Michigan and home to Western Michigan University)
• Manistee (home to the world's largest salt plant, owned by Morton Salt)
• Marquette (largest city in the Upper Peninsula with 19,661 people and home of Northern Michigan University)
• Midland (headquarters of the Dow Chemical Company and the Dow Corning Corporation)
• Mount Pleasant (home of Central Michigan University)
• Muskegon (largest Michigan city on Lake Michigan)
• Pontiac (major automobile manufacturing center, and home of the Pontiac Silverdome)
• Port Huron (major international crossing and home of the Blue Water Bridge)
• Saginaw (the largest of the Tri-Cities, which also consist of Bay City and Midland, and home to Saginaw Valley State University)
• Sault Ste. Marie (home of the Soo Locks and Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge)
• Traverse City ("Cherry Capital of the World", making Michigan the country's largest producer of cherries)
• Ypsilanti (home of Eastern Michigan University)

Half of the wealthiest communities in the state are located in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Another wealthy community is located just east of the city, in Grosse Pointe. Only three of these cities are located outside of Metro Detroit. The city of Detroit itself, with a per capita income of $14,717, ranks 517th on the list of Michigan locations by per capita income. Benton Harbor is the poorest city in Michigan, with a per capita income of $8,965, while Barton Hills is the richest with a per capita income of $110,683.

Education

See also: List of school districts in Michigan

Colleges and universities

• Adrian College
• Albion College
• Alma College
• Andrews University
• Aquinas College
• Ave Maria School of Law
• Baker College
• Calvin College
• Calvin Theological Seminary
• Center for Humanistic Studies
• Central Bible College
• Central Michigan University
• Cleary University
• College for Creative Studies
• Concordia University
• Cornerstone University
• Cranbrook Academy of Art
• Davenport University
• Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary
• Eastern Michigan University
• Ecumenical Theological Seminary
• Ferris State University
• Finlandia University
• Grace Bible College
• Grand Rapids Theological Seminary
• Grand Valley State University
• Great Lakes Christian College
• Great Lakes Maritime Academy
• Hillsdale College
• Hope College
• Kalamazoo College
• Kendall College of Art and Design
• Kettering University
• Kuyper College
• Lake Superior State University
• Lawrence Technological University
• Lewis College of Business
• Madonna University
• Marygrove College
• Michigan Jewish Institute
• Michigan State University
• Michigan Technological University
• Michigan Theological Seminary
• Northern Michigan University
• Northwestern Michigan College
• Northwood University
• Oakland University
• Olivet College
• Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
• Rochester College
• Sacred Heart Major Seminary
• Saginaw Valley State University
• SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary
• Siena Heights University
• Spring Arbor University
• Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches
• Thomas M. Cooley Law School
• University of Detroit Mercy
• University of Michigan System
  • University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  • University of Michigan–Dearborn
  • University of Michigan-Flint
• University of Phoenix
• Walsh College of Accountancy and Business
• Wayne State University
• Western Michigan University
• Western Theological Seminary
• William Tyndale College
• Yeshiva Gedolah Ateres Mordechai of Greater Detroit

Community colleges and technical schools

• American College of Computer and Information Sciences
• Alpena Community College
• Bay de Noc Community College
• Bay Mills Community College
• Delta College
• Ellis College of NYIT
• Glen Oaks Community College
• Gogebic Community College
• Grand Rapids Community College
• Henry Ford Community College
• ITT Technical Institute
• Jackson Community College
• Kalamazoo Valley Community College
• Kellogg Community College
• Kirtland Community College
• Lake Michigan College
• Lansing Community College
• Macomb Community College
• Michigan Career and Technical Institute
• Michigan Institution of Aviation and Technology
• Mid-Michigan Community College
• Monroe County Community College
• Montcalm Community College
• Mott Community College
• Muskegon Community College
• National Institute of Technology
• North Central Michigan College
• Northwestern Michigan College
• Oakland Community College
• Olympia Career Training Institute
• Ross Medical Education Center
• Saint Clair County Community College
• Schoolcraft College
• Southwestern Michigan College
• Washtenaw Community College
• Wayne County Community College
• West Shore Community College

Professional sports teams

Michigan's major-league sports teams include: Detroit Tigers baseball team, Detroit Lions football team, Detroit Red Wings ice hockey team, Detroit Pistons men's basketball team, Detroit Shock women's basketball team, and Grand Rapids Rampage Arena Football League team.

The Shock currently play at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons played at Detroit's Cobo Arena until 1978 and at the Pontiac Silverdome until 1988 when they moved into the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Detroit Lions played at Tiger Stadium in Detroit until 1974, then moved out to the Silverdome for the 1975 season before moving to Ford Field in 2002. The Red Wings played at Olympia Stadium before moving to Joe Louis Arena in 1979. The Rampage play at the Van Andel Arena in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids' entertainment district.

Ten-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams was born in Saginaw. Professional hockey got its start in Houghton, when the Portage Lakers were formed.

Other notable sports teams include:

Club	Sport	League
Alpena IceDiggers	Ice hockey	North American Hockey League
Battle Creek Revolution	Ice hockey	All American Hockey League
Lapeer Thunder	Ice hockey	All American Hockey League
Flint Generals	Ice hockey	International Hockey League
Grand Rapids Griffins	Ice hockey	American Hockey League
Kalamazoo Wings	Ice Hockey	ECHL
Marquette Rangers	Ice Hockey	North American Hockey League
Motor City Machine	Ice hockey	North American Hockey League
Muskegon Fury	Ice hockey	International Hockey League
Plymouth Whalers	Ice hockey	Ontario Hockey League
Port Huron Icehawks	Ice hockey	International Hockey League
Saginaw Spirit	Ice hockey	Ontario Hockey League
Traverse City North Stars	Ice hockey	North American Hockey League
Lansing Lugnuts	Baseball	Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Great Lakes Loons	Baseball	Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Kalamazoo Kings	Baseball	Minor League Baseball, Frontier League
Traverse City Beach Bums	Baseball	Minor League Baseball, Frontier League
West Michigan Whitecaps	Baseball	Minor League Baseball, Midwest League
Grand Rapids Rampage	Arena football	Arena Football League
Kalamazoo Xplosion	Indoor football	Continental Indoor Football League
Flint Phantoms	Indoor football	Continental Indoor Football League
Muskegon Thunder	Indoor football	Indoor Football League
Saginaw Sting	Indoor football	Indoor Football League
Detroit Demolition	Football	Independent Women's Football League
Detroit Ignition	Indoor soccer	Xtreme Soccer League
Kalamazoo Kingdom	Soccer	USL Premier Development League
Michigan Bucks	Soccer	USL Premier Development League
Michigan Hawks	Soccer	W-League
Michigan Phoenix	Soccer	Women's Premier Soccer League
West Michigan Edge	Soccer	USL Premier Development League
West Michigan Firewomen	Soccer	W-League
Motor City Machine Guns	Wrestling	TNAwrestling

Former professional teams

See also: List of Michigan sport championships

Club	Sport	League(s)	Status
Detroit Gems	Basketball	National Basketball Association	Moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota and became the Minneapolis Lakers, would move again to Los Angeles, California and are now the Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit (NFL) (Heralds/Tigers/Panthers/Wolverines)	Football	National Football League	Defunct
Detroit Wheels	Football	World Football League	Moved to Charlotte, North Carolina for one game, then disbanded in the middle of the 1974 season
Detroit Falcons (basketball)	Basketball	Basketball Association of America	Defunct
Michigan Panthers	Football	USFL	Defunct
Detroit Stars	Baseball	Negro National League, 2nd Negro National League, Negro American League	The team ceased operations in 1960
Detroit Wolverines	Baseball	National League	Disbanded, 1888
Michigan Stags	Ice Hockey	World Hockey Association	Moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became the Baltimore Blades for the rest of the team's existence
Detroit Vipers	Ice Hockey	International Hockey League	Disbanded when IHL became AHL
Detroit Fury	Arena football	Arena Football League	Franchise terminated September 20, 2004
Michigan Mayhem	Basketball	Continental Basketball Association	Disbanded after 2005-2006 season

State symbols and nicknames

• State nicknames: Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, Mitten State, Water-Winter Wonderland
• State motto: Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice (Latin: If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you) adopted in 1835 on the coat-of-arms, but never as an official 'motto'. This is a paraphrase of the epitaph of British architect Sir Christopher Wren about his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral.^[64][65]
• State song: My Michigan (official since 1937, but disputed amongst residents),^[66] Michigan, My Michigan (Unofficial State Song, since the civil war)
• State bird: American Robin (since 1931)
• State animal: Wolverine (traditional)
• State game animal: White-tailed deer (since 1997)
• State fish: Brook trout (since 1965)
• State reptile: Painted Turtle (since 1995)
• State fossil: Mastodon (since 2000)
• State flower: Apple blossom (adopted in 1897, official in 1997)
• State wildflower: Dwarf Lake Iris (since 1998). Known as Iris lacustris, it is a federally listed threatened species.
• State tree: White pine (since 1955)
• State stone: Petoskey stone (since 1965). It is composed of fossilized coral (Hexagonaria pericarnata) from long ago when the middle of the continent was covered with a shallow sea.
• State gem: Isle Royale greenstone (since 1973). Also called chlorastrolite (literally "green star stone"), the mineral is found on Isle Royale and the Keweenaw peninsula.
• State soil: Kalkaska Sand (since 1990), ranges in color from black to yellowish brown, covers nearly a million acres (400,000 ha) in 29 counties.

Sister states

• Shiga Prefecture, Japan^[67]
• Sichuan Province, Peoples Republic of China^[68]

See also

Michigan portal

• Index of Michigan-related articles

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Michigan in Brief: Information About the State of Michigan" (PDF). Michigan.gov. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/hal_lm_MiB_156795_7.pdf. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved on 2009-01-26.
3. ^ ^{a b} "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved on November 6 2006.
4. ^ "Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary". Freelang.net. http://www.freelang.net/online/ojibwe.php?lg=gb.
5. ^ "NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management: My State: Michigan". http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/mi.html.
6. ^ "Press Release: The States of Boating: Report Shows Where Americans Take to the Water Most". http://www.discoverboating.com/info/pressrelease.aspx?id=14361.
7. ^ "Compilation of Databases on Michigan Lakes" (PDF). MichiganDNR.com. http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/technical/reports/2004-2tr.pdf. Retrieved on 2009-04-18.
8. ^ "Cadillac's Village or Detroit under Cadillac.". http://my.tbaytel.net/bmartin/cadillac.htm. Retrieved on January 5 2007.
9. ^ "History Detroit 1701-2001". http://www.historydetroit.com/places/fort_ponchartrain.asp. Retrieved on January 5 2007.
10. ^ The Province also included the modern states of Wisconsin, eastern Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, two-thirds of Georgia, and small parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Maine
11. ^ The Encyclopædia Britannica, p. 158. 11th ed. (1910).
12. ^ Farmer, Silas (2005) [1889]. "Legislatures and Laws". The history of Detroit and Michigan; or, The metropolis illustrated; a full record of territorial days in Michigan, and the annals of Wayne County. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Library. pp. 94. http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=micounty;cc=micounty;rgn=full%20text;idno=BAD1459.0001.001;didno=BAD1459.0001.001;view=image;seq=00000152. Retrieved on 2006-06-15.
13. ^ ^{a b c} National Association of Manufacturers (February 2008).Facts about Michigan Manufacturing. Retrieved on January 11, 2009.
14. ^ "Article II, § 9 of state constitution". http://www.legislature.mi.gov/printDocument.aspx?objName=mcl-article-ii-9&version=txt.
15. ^ "Information on States Without the Death Penalty". http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=11&did=276.
16. ^ "History of the Death Penalty - Faith in Action - Working to Abolish the Death Penalty". http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/event2/history.html.
17. ^ Jackson Michigan web site - historical markers.
18. ^ "Biography of Gerald R. Ford". http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html.
19. ^ Funk, Josh (2006). "Nebraska - Born, Ford Left State As Infant". Associated Press. Boston.com. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/27/nebraska_born_ford_left_state_as_infant/. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
20. ^ "Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources". http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10319-54024--,00.html.
21. ^ "Why is Michigan sometimes called "The Wolverine State?"". Michigan FAQ. Department of History, Arts and Libraries. http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_20826_20829-54118--,00.html#wolver. Retrieved on 11 January 2009. "Another nickname for Michigan is the "Great Lake State." Michigan's shores touch four of the five Great Lakes, and Michigan has more than 11,000 inland lakes. In Michigan, you are never more than six miles from an inland lake or more than 85 miles from a Great Lake."
22. ^ [1] srh.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006.
23. ^ "Population and Population Centers by State - 2000". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved on 2008-12-05.
24. ^ Miyares, Ines M. and Airriess, Christopher A. (2007). Contemporary Ethnic Geographies in America, p. 320. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0742537722.
25. ^ "Detroit Expects Half of Iraqi Refugees". http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3233636&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312.
26. ^ ""Michiganian or Michigander?" Michigan.gov". http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160-15481_20826_20829-54118--,00.html#michiganian.
27. ^ "Merriam Webster Dictionary". http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/michiganite.
28. ^ Meyer, Zlati, You Haven't Lived Here until ... You've mastered Michigan Slang, March 22, 2009, Detroit Free Press
29. ^ "http://www.city-data.com/states/Michigan-Religions.html". http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/26_2000.asp.
30. ^ "www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/26_2000.asp". http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/26_2000.asp.
31. ^ "Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State". http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm.
32. ^ Michigan Labor Market Information. Retrieved on June 23, 2009.
33. ^ [2] http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/census02/volume1/us/st99_2_035_036.pdf
34. ^ "National Christmas Tree Association: Industry Statistics". http://www.christmastree.org/statistics_industry.cfm#findings.
35. ^ Neuman, Scott (December 20, 2008). . Retrieved on December 26, 2008.
36. ^ Sloan, Allan (April 10, 2007).GM's High-Performance Pension Machine Washington Post, D02.
37. ^ Lindorff, Dave (April 19, 2005).Health Care Costs and the Jobs Flight to Canada Counterpunch. Retrieved on April 24, 2007.
38. ^ Garrett, Major (March 31, 2009).White House Plots GM Bankruptcy, Unsure When Taxpayers Will Recoup $50 Billion Investment.Fox News. Retrieved on June 23, 2009.
39. ^ MEDC (2009).Michigan: High Technology Focus. State of Michigan. Retrieved on June 23, 2009.
40. ^ MEDC,(2009).Michigan Advantage State of Michigan. Retrieved on June 23, 2009.
41. ^ NSF 01-320 (2001).R&D Spending is Highly Concentrated in a Small Number of States National Science Foundation
42. ^ "www.agiweb.org/gap/cvd/CVD04Michigan.pdf" (PDF). http://www.agiweb.org/gap/cvd/CVD04Michigan.pdf.
43. ^ Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (2006). From the 2003 Study "Contributions of the Automotive Industry to the U.S. Economy" University of Michigan and the Center for Automotive Research.Retrieved on January 3, 2009.
44. ^ MEDC (2005) Michigan#2 in the Nation for New Corporate Facilities and Expansions in 2004 Globeinvestor.com
45. ^ MEDC (2006). Commercial PortsState of Michigan
46. ^ Crain's Detroit Business (October 4, 2007).Bank of America commits $25 billion for community development in Michigan. Metro Mode Media.Retrieved on January 3, 2008.
47. ^ Office of the Governor (June 15, 2007). New Michigan Business Tax Key to State's Economic Future State of Michigan.Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
48. ^ "Bureau of Economic Analysis". http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/GSPNewsRelease.htm.
49. ^ [3]. Michigan agricultural exports, by Craig Thiel, Fiscal Analyst. Retrieved on September 3, 2008.
50. ^ Michigan Blueberries. Agriculture Experiment Station. Michigan State University. Retrieved on January 3, 2008.
51. ^ Hanson, Eric, Department of Horticulture. Small Fruit Crops. Ag Experiment Station Special Reports (07/28/98). Michigan State University. Retrieved on January 3, 2008.
52. ^ "Michigan Sugar Company - Education". http://www.michigansugar.com/about/education/growing.php.
53. ^ "Michigan Sugar Company". http://michigansugar.com/.
54. ^ Great Lakes IT Report. (May 3, 2007,).Michigan's Tourism Website No. 1 in the U.S. Retrieved on August 10, 2007.
55. ^ Mink, Randy, and Karen Mink (July 2001).Detroit Turns 300 - Detroit 300 Festival. Travel America, World Publishing Co., Gale Group.
56. ^ ""Economic Impact - Natural Resources Boost Michigan's Economy" Michigan.gov". http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-38948-121641--,00.html.
57. ^ Michigan Historical Markers Traveling Through time: A guide to Michigan Historical Markers
58. ^ Great Lakes Circle Tour.
59. ^ "Detroit River International Crossing Study Website". http://www.partnershipborderstudy.com.
60. ^ "Railroads Operating in Michigan" (PDF). Michigan Department of Transportation. http://michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_Official_Rail_130897_7.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
61. ^ Commuter rail plan to Detroit gets a push: Amtrak from Ann Arbor, January 22, 2007, Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press, via Internet Archive
62. ^ "Commuter rail service facts". http://www.marp.org/detroitcommuter.htm.
63. ^ Commuter rail line will have stop in Ypsilanti, John Mulcahy, The Ann Arbor News, March 10, 2009
64. ^ "Michigan state motto, at least on its coat of arms". http://www.netstate.com/states/mottoes/mi_motto.htm.
65. ^ "Law enacting State Court of Arms". http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(1vf2tp45f2zrc43menveha55))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-2-22&queryid=21357829&highlight=state%20AND%20motto.
66. ^ "Michigan's State Songs". http://www.michigan.gov/hal/0,1607,7-160--54116--,00.html.
67. ^ "Birmingham Sister City Program". http://www.ci.birmingham.mi.us/home/index.asp?page=419.
68. ^ "Briefing on Sichuan International Sister Cities Cooperation and Development Week 2005". http://www.scfao.gov.cn/2005/2.html.

Further reading

• Bald, F. Clever, Michigan in Four Centuries (1961)/
• Browne, William P. and - Kenneth VerBurg. Michigan Politics & Government: Facing Change in a Complex State University of Nebraska Press. 1995.
• Bureau of Business Research, Wayne State U. Michigan Statistical Abstract (1987).
• Cappel, Constance, editor, "Odawa Language and Legends: Andrew J. Blackbird and Raymond Kiogima," Philadelphia, PA: Xlibris, 2006.
• Cappel, Constance, "The Smallpox Genocide of the Odawa Tribe at L'Arbre Croche, 1763: The History of a Native American People," Lewiston,NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2007.
• Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliographies for Michigan by region, counties, etc..
• Michigan, State of. Michigan Manual (annual), elaborate detail on state government.
• Michigan Historical Review Central Michigan University (quarterly).
• Press, Charles et al., Michigan Political Atlas (1984).
• Public Sector Consultants. Michigan in Brief. An Issues Handbook (annual)
• Rubenstein, Bruce A. and Lawrence E. Ziewacz. Michigan: A History of the Great Lakes State. (2002)
• Sisson, Richard, Ed. The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia (2006)
• Weeks, George, Stewards of the State: The Governors of Michigan (Historical Society of Michigan, 1987).
• Wilbur Rich. Coleman Young and Detroit Politics: From Social Activist to Power Broker (Wayne State University Press, 1988).
• Willis F. Dunbar and George S. May. Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State (1995)

External links

Find more about Michigan on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions from Wiktionary

Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity

• State of Michigan government website
• Energy Data & Statistics for Michigan
• Info Michigan, detailed information on 630 cities
• Michigan Historic Markers
• Michigan History Magazine
• Michigan Lighthouse Chronology - Clark Historical Library
• Michigan Official Travel Site
• Michigan travel guide from Wikitravel
• Michigan at the Open Directory Project
• Michigan State Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Michigan Underwater Preserves Council
• The Michigan Municipal League
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Michigan

State of Michigan Lansing (capital) Topics Congressional delegation · Governors · History · Lieutenant Governors · Legislature Museums · National Historic Landmarks · People · Registered Historic Places · State parks · Supreme Court · Tallest buildings · Timeline · Topics · Visitor attractions Regions Upper Peninsula Copper Country · Keweenaw Peninsula · Gogebic Range Lower Peninsula Central Michigan: Southern Michigan · Flint/Tri-Cities: The Thumb The Greater Tri Cities · Michiana · Northern Michigan · Southeast Michigan Metro Detroit · West Michigan Largest municipalities Ann Arbor · Battle Creek · Bay City · Bloomfield Township · Canton Township · Chesterfield Township · Clinton Township · Commerce Township · Dearborn · Dearborn Heights · Detroit · East Lansing · Eastpointe · Farmington Hills · Flint · Flint Township · Georgetown Township · Grand Rapids · Holland · Jackson · Kalamazoo · Kentwood · Lansing · Lincoln Park · Livonia · Macomb Township · Meridian Township · Midland · Muskegon · Novi · Pontiac · Portage · Redford · Rochester Hills · Roseville · Royal Oak · Saginaw · Saginaw Township · St. Clair Shores · Shelby Township · Southfield · Sterling Heights · Taylor · Troy · Warren · Waterford Township · West Bloomfield · Westland · Wyoming · Ypsilanti Township Counties Alcona · Alger · Allegan · Alpena · Antrim · Arenac · Baraga · Barry · Bay · Benzie · Berrien · Branch · Calhoun · Cass · Charlevoix · Cheboygan · Chippewa · Clare · Clinton · Crawford · Delta · Dickinson · Eaton · Emmet · Genesee · Gladwin · Gogebic · Grand Traverse · Gratiot · Hillsdale · Houghton · Huron · Ingham · Ionia · Iosco · Iron · Isabella · Jackson · Kalamazoo · Kalkaska · Kent · Keweenaw · Lake · Lapeer · Leelanau · Lenawee · Livingston · Luce · Mackinac · Macomb · Manistee · Marquette · Mason · Mecosta · Menominee · Midland · Missaukee · Monroe · Montcalm · Montmorency · Muskegon · Newaygo · Oakland · Oceana · Ogemaw · Ontonagon · Osceola · Oscoda · Otsego · Ottawa · Presque Isle · Roscommon · Saginaw · Sanilac · Schoolcraft · Shiawassee · St. Clair · St. Joseph · Tuscola · Van Buren · Washtenaw · Wayne · Wexford

Political divisions of the United States States Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming Federal district Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia) Insular areas American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Bajo Nuevo Bank · Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Serranilla Bank · Wake Island

Preceded by Arkansas

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Admitted on January 26, 1837 (26th)

Succeeded by Florida

Coordinates: 44°N 85°W / 44°N 85°W

Categories: Michigan | States of the United States | States and territories established in 1837

 

 

See Also:

• Michigan
• Detroit, Michigan

 

What Links Here:

 

Recently Viewed Pages:

• Burn!
• Hundred Flowers Campaign: Encyclopedia
• Tattoos: Encyclopedia
• Tonawanda: News
• Loner: Encyclopedia
• Bucholtz: Images
• Nerd Pride Day
• Social Isolation: Blogs
• Search Terms
• Cookin: Blogs

 

Most Popular Pages:

• How To Dress Like a Nerd: Answers
• Search Terms
• Jeremy Donefer: Blogs
• Nerds: Encyclopedia
• Yahoo!
• Nerd: Answers
• Udah
• Celebrity Apprentice: News
• Tattoos: Encyclopedia
• Answers

Related 'Michigan' Searches:

related terms:	Upper Peninsula	Michigan	Lake Michigan	United States
	Lake Huron	State	Michigan State	Detroit Population
	Lakes	French	Ojibwe	British

---

top user searches:	►

---

or search for "Michigan" in:		Web:		The Entire Web	Web Directories	Related* Sites
		This Site:		Page Titles	Karr Network Sites*
		News:		Headlines	Weather	Events	Blogs
		Reference:		Encyclopedia	Dictionary	eTexts	Quotes
				Local Map	Answers
		Multimedia:		Images	Videos
		People:		Discussion Groups	Social Networking
		Shopping:		General Merch.	Consumer Opinion	Auctions	Classifieds

 

---

The Entire Web Web Directories Related* Sites Karr Network Sites* Page Titles Headlines Weather Events Blogs Encyclopedia Dictionary eTexts Quotes Answers Local Map Videos Images Social Networking Discussion Groups General Items Auctions Classifieds Consumer Opinion

Sitemap News Dictionary Encyclopedia Blogs Answers Videos Images Shopping Directory More…