Michigan Minute

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In 1913, the Italian Hall disaster occurred in Calumet, Michigan, when a false "fire" alarm during a children’s Christmas party led to a deadly stampede, killing several, including many children. It’s believed the alarm was triggered by a strikebreaker. On this day in 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, ending the War of 1812 and leading to the return of captured territory, including Fort Mackin...

On this day in 1888, the lumber town of Hermansville, Michigan, near the Wisconsin border, was destroyed by fire. With no fire department and frozen water supplies, the bucket brigade was unable to stop the flames. In 1978, Michigan raised the legal drinking age back to 21 after it had been lowered to 18 for nearly seven years. The change came after an increase in teenage drinking and automobile a...

On this day in 1917, Albert Carl Kaltschmidt was convicted for leading a plot to sabotage Detroit businesses, Windsor, Canada, and a railroad tunnel in Port Huron during World War I. Only one explosion succeeded, and Kaltschmidt was fined $20,000, imprisoned for three years, and deported. In 1984, Bay City’s Madonna scored her first Billboard No. 1 single with Like a Virgin, which stayed at the to...