Ten Fun Facts For Michigan's 180th Birthday

Anybody have 180 candles handy? Michigan became the 26th state of the union on this day, January 26th, in 1837. To celebrate here's ten facts about the Mitten State.

• You can stand anywhere in Michigan and never be more than 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes.
• At 6 quadrillion gallons, Michigan's Great Lakes account for one-fifth of the freshwater surface on the entire planet.
• Because Michigan has so much fresh water it is destination for fishermen and watercraft enthusiasts from around the world and ranks first in state boat registrations in the country.
• Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. 
• The only state that has more shoreline than Michigan is Alaska.
• The Blue Water Area, from Algonac and Harsens Island to the south to the tip of the Thumb in Port Austin in the north is over 140 miles of shoreline.

Fort Gratiot Light Station
photo by Dale Merrill

• Michigan has 116 lighthouses and navigational lights.  
• The Fort Gratiot Lighthouse in Port Huron is the oldest light still in active service on the Great Lakes. 

 

• Michigan's motto is the Latin phrase "Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice." It means "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."  
• The word Latin "Tuebor," in the shield means "I will defend" which refers to Michigan's frontier position and spirit. 
• The shield itself held by two animals of noble prominence: the elk on the left and the moose on the right.  

Happy Birthday Michigan!

Tell The Best Legend and Be Declared the Laureate

Do you have a way with words? Are you keen on making a twist of phrase or making a simple story sound much more lyrical? If so, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be declared the poet laureate of a city?

With a new year underway, St. Clair is looking for someone to bestow such an honor upon. On Wednesday, January 25th, men and women will take the floor at LaCroix's Riverside Pub and compete for the title at the 2017 Bootlegger Balladeer & Poet Laureate Contest. Both poets and songwriters will compete on who can write the best song or poem for this year's legend, The Mystery of the Cadillac Bear, from Chuck Homberg’s book ST. CLAIR, MICHIGAN.

Both the winner of the poetry and songwriting contests will be invited to the St. Clair City Council meeting on February 20th where the mayor will proclaim them with their title of St. Clair's Poet Laureate and Bootleg Balladeer.

The contest is open to all amateur and professional songwriters and registration for the event up to the day of the event. Read the legend and find the contest rules and entry form here.

TBT: Port Austin "The Beach" Postcard

 

 A fun day of splashing at "The Beach" in Port Austin during the 1940s.
Photo courtesy of The UpNorth Memories.