Michigan Minute

On this day in 2015, divers discovered Michigan’s underwater Stonehenge on the bed of Lake Michigan. The ring of stones, resembling the British Isles' Stonehenge, features carvings of animals like mastodons and is believed to date back to the last ice age, around 14,000 years ago. Also today in 1857, Michigan’s first Black legislator, William Ferguson, was born in Detroit. After winning a racial d...

On this day in 1892, Ransom E. Olds sold the first American car for export. His steam-powered car, featured in Scientific American, was bought by a company in London, making it the first American car sold overseas. And in 1937, “My Michigan” was adopted as the official state song, chosen for expressing the hopes and pride of Michigan's people. However, it’s rarely sung due to copyright issues, wit...

On this day in 1927, Detroit native Charles Lindbergh completed the first nonstop solo transatlantic flight, leaving Long Island’s Roosevelt Field and landing in Paris 33.5 hours later, becoming an international celebrity. And in 1970, Michigan State University President Clifton Wharton called in the state police to end a student strike protesting the Vietnam War. With the Kent State Massacre fres...

On this day in 1903, Buick, now a division of GM, was incorporated in Detroit. David Dunbar Buick and Walter L. Marr built the first automobile to be called a Buick just before the turn of the century, but the company wasn’t incorporated until three years later. And in 1930, the world’s first recorded identical quadruplets were born at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. Named Edna A., Wilma B., Sarah C....

On this day in 1846, Michigan outlawed the death penalty, becoming the first government in the English-speaking world to do so. Capital punishment was later banned in Michigan’s state constitution in 1964. And in 1929, Michigan’s first Holland Tulip Time was held. The idea was pitched by high school biology teacher Lida Rogers to the Women’s Literary Club, leading to the annual celebration of the...

On this day in 1866, Frederick Douglass visited Ypsilanti, Michigan, a hub of the Underground Railroad with a sizable Black community. He spoke about Lincoln’s assassination and shared anecdotes from his meetings with the President during the Civil War. And today in 1881, Julius Ropes discovered gold near Ishpeming, Michigan. Two years later, he opened the only profitable gold mine east of the Mis...

On this day in 1986, Top Gun opened and became a smash hit. Written by Michigan State professor Jim Cash and his former student Jack Epps Jr., the film was a product of their remote collaboration. And today in 2016, John Willie Jordan of Farmington, Michigan, received the Congressional Gold Medal. Jordan was one of the first Black Americans to join the Marines in the 1940s, serving as one of the M...

On this day in 1857, Michigan Agricultural College held its first classes. Established by the Michigan Legislature two years earlier, the college initially offered only agricultural studies. Enrollment was just 63 students, a stark contrast to the tens of thousands at Michigan State University today. And in 1925, Sophie Kurys, known as ‘The Flint Flash,’ was born. Playing for the Racine Belles in...

On this day in 1950, Stevie Wonder, the legendary musician and Motown icon, was born in Saginaw, Michigan. From his chart-topping debut at age 13 to winning 25 Grammy Awards, Stevie has left an indelible mark on music history.

On this day in 1891, Detroit’s streetcar employees unionized. Starting in April, local transit workers picketed the Detroit Street Railway and Grand River Railway companies, leading to a violent 3-day riot. They sought a 10-hour workday instead of 12. After Mayor Hazen Pingree intervened, an agreement was reached on May 12, recognizing the new union.

On this day in 1978, Margaret Brewer, a native of Durand, became the Marine Corps’ first woman brigadier general. Inspired by the Iwo Jima flag raisers, she joined the Marines after graduating from the University of Michigan. And in 1875, Harriet Quimby, the first licensed American female pilot, was born in Arcadia, Michigan.

On this day in 1815, Eliza Seaman Leggett, a key member of the Underground Railroad, was born. Her Michigan home welcomed many enslaved people and notable abolitionists. A fighter for women's suffrage and public water availability, she also supported American literature. In 2003, she was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.

On this day in 1959, Mike and Marian Ilitch opened their first Little Caesars restaurant in Garden City, Michigan. Mike, a former Detroit Tigers farm team shortstop, turned to pizza after an injury. Their $10,000 investment grew into the world's largest carry-out pizza chain, enabling them to own other businesses in food, sports, and entertainment.

On this day in 1924, Sophie Lyons, a famous rogue turned reformer, died in Detroit. Known as one of the country's most notorious thieves, she later dedicated her life to juvenile delinquent rehabilitation. Her autobiography, "Why Crime Doesn’t Pay," and her amassed fortune reflect her complex legacy.

On this day in 1898, Daniel Frank Gerber, the creator of Gerber Baby food, was born in Fremont, Michigan. His wife Dorothy suggested making and selling baby foods at their canning company, leading to the creation of the Gerber Products Company. Their enterprise became the world's largest baby-food manufacturer by 1974.

On this day in 1903, civil rights pioneer Booker T. Washington addressed an enthusiastic audience in Detroit, advocating for unity and greatness. And in 1831, Michigan's oldest continuously published newspaper, the Detroit Free Press, began its journey. Both events mark significant milestones in Michigan's history.

On this day in 1846, the first woman to address the Michigan legislature, Ernestine Rose, spoke about women's suffrage. And in 2010, Detroit Tigers' beloved broadcaster Ernie Harwell passed away, leaving behind a legacy in sports memorabilia. Their contributions continue to inspire and shape Michigan's history.

On this day in 2017: A rare fossil of a Placoderm, an armor-plated fish, was found in Alpena, Michigan, exciting paleontologists at the University of Michigan. On this day in 1921: Walker Smith Jr., better known as boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, was born. Although his birth certificate says Georgia, he grew up in Detroit and became one of the greatest boxers, winning six world championships.

On this day in 1964: At Michigan Stadium, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his plans for "The Great Society" during the University of Michigan’s commencement. This included Medicare, Medicaid, and the Civil Rights Act. On this day in 1844: Elijah McCoy, the son of escaped enslaved people, was born. His invention of a steam engine oil lubrication system led to the phrase "The Real McCoy."

On this day in 1926: The Ford Motor Company became one of the first in America to adopt a five-day, 40-hour workweek for automotive factory workers. This decision, made in 1922, aimed to promote a better home life for employees. Edsel Ford, company president, emphasized the importance of rest and recreation for a proper work-life balance.

On this day in 1935: During the Great Depression, the Regent Cafe in Jackson, Michigan offered $1,000 for couples to walk as long as they could. Tommy McGeer and Jackie Airgood walked for 88 days to win the prize. On this day in 1954: The first passenger flight, a DC6B "Great Lakes Clipper," took off from Wayne Major (now Detroit Metropolitan) Airport, bound for London.

On this day in 1835: The Michigan-Ohio border war flared up as Michigan militia confronted Ohio surveyors. The Detroit Free Press and Toledo Gazette exchanged heated articles. On this day in 2004: The final Oldsmobile Alero drove off the line at GM's Lansing Car Assembly plant, marking the end of the historic Oldsmobile brand. Only Cadillac CT4 & CT5 are now produced in Lansing.

On this day in 1887: The Michigan House expelled Representative Milo Dakin for attempting to bribe fellow lawmakers. This marked the first expulsion in Michigan's history. On this day in 1896: The Detroit Tigers played their first official game as part of the Western League, defeating the Columbus Senators 17 to 2 at their new stadium at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull.

On this day in 1764: The Provincial Grand Master of the Free and Accepted Masons in New York issued a charter to Michigan's first Masonic lodge in Detroit. The lodge, known as Zion Lodge, faced suspensions but always returned. On this day in 1833: The steamboat Michigan, the first steamer built in Detroit, was launched. It traveled 2,000 miles in its first season, visiting various ports on Lake Mi...

On this day in 1901: Kalamazoo saloon owners agreed to stop offering extravagant free lunches, limiting them to cheese and crackers. On this day in 1865: Luther and LaFayette Baker from Lansing, Michigan, found John Wilkes Booth and David Herold in a barn after President Lincoln's assassination. Herold surrendered, but Booth did not. Luther Baker's account is in the Michigan Archives.