Michigan Minute

On this day in 1925, Michigan required fishermen to purchase licenses. In 1897, Hazen Pingree resigned as Detroit mayor to serve as governor. In 1991, John Voelker, author of "Anatomy of a Murder," passed away.

On this day in 1972, a co-ed housing experiment at the University of Michigan was disbanded amid media attention. In 1911, Alma mail carriers received over 2,400 Easter eggs from appreciative customers before Easter.

On this day in 1808, Detroit held its first St. Patrick’s Day celebration, one of the oldest in the U.S. In 2014, Michigan State University broke ground on the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), a major nuclear science facility.

On this day in 2013, a bill was passed prohibiting school districts from deducting union dues from paychecks. In 1846, Lansing became the capital of Michigan, overcoming its reputation as a "mud hole" to beat out more established cities.

On this day in 1867, Mary Chase Perry Stratton, founder of Pewabic Pottery and a Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame member, was born. In 1982, Zingerman’s Deli was founded in Ann Arbor.

On this day in 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech "The Other America" in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, facing interruptions from protesters but receiving strong support. Three weeks later, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

On this day in 1872, Governor Henry P. Baldwin called for a new Capitol Building for Michigan. The first Capitol was built in Detroit in 1832, and Lansing was chosen as the new seat of government in 1847. Architect Elijah E. Myers was commissioned in 1872 to design the new Capitol, named Tuebor.

On this day in 1974, the First Annual Ann Arbor Streak-In took place, drawing thousands of spectators. Later, the First Annual Lucky Streak attracted 10,000 people to watch 70 streakers.

On this day in 1912, Gov. Chase Osborn sought to outlaw brewery-owned saloons in Michigan. In 1836, Gov. Stevens T. Mason signed the Township Act, organizing land into political units and setting an example for other states.

On this day in 1914, Michigan took steps to improve handwriting in schools. In 2016, The Bay City Democrat published its final edition. In 1919, Marion Hutton, a singer with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, was born.

On this day in 1901, R. E. Olds moved his automobile factory to Lansing after a fire in Detroit. In 1976, Governor Milliken legalized manned hot-air balloon flights in Michigan, ending a ban in place since 1931.

On this day in 1887, pioneering pilot Philip Parmelee was born. He trained with the Wright Brothers and achieved several aviation firsts, including the first commercial flight and military reconnaissance flight. Parmelee tragically died at 25, but his legacy is honored at Lansing Capital Regional International Airport.

On this day in 1976, Sheila Young won three medals in speed skating at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics. In 2019, Representative John Dingell Jr., a key figure in passing significant legislation, passed away at 92.

On this day in 1877, the Detroit Club experienced a live concert from Chicago via telephone. In 1896, Charles King built and drove Detroit's first gasoline automobile. In 2014, the Detroit Red Wings retired Nicklas Lindstrom's number.

On this day in 1829, Detroit Gazette editor John P. Sheldon was fined and jailed for criticizing the Michigan territorial court. In 1916, a fire destroyed an engineering building at Michigan Agricultural College. In 2013, the Michigan Supreme Court began live streaming its proceedings.

On this day in 1947, WWDT-TV Channel 4, Michigan's first TV station, began broadcasting. In 1955, Michigan designated the eastern white pine as the official state tree, symbolizing the state's logging history.

On this day in 1847, Governor Alpheus Felch resigned to become a U.S. Senator. In 1875, Mackinac Island became the US's second national park. Then in 1931, Isle Royale National Park was authorized by Congress.

On this day in 1836, Governor Stevens T. Mason approved changing the town name from Bronson to Kalamazoo, distancing it from its controversial founder, Titus Bronson. Also, on this day in 1799, Detroit became an official U.S. port of entry, and in 1974, highway speed limits were reduced to 55 mph to save energy.

On this day in 1962, the S.S. Kresge Company opened the first K-Mart in Garden City, Michigan, marking the start of a retail empire. Also, on this day in 1966, Detroit-born Donyale Luna became the first Black supermodel to appear on the cover of Vogue Magazine, redefining beauty standards.

On this day in 1992, ecoterrorist Rodney Coronado struck the Michigan State Campus, setting fire to decades of research in Anthony Hall. In 1907, the Detroit Free Press reported on a successful bill to legalize Sunday baseball in Michigan, thanks to Rep. George Duncan of Detroit.

On this day in 1702, a comet blazed across the skies over Michigan, startling native Americans and frightening French fur traders. In 1899, Michigan Agricultural College, later MSU, played its first basketball game as the Aggies against Olivet. The game was intense and filled with fouls. In 2013, civil rights activist Rosa Parks was honored with a bronze statue at the US Capitol, the first full-si...

On this day in 1836, William Austin Burt received a patent for his solar compass, which helped survey Michigan accurately despite magnetic interference. In 1954, Michigan Representative Ruth Thompson introduced a bill to ban mailing "obscene" rock and roll records, though it was not adopted. And in 2004, James Minder resigned as CEO of Smith & Wesson after his criminal past as a stick-up man was r...

On this day in 1779, British military governor Henry Hamilton surrendered Detroit to American Colonel George Rogers Clark, leading to the British ceding land west of the Appalachians. In 1861, Albion College was authorized to confer 4-year degrees on men and women, becoming one of the first coed colleges in the Midwest. And in 2018, rare blue ice formed in the Great Lakes, a phenomenon usually see...

On this day in 1844, Olivet College, Michigan’s first coeducational college and the first to admit black students, was founded. In 1928, Detroit outlawed marijuana, with medical use legalized in 2008 and recreational use in 2018. And in 1943, Sonny Eliot, legendary Detroit weatherman, was shot down over Germany during WWII, later having a 60-year career in TV and radio.

On this day in 1870, Michigan Agricultural College, now MSU, accepted women students for the first time, integrating them into all courses, including fieldwork. Today also marks the birthday of G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams, born in 1911, who served six terms as Michigan Governor, promoted the Mackinac Bridge, and later served on the Michigan Supreme Court.