12 Amazing Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Michigan But You Should!

Michigan is famous for a lot of things. From the magnificent lighthouses up to jaw-dropping waterfalls and mesmerizing man-made bridges, Michigan truly has it all. The Mitten State also has its fair share of oddities such as the crazy laws and weird yet amazing road side attractions. These things is what makes Michigan one of the most unique states in America.

And to know more of Michigan, below are some of the “less popular but very significant” facts that you probably haven’t heard before.

1. Martin Luther King Jr. first made his “I have a dream” speech in Detroit two months before the Lincoln memorial speech. Two months before the march in Washington, King delivered his speech at Cobo Hall in Detroit, in a rally known as “The Walk to Freedom” where he led 125,000 people in the largest civil rights demonstration the nation had seen at the time.
2. Aside from being one of the oldest operating hotel (over 100 years old) the Grand Hotel located on Mackinac Island boasts the world’s longest front porch at 660 feet.
3. Detroit was the first city to have a paved road. And oh, Detroit was the first Michigan capital before it was permanently moved to Lansing in 1847 because the legislators back then believes that the capitol was in constant danger (in Detroit) and voted to have it moved (to Lansing).
4. The word “Yooper” was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2014. Definition of Yooper:  a native or resident of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan —used as a nickname.
5. Vernor’s pop was created by accident by a Detroit pharmacist named  James Vernor. According to the history books, Vernor accidentally left an experimental ginger ale in an oak cask for four years while he was off fighting in the Civil War. And once he returned, the rest is history.
6. The Upper Peninsula’s area code is “906” which encompasses all of the UP. Yes, they only one area code.
7. President Gerald Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and was a star football player at Grand Rapids South High School. Because of his skills and popularity, the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers once tried recruiting him after playing for the University of Michigan.
8. Detroit has its own local currency, the Detroit Community Scrip or more commonly called as the Detroit Cheers. The Cheers are backed by US currency and are fully exchangeable for an equal amount of U.S. dollars. Cheers are available in only the $3 denomination. The standardized face of the Cheer features the Spirit of Detroit over the Detroit Skyline.
9. Muskegon, Michigan, is home to Snurfing – an early version of snowboarding.   From 1968 through the late 1970s, snurfer racing competitions were held in Muskegon, Michigan.
10. In Michigan, it’s illegal to buy or sell a car on a Sunday. The exact wording of the law is as follows: “It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of buying, selling, trading or exchanging new, used or second-hand motor vehicles or offering to buy, sell, trade or exchange, or participate in the negotiation thereof, or attempt to buy, sell, trade or exchange any motor vehicle or interest therein, or of any written instrument pertaining thereto, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday.”
11. Michigan also has its own version of the “Bermuda Triangle”. The “Michigan Triangle” is the site of many ship and plane disappearances. The said mysterious triangle consists of Benton Harbor and Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
12. Michigan is home to the most educated man on the planet, Michael Nicholson. He has 1 bachelor’s degree, 2 associate’s degree, 22 master’s degrees, 3 specialist degrees, and 1 doctoral degree.