Little-known facts about Michigan

[BabyRider]

From 1910 to 1920, Hamtramck Michigan grew from 3,589 to 45,615 residents, leading the nation in growth for that period.

During the lumber boom era, the row of saloons that lined Water Street in Bay City was known as "Hell's Half Mile".

In 1936, Escanaba, Michigan harvested and processed 100,000 sq. ft. of bird's eye maple to be used in the English Luxury Liner, the Queen Mary.

When the territory of Michigan was created on Jan. 11, 1805, Detroit was chosen as its capital.

Bagley's Corner was the original name of Bloomfield Hills.

The world's only marble lighthouse is located on Belle Isl(Livingston Lighthouse).

Hog's Hollow was the original name of Utica, Michigan.

There are over 11,000 lakes in Michigan.

The home offices of Life Savers Candy, Beech-Nut Gum, and Squirt soft drinks are in Holland, Michigan.

In 1870, citizens of Detroit became the nation's first telephone customers to have phone numbers assigned to them.

Charles A Lindbergh was born in Detroit on Feb. 4, 1902.

The Stars and Stripes first flew over Michigan soil on July 11, 1796.

In September 1908, William C Durant organized several independent automobile plants into what was to become General Motors.

Michigan began charging an annual license fee of 50 cents in 1905.

Michigan's first police woman began walking the beat in Detroit in 1893.

In 1942, the Davison Freeway in Detroit was completed and became the world's first urban freeway.

The first soft drink, Vernor's Ginger Ale, was introduced by a Detroit Pharmacist, James A Vernor, in 1866. Note: There were several "elixirs" on the market at that time, including what would later be called Coca Cola. These contained alcohol, whereas Vernor's didn't. Thus the name "soft" drink.

The intersection of Woodward Avenue and Grand Avenue in Detroit proudly displayed the world's first traffic light in 1915.

In 1688, Father Jacques Marquette founded the first permanent settlement in what would later become Michigan.

The world's first shopping mall, Northland Mall, opened in the Detroit suburb of Southfield in 1954.

The world's first painted highway center lines were featured in Trenton, Michigan in 1911. They were used in other towns and that was how Centerline, Michigan got its name.

Michigan ranks number one nationally in the production of dog sleds.

The nation's largest indoor/outdoor museum complex is Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.

Opened in 1904, the nation's oldest freshwater aquarium is the Belle Isle Aquarium. (Which is now due to close it's doors this year, darn it!!)

The onion is Michigan's largest fresh-market vegetable crop.

[Lon]

Wow------how about that.