Michigan’s 177th Birthday: 177 things to love about the Mitten State
Kristin Coppens
| 6 min read
“If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.”
Looking as beautiful as ever, our great mitten-shaped state is turning 177 this year. As the tenth largest state in the union, there are plenty of ways to show your love for Michigan this year. In fact, the Awesome Mitten goes as far as showing you how to throw your own Michigan-themed birthday party!
Here are 177 things, in no particular order, that are pure Michigan to make you love the Mitten state even more.
6th largest home in the United States: Meadow Brook Hall
World’s Largest Haunted House
The Detroit Zoo (United States’ first cageless zoo)
World’s Largest Freshwater Boardwalk: St. Clair
World’s Longest Porch: Mackinac Island Grand Hotel
4 National Parks: Sleeping Bear, Pictured Rocks, Isle Royale, and River Raisin National Battlefield Park
World’s Largest Christmas Store
World’s Largest Cherry Pie Pan
World’s Largest Musical Fountain
26th state in the United States
5th largest maple syrup producer (Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival)
Belle Isle, five miles of Detroit River shoreline
Two seasons: Winter and Construction
Copper Mine Tour in the U.P.
Copper Harbor, Upper Peninsula: Farthest U.S. city from an interstate highway (251 miles)
51 Different Ski Areas
Cherry Capital of the World, Traverse City
Michigan is home to both Paradise and Hell (cities)
150 Lighthouses: You can even stay in one as a Bed and Breakfast!
Frankenmuth, Michigan’s Little Bavaria
Michigan’s 197 Waterfalls, in the Upper Peninsula
3,228 Miles of Shoreline, second longest shoreline of any state
4th Largest Grape Growing State
Built In Map on Our Right Hand
Mitten Crate: monthly Michigan-made food subscription
More lakes than Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes:” 11,037
Largest State Park and Forest System: 78 state parks and 6 state forests
Michigan’s abundant fruit crop: Leading grower of fruit in the United States
Forestland covers 52 percent of Michigan
Wolverine State (But there are no longer any wolverines in the state)
Lake Michigan is the fifth largest lake in the world
World’s largest limestone quarry: Rogers City
Jackson: birthplace of the Republican Party
Only State to touch 4 out of 5 Great Lakes
6 International Crossings with Canada
Only floating Post Office in the World
Anywhere in the state you are within 85 miles of the Great Lakes
Largest Dutch population in the United States
Dearborn: Middle Eastern Capital of the Country
Historic Depot Town, Ypsilanti
America’s Furniture City: Grand Rapids
Porcupine Mountains: Part of Oldest Mountain Chain in the World
Detroit’s Eastern Market
Vernors: First Soda in the United States
2nd in the nation for diverse agriculture
Learning to play Euchre
First people in the nation to receive assigned phone numbers: Detroit
First state police radio system in the world
Largest equestrian bronze sculpture in the Western Hemisphere: Frederick Meijer Gardens
Apple Orchards, Kent County is largest producer in the state
Golfing: 1,047 courses in Michigan
Most popular official state tourism website in the United States, 7 years in a row
Battle Creek is the Cereal Capital of the World: Kellogg’s headquarters
38th President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford: from Grand Rapids
The Big Three: Center of the U.S. Automotive Industry (Ford, GM, Chrysler)
Most state registered boats
Butterfly House on Mackinac Island
Fifth Third River Bank Run is America’s largest 25K road race
Grand Rapids was the first city in the United State to add fluoride to the water
Largest man made ski slide: Iron Mountain
Baker’s Keyboard Lounge: World’s Oldest Jazz Club
More timberland than 40 other states, including Alaska
45th Parallel in Grand Traverse Bay: halfway between equator and North Pole
Michigan’s Constitution was first in the country to provide for establishing public libraries
The name Michigan comes from Michi-gama, meaning large lake
Montague: World’s largest working weathervane
Woodward Ave was the first US Street to be paved with concrete
Alpena is home to world’s largest cement plant
Elsie is home to the world’s largest registered Holstein dairy herd
Four flags have flown over Michigan: French, English, Spanish, and United States
Michigan leads in sale of hunting/fishing licenses
Madonna, Kid Rock, Tim Allen, Ted Nugent, Bob Seger, Eminem, Henry Ford, and more
Packard Motor Company in Detroit manufactured first air-conditioned car
First university established by any state: University of Michigan
Isle Royale Park has United States’ largest remaining moose herd
Tunnel under the Detroit River was world’s first car tunnel to connect two countries
Marquette is home to the world’s largest piece of float copper
Paul Bunyan Day: August 10 (to honor the first printed copy of Paul Bunyan’s story in Oscoda County)
Native Americans first settled in what is now known as Michigan
One is never more than 6 miles from an inland lake
83 different counties
5th in United States for number of breweries
11th largest state in the United States
Les Cheneaux Islands’ Antique Wooden Boat Show
Michigan Tech is snowiest university in the country
3rd leading grower of Christmas trees
Michigan has 38 deep-water ports
World’s Largest Salt Plant, Morton Salt: Manistee
Happy Birthday, Michigan! You sure get better with age.
What is your favorite thing about the state of Michigan? Share your favorite facts with #MIturns177!
