Ahhh....Michigan

Ahhh.....Michigan

A FEW INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT MICHIGAN

When I was growing up, I thought the most interesting thing about Michigan was that it's shaped like a mitten...I've since discovered its full of history, beauty and some of the nicest people on earth.

The name "Michigan" is derived from the Indian word "Michsawgyegan", meaning "The Lake Country"...Michigan is unique in that it consists of two peninsulas completly seperated by water. It borders on four of the five Great Lakes. Did you know that the Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario) make up the largest body of fresh water in the entire world? Michigan has more than 11,000 lakes and about 3,300 miles of coastline. We are the home of Higgins Lake, the 6th most beautiful lake in the entire world. We have many natural springs, including Michigan's largest, Big Spring, Kitick-iti-kipi, named "The Mirror of Heaven" by the early Indians. It's one of the many reminders in Michigan that our world is amazing.

Before the arrival of the white man, Michigan was inhabited by 15,000 Native Americans, including members of the Miami, Chippewa, Menominee, Ottawa, Potawatomi and Wyandot tribes, which explains the name of many of our counties, cities, towns and villages. You can find some interesting history of our Native American heritage at "Native Americans of Northern Michigan" as well as "Native Genealogy. People of the Three Fires".

Michigan has hundreds of lighthouse's covering our coast lines...If you like lighthouse's, check out Michigan Lighthouse Tours. Another interesting site I found is Lightheart Lighthouses. Not only is it interesting, it's a very calming and soothing site to visit.... It has a wealth of information about Michigan lighthouse's, Mackinaw Island, the Mackinaw bridge and information about such things as the sinking of the Edmund Fitgerald. Another interesting site is Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes...

We have our own "Up North"...aye... and we're just a bridge away from Canada. The Soo Locks are located in Sault Saint Marie and we even have our own Northern Lights overlooking the Great Lake Superior.

Michigan also has it's share of famous people. For instance:

Henry Ford is from Dearborn (founder of the Ford Motor Co)....President Ford is from Grand Rapids.... Other famous people from Michigan include Madonna, Lily Tomlim, Stevie Wonder, John N. Mitchell, Ellen Burstyn, Earvin Magic Johnson, Dick Martin, Gilda Radner, Deela Reese, Diana Ross, Steven Segal, Bob Segar, Tom Selleck, Danny Thomas and many more listed at Famous Michigan People. And of course, Detroit is the home of MoTown,....

Then there are our year round arts and crafts festivals, waterfalls, sand dunes, camping, vacationing, fall colors, winter time activities and on and on.....

This is just a little bit of the interesting history we have in Michigan....If you've never been here, you should plan a trip... There's lots to see, lots to do....Michigan is truely one of the most beautiful states in America..... winter, spring, summer and fall!

I'm proud to be a Michiganer!!