Inevitably shaped by water, the Great Lakes State is made up of two peninsulas and is well-known in the Midwest for recreational opportunities. Its history as an industrial hub and shipping juggernaut are only a small piece of the giant puzzle we call Michigan. It is also my home state.
History
Native American tribes lived across Michigan throughout most of the last 2,000 years. By the time Europeans arrived the area was dominated by the Three Fires: Chippewa, Ottawa and the Potawatomi. French explorers first came into the peninsula in the 1600s, with priests often accompanying them. People like Jacques Marquette left their mark on the names of places all over the state. Largely friendly with the native tribes, this energy changed when the British ousted the French from the territory in 1763.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a perfect place to go for a hike.
The War of 1812 saw blood come to Michigan, as the British fought back with native tribes against an America encroaching on their territory. The dream of a native nation centered around Michigan and Indiana died with that war, and Michigan became a state in 1837 (after a rather weird war with its southern neighbor, Ohio).
Bordering on four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan is today divided into Upper and Lower peninsulas by the Straits of Mackinac, which link lakes Michigan and Huron. The two parts of the state are connected by the Mackinac Bridge, one of the world’s longest suspension bridges.
Sturgeon Falls, one of many waterfalls found in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Not a bad shot considering I took it with a 3 MP camera in 2007.
Michigan’s spot as a hotspot of industry was cemented by the explosion of the Detroit Auto industry, as General Motors, Chrysler and the Ford Company (the so-called Big Three) produced the biggest must-have of the 20th century. Detroit’s boom helped the rest of the state as well, turning Saginaw, Flint and other cities into industrial hubs.
Today, Michigan’s economy has struggled to live up to its heyday, but its heritage is well-preserved in museums, parks and the spirit of its people.
Tips
Michigan’s wet and cold winters make it a rather dangerous place to drive for much of the year; take it slow whenever snow is on the ground.
Stay safe in Michigan’s cities; Detroit, Flint and Benton Harbor are consistently ranked among the nation’s most dangerous.
There is no interstate nor divided highways in most of the Upper Peninsula. Driving across Northern Michigan can be slow going.
