Michigan Minute

Today in 1958, former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder was born in Battle Creek. Snyder, a businessman and lawyer, served as governor from 2011 to 2019 and gained national attention for his role in the Flint water crisis. On the same day in 1899, silent film star Colleen Moore was born in Port Huron. Known for popularizing the bob cut, Moore later became a successful financier and authored “How Women...

Today in 1926, Traverse City's Wallace Keep sent a 46-pound cherry pie to President Calvin Coolidge, showcasing the region’s famous cherries. On the same date in 2016, Helen Maroulis, who moved to Marquette to train at the US Olympic Education Center, became the first US gold medalist in women’s freestyle wrestling at the Rio Olympics.

Today in 2014, Claudia House Morcom, the first Black woman to serve as a Wayne County circuit court judge, passed away. Morcom was a pivotal civil rights advocate, providing legal defense for civil rights workers in Mississippi and challenging discriminatory practices throughout her career. She served on the bench for nearly 30 years and continued her activism until her death.

Today in 1965, George Grady became Michigan's first African-American police chief in Dowagiac, serving for 9 years. Today also marks the birthday of Madonna, born in Bay City, Michigan in 1958, widely celebrated as a pop icon.

Today in 1847, the U.S. Government introduced postage stamps to Michigan, with 5 and 10 cent versions arriving in Detroit. On the same date in 1940, Chrysler began constructing a tank factory in Warren Township, Michigan, contributing to Detroit’s Arsenal of Freedom during WWII. The factory later transitioned to automobile production.

Today in 1959, NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan. In 2014, Bay City honored the song “96 Tears” by Rudy Martinez, aka Question Mark and the Mysterians, recorded in 1966, by declaring it the official Rock & Roll song of the city.

Today in 1817, President James Monroe visited Detroit as part of his tour inspecting US forts post-War of 1812, and also visited Monroe, Michigan, named in his honor. On the same day in 1988, The Palace at Auburn Hills opened with a Sting concert. The venue served various sports teams and events until its demolition in July 2020.

Today in 1942, the U.S.S. Wolverine, the Great Lakes’ first aircraft carrier, was commissioned in Buffalo, NY. Originally named the Seeandbee, the ship was repurposed by the Navy to train aviators in Lake Michigan. Alongside its sister ship, the Sable, the Wolverine played a crucial role in carrier landing training during World War II.

Today in 2014, Detroit experienced its heaviest one-day rainfall in nearly 90 years, causing flooding, power outages, and two deaths. In 1971, Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz performed the first American implantation of a mechanical heart pump at Mount Sinai Hospital, marking a significant medical advancement.

Today in 1697, the European ship Le Griffon docked in Michigan, only to sink in Lake Michigan shortly after. In 1950, Soviet radio claimed Michigan football players were regularly injured, but the U.S. offered Soviet reporters season passes to University of Michigan games to refute the claim.

In 2012, Flint native Claressa Shields won gold in the first women's middleweight boxing event at the London Olympics. Today is also Gillian Anderson's birthday. Known for "The X-Files" and "The Crown," Anderson grew up in Grand Rapids and attended City Middle-High School. On her graduation night, she broke into the school as a prank but managed to reduce charges to trespassing.

Today in 2000, after 27 years of litigation, an agreement was made between Michigan, the US Government, and various indigenous tribes regarding fishing restrictions, particularly nets that were killing fish en masse. In 1920, the Detroit Tigers shut out the New York Yankees 1-0 in the shortest game in American League history, lasting just one hour and thirteen minutes. Today also marks the birthda...

Today in 1926, Grand River Avenue, or Historic US-16, opened in Michigan, becoming the first paved road to stretch completely across the state. Connecting Detroit to Muskegon, it served as a primary highway for nearly four decades. Today is also National Lighthouse Day. Michigan boasts around 115 lighthouses, the most of any U.S. state. Built between 1818 and 1822, these lighthouses guided ships s...

Today in 1942, Detroit restaurant owner Max Stephan was convicted of treason and sentenced to death for being a Nazi spy. A member of the local German immigrant community, Stephan was turned in by his peers, making the case a national sensation. It was only the second time in U.S. history someone was sentenced to death for treason, the first being during the Whiskey Rebellion. Hours before his exe...

Today in 1975, Stevie Wonder signed a groundbreaking contract with Motown worth $37 million for seven albums over seven years. Initially, Wonder considered retiring and moving to Ghana to focus on humanitarian work. However, a change of heart, soul, and contract terms led him back to the music industry. After announcing his plans for a final tour in March 1975, the public and record labels clamore...

Today in 1877, the first telephone in Michigan rang, owned by the Grand Rapids Plaster Company, a friend of Alexander Graham Bell. Bell sent him a pair of the new devices for a public demonstration. The Bell Telephone Company had incorporated just a month earlier. Despite early design problems, the public quickly embraced the new technology. Within a month, the first commercial telephone line in M...

Today in 1795, Chippewa Chief Matchekewis ceded Bois Blanc Island to the U.S. as part of the Treaty of Greenville, calling it "an extra and voluntary gift of the Chippewa nation." Following the Battle of Fallen Timbers, indigenous people ceded most of Ohio, part of Indiana, sixteen strategic sites on Michigan waterways, and Mackinac Island. In return, they were promised goods worth around $20,000....

Today in 1923, the first car ferry service began across the Straits of Mackinac, with the wooden ferry Ariel carrying three cars on its inaugural voyage. The service operated until the Mackinac Bridge opened in 1957. Also today in 1932, Eddie Tolan, a Black American sprinter from Detroit, became the first non-European to be named “The World’s Fastest Human” by winning gold in both the 100 and 200-...

In 1913, John Bauer and Irv Giese opened The Garden Bowl, a 10-lane bowling alley on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. It has become America's oldest continuously operating bowling alley and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008. Also today, Michigan-born Harriet Quimby, who became the first American woman to receive a pilot’s license and the first woman to fly across the Englis...

On this day in 1911, GM became the first auto stock on the NYSE. And in 1855, a treaty with the Ottawa and Chippewa set land reserves and pensions, led by Andrew Blackbird.

On this day in 1975, Jimmy Hoffa disappeared, sparking decades of mystery. And in 1997, Michigan's Supreme Court cleared the way for charter schools statewide.

On this day in 1909, GM bought Cadillac for $4.5 million. Born from Henry Ford’s failed company, Cadillac soon became a cornerstone of GM’s growing auto empire.

On this day in 1967, the Detroit riot ended after five days of violence, leaving 43 dead. It sparked major political change, paving the way for leaders like Coleman Young and Erma Henderson.

On this day in 1818, Detroit passed a morality law allowing public whippings. In 1934, Michigan issued its first old-age pension checks. And in 1980, an earthquake shook the state.

On this day in 1917, actress Lorna Gray was born in Grand Rapids. And in 1883, a massive log jam on the Grand River damaged train bridges in the heart of the city.