This page will contain blogs about Michigan, as they become available.Michigan |
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| State nickname: "Wolverine State" or "Great Lakes State" | |
| Other U.S. States | |
| Capital | Lansing |
| Largest city | Detroit |
| Governor | Jennifer Granholm |
| Official languages | English |
| Area | 250,941 km² (11th) |
| - Land | 147,255 km² |
| - Water | 103,687 km² (41.3%) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Population | 9,938,444 (8th) |
| - Density | 67.55 /km² (15th) |
| Admission into Union | |
| - Date | January 26, 1837 |
| - Order | 26th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 (Some Upper Peninsula counties bordering Wisconsin are Central time.) |
| Latitude | 41°41'N to 47°30'N |
| Longitude | 82°26'W to 90°31'W |
| Width | 385 km |
| Length | 790 km |
| Elevation | |
| - Highest | 603 m |
| - Mean | 275 m |
| - Lowest | 174 m |
| Abbreviations | |
| - USPS | MI |
| - ISO 3166-2 | US-MI |
| Web site | www.michigan.gov |
Michigan is a state in the United States. The name is derived from Lake Michigan, which in turn is believed to come from the Chippewa Indian word meicigama, meaning "great water." Bounded by four of the Great Lakes, Michigan has the longest state shoreline in the continental United States, and more recreational boats than any other state in the union.
Michigan was explored and settled by French voyageurs in the 17th century. In 1701, explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit on the straits between Lakes St. Clair and Erie. The town became a major fur-trading and shipping post. Most of the rest of the region remained unsettled by whites, however. Michigan passed to Great Britain in 1763 and then to the new United States two decades later. The population grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, which brought large numbers of settlers.
By the 1830s, Michigan had some 80,000 residents, more than enough to apply for statehood. A state government was formed in 1835, although Congressional recognition of the state languished due to a boundary dispute with Ohio, with both sides claiming a 468 square mile (1,210 km²) strip of land that included the important port city of Toledo on Lake Erie and an area to the west then known as the "Great Black Swamp". The dispute eventually culminated into what would be known as the Toledo War when Michigan and Ohio militia maneuvered in the area. Ultimately, Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio, and Michigan, having received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession, formally entered the Union on January 26, 1837.
Thought to be useless at the time of its addition to Michigan, it was soon discovered that the Upper Peninsula was a rich and important source of lumber, iron, and copper, which would become the state's most sought-after natural resources.
Michigan's economy underwent a massive shift at the turn of the 20th century. The birth of the automotive industry, with Henry Ford's first plant in the Highland Park suburb of Detroit, marked the beginning of a new era in personal transportation. It was a development that not only transformed Detroit and Michigan, but permanently altered the socio-economic climate of the United States and much of the world, for that matter.
Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, is also a center of automotive manufacturing. Since 1838, the city has also been noted for its thriving furniture industry.
Since World War II, Detroit's industrial base has eroded as auto companies abandoned some of the area's industrial parks in favor of less expensive labor found overseas and in southern U.S. states. Still, with 10 million residents, Michigan remains a large and influential state and ranks 8th in population among the 50 states.
Michigan counties and townships are statutory units of government, meaning that they have only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. Cities and villages are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they can do almost anything not prohibited by law.
There are two types of townships in Michigan: general law and charter. Charter township status was created by the state legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan.
See: List of Michigan Governors, List of United States Senators from Michigan, List of United States Representatives from Michigan
Michigan encompasses 96,810 square miles (250,630 square kilometers), making it the largest state east of the Mississippi River if territorial water is included. Georgia has a slightly larger land area, however.
Michigan borders Indiana and Ohio to the south, and Wisconsin to the southwest of the Upper Peninsula. Michigan also borders Minnesota, Illinois, the Canadian province of Ontario, and the Canadian First Nation (Indian) reserve of Walpole Island, but only on water boundaries in the Great Lakes system. The highest point is Mount Arvon in the Upper Peninsula at 1,979 feet (603 m). The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is not definitely established but is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 meters), or one of several points closely nearby.
Michigan consists of two peninsulas:
The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten and is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km)from east to west. The heavily forested Upper Peninsula (often called simply "The U.P.") is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined, but has less than 330,000 inhabitants, who are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers") and whose speech has been heavily influenced by the large number of Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled the area during the mining boom of the late 1800's.
These two sections are connected only by the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge -- the third longest suspension bridge in the world. The two peninsulas are surrounded by an extensive Great Lakes shoreline. Other than Alaska, Michigan has the longest shoreline of any state -- 2,242 miles (3,607 km). An additional 879 miles (1415 km) can be added if islands are included. This equals the length of the Atlantic Coast, from Maine to Florida. The Great Lakes which touch the two peninsulas of Michigan are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. No point in Michigan is more than 6 miles (10 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes, and the state has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles (58,000 km) of rivers and streams.
Detroit, Michigan is the only major city in the contiguous United States that is actually due north of Canada.
See also Protected areas of Michigan, List of Michigan state parks
Michigan is primarily known as the birthplace of the automobile industry. However, it is also home to a thriving tourist industry, with destinations such as Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Saugatuck and the entire Upper Peninsula drawing vacationers, hunters and nature enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada.
See also: List of companies based in Michigan
Michigan's total population (2003 U.S. Census Bureau estimate): 10,079,985
The racial makeup of the state is:
The five largest ancestries in Michigan are: German (20.4%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.7%), English (9.9%), Polish (8.6%).
The religious affiliations of the people of Michigan are:
The three largest Protestant denominations in Michigan are: Baptist (16% of the total state population), Lutheran (8%), Methodist (7%).
See also Highway map of Michigan
See: List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan
The largest cities in Michigan are (according to the 2000 census):
Other important cities include
As ranked by per capita income, as of the U.S. census2 of 2000:
Of these 20 locations, half are located in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Only three of these cities are located outside of Metro Detroit. Detroit, with a per capita income of $14,717, ranks 517th on the list of Michigan locations by per capita income. Benton Harbor is the poorest city in Michigan, with a per capita income of $8,965.
Michigan is simultaneously known for its cities, supported by heavy industry, and its pristine wilderness, home to more than 11,000 lakes. The clang and clamor of metro Detroit's crowded thoroughfares and busy factories stand in vivid counterpoint to the tranquility found in virtually every corner of the state.
An individual from Michigan is called a "Michigander" or "Michiganian." A resident of Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("the U.P.") is often called a "Yooper" (or U.P.'er). In turn, residents of the lower peninsula may be jokingly referred to as "trolls" -- because they "live below the Mackinac Bridge." As the Lower Peninsula is famously shaped like a mitten, residents often use their left hand or right palm as a shorthand "map" to illustrate which part of the state they hail from.
Its U.S. postal abbreviation is "MI" (traditional: "Mich."). The U.S. Navy's USS Michigan was named in honor of the state. Michigan is nicknamed the "Great Lakes State", and also the "Wolverine State", from a nickname earned during the Toledo War.
Michigan has over 130 lighthouses, the most of any U.S. state. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. They were built to project light at night and to serve as a landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes. See Lighthouses in the United States.
Michigan has the most registered boats (over 1 million) of any state in the Union.
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Michigan has the most registered boats (over 1 million) of any state in the Union. Boston is a sister city (that is, a twinned town) of these municipalities:. See Lighthouses in the United States. Morse, Alexander Graham Bell, and Sumner Redstone. They were built to project light at night and to serve as a landmark during the day to safely guide the passenger ships and freighters traveling the Great Lakes. B. The first lighthouses in Michigan were built between 1818 and 1822. Other notable Bostonians include writers, inventors, and businesspeople such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel F. state. Boston area musicians include Aerosmith and the rock band Boston. Michigan has over 130 lighthouses, the most of any U.S. The Boston area has also produced several actors including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Leonard Nimoy, and Mark Wahlberg. Michigan is nicknamed the "Great Lakes State", and also the "Wolverine State", from a nickname earned during the Toledo War. John Kerry, the Democratic candidate for President in 2004, maintains a home in Boston. Navy's USS Michigan was named in honor of the state. Kennedy, Sr. The U.S. Prominent Boston area politicians include members of the Kennedy family, such as John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Joseph P. postal abbreviation is "MI" (traditional: "Mich."). Presidents. Its U.S. John Adams and John Quincy Adams were early U.S. In turn, residents of the lower peninsula may be jokingly referred to as "trolls" -- because they "live below the Mackinac Bridge." As the Lower Peninsula is famously shaped like a mitten, residents often use their left hand or right palm as a shorthand "map" to illustrate which part of the state they hail from. They include Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Paul Revere. An individual from Michigan is called a "Michigander" or "Michiganian." A resident of Michigan's Upper Peninsula ("the U.P.") is often called a "Yooper" (or U.P.'er). Several people who were instrumental during the American Revolution and the early days of the United States hail from the Boston area. The clang and clamor of metro Detroit's crowded thoroughfares and busy factories stand in vivid counterpoint to the tranquility found in virtually every corner of the state. Main article: Notable Bostonians. Michigan is simultaneously known for its cities, supported by heavy industry, and its pristine wilderness, home to more than 11,000 lakes. The MBTA operates bus lines, commuter rail, subways, and water shuttles within the city and surrounding region. Benton Harbor is the poorest city in Michigan, with a per capita income of $8,965. Meanwhile, Amtrak's Downeaster service to Maine originates at North Station. Detroit, with a per capita income of $14,717, ranks 517th on the list of Michigan locations by per capita income. Fast Northeast Corridor trains, which service New York City, Washington, D.C., and points in between, also stop at Route 128 Station in the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Only three of these cities are located outside of Metro Detroit. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Chicago lines originate at South Station and stop at Back Bay. Of these 20 locations, half are located in Oakland County, just north of Detroit. Intercity trains operate from two stations. census2 of 2000:. Through the Big Dig, the elevated highway was replaced with a tunnel. As ranked by per capita income, as of the U.S. The old elevated highway was constantly prone to heavy traffic. Other important cities include. The most infamous portion, the Central Artery, runs through downtown Boston. The largest cities in Michigan are (according to the 2000 census):. US 1 and I-93 runs north to south through the city. See: List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan. I-95, which surrounds the city, is also known as Route 128. See also Highway map of Michigan. Boston is the eastern terminus of I-90, also known as the Mass Pike. The five largest ancestries in Michigan are: German (20.4%), African American (14.2%), Irish (10.7%), English (9.9%), Polish (8.6%). Boston's streets appear as though they were not planned—a common fiction is that they evolved from old cowpaths. The racial makeup of the state is:. Other airports serving the city and surrounding areas include:. Census Bureau estimate): 10,079,985. Logan International Airport, located in the East Boston neighborhood of the city, is the major airport serving Boston. Michigan's total population (2003 U.S. Main article: Boston transportation. See also: List of companies based in Michigan. The city is also the site of two major annual sporting events: the Boston Marathon and the Head of the Charles Regatta. Michigan is primarily known as the birthplace of the automobile industry. However, it is also home to a thriving tourist industry, with destinations such as Traverse City, Mackinac Island, Saugatuck and the entire Upper Peninsula drawing vacationers, hunters and nature enthusiasts from across the United States and Canada. The most well-known include Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, and Harvard University. See also Protected areas of Michigan, List of Michigan state parks. Boston's many colleges and universities field sports teams. Detroit, Michigan is the only major city in the contiguous United States that is actually due north of Canada. The team plays at Boston University's Nickerson Field. No point in Michigan is more than 6 miles (10 km) from an inland lake or more than 85 miles (137 km) from one of the Great Lakes, and the state has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles (58,000 km) of rivers and streams. Another major league team is the lacrosse team Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse. The Great Lakes which touch the two peninsulas of Michigan are Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Both teams play at Gillette Stadium. This equals the length of the Atlantic Coast, from Maine to Florida. Nearby Foxboro is the home of the New England Patriots (National Football League), Super Bowl Winners in the 2001, 2003, and 2004 seasons; and the New England Revolution (Major League Soccer). An additional 879 miles (1415 km) can be added if islands are included. The game was played between the Boston Pilgrims (currently the Boston Red Sox) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Other than Alaska, Michigan has the longest shoreline of any state -- 2,242 miles (3,607 km). Boston was once the home of the National League baseball team Boston Braves as well as the site of the first World Series in 1903. The two peninsulas are surrounded by an extensive Great Lakes shoreline. After eighty-six years, the Red Sox became the World Series Winners (World Champions) in 2004. These two sections are connected only by the five-mile-long Mackinac Bridge -- the third longest suspension bridge in the world. They play at Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in active use in the United States. The heavily forested Upper Peninsula (often called simply "The U.P.") is as large as Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island combined, but has less than 330,000 inhabitants, who are sometimes called "Yoopers" (from "U.P.'ers") and whose speech has been heavily influenced by the large number of Scandinavian and Canadian immigrants who settled the area during the mining boom of the late 1800's. The baseball team Boston Red Sox is a member of the American League of Major League Baseball. The Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten and is 277 miles (446 km) long from north to south and 195 miles (314 km)from east to west. The Celtics have the distinction of having more World Championships than any other NBA team with 16 championships from 1957 to 1986. Michigan consists of two peninsulas:. The TD Banknorth Garden near North Station is the home of two major league teams:. The highest point in the Lower Peninsula is not definitely established but is either Briar Hill at 1,705 feet (520 meters), or one of several points closely nearby. cities with teams from four major sports. The highest point is Mount Arvon in the Upper Peninsula at 1,979 feet (603 m). See also: U.S. Michigan also borders Minnesota, Illinois, the Canadian province of Ontario, and the Canadian First Nation (Indian) reserve of Walpole Island, but only on water boundaries in the Great Lakes system. Many of the Boston Harbor Islands are part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area that is run by the National Park Service. Michigan borders Indiana and Ohio to the south, and Wisconsin to the southwest of the Upper Peninsula. There are also two self-guided walking tours: Harbor Walk (http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/), which is designed to allow people the walk the entire shore of Boston Harbor, and the Black Heritage Trail. Georgia has a slightly larger land area, however. Other sites of interest include Castle Island and Kenmore Square. Michigan encompasses 96,810 square miles (250,630 square kilometers), making it the largest state east of the Mississippi River if territorial water is included. The New England Aquarium as well as the Franklin Park Zoo are located within the city. See: List of Michigan Governors, List of United States Senators from Michigan, List of United States Representatives from Michigan. The University of Massachusetts campus at Columbia Point houses the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan. Boston is home to several world-renowned museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and the Museum of Science. There are two types of townships in Michigan: general law and charter. Charter township status was created by the state legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. It is also the site of the Esplanade where the Boston Pops Orchestra play their annual Fourth of July concerts to large crowds. Cities and villages are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they can do almost anything not prohibited by law. The Charles River, with long stretches of parks along its banks, is a major recreation site for many Bostonians. Michigan counties and townships are statutory units of government, meaning that they have only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. Other notable districts/neighborhoods include Beacon Hill, Charlestown, Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, North End, and South Boston. Still, with 10 million residents, Michigan remains a large and influential state and ranks 8th in population among the 50 states. Back Bay is also the home of two of New England's tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center. Since World War II, Detroit's industrial base has eroded as auto companies abandoned some of the area's industrial parks in favor of less expensive labor found overseas and in southern U.S. states. Once a shallow lagoon, the Back Bay district now includes many prominent landmarks and sites of interests such as the Christian Science Center, Boston Public Library, Copley Square, Newbury Street, and Trinity Church. Since 1838, the city has also been noted for its thriving furniture industry. Such sites include:. Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan, is also a center of automotive manufacturing. Many are found along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by a red line or bricks embedded in the ground. It was a development that not only transformed Detroit and Michigan, but permanently altered the socio-economic climate of the United States and much of the world, for that matter. Due to the city's prominent role in the American Revolution, several historic sites relating to that period are preserved as part of the Boston National Historical Park. The birth of the automotive industry, with Henry Ford's first plant in the Highland Park suburb of Detroit, marked the beginning of a new era in personal transportation. See also: Sites of interest in Boston. Michigan's economy underwent a massive shift at the turn of the 20th century. Other television stations broadcasting in the Boston market are:. Thought to be useless at the time of its addition to Michigan, it was soon discovered that the Upper Peninsula was a rich and important source of lumber, iron, and copper, which would become the state's most sought-after natural resources. Most Boston television stations have their transmitters in nearby Needham and Newton. Ultimately, Congress awarded the "Toledo Strip" to Ohio, and Michigan, having received the western part of the Upper Peninsula as a concession, formally entered the Union on January 26, 1837. The city is also served by several Spanish-language television stations including those of Univision (WUNI channel 27, licensed to Worcester), TeleFutura (WUTF channel 66), and Telemundo (WNEU channel 60, licensed to Merrimack, New Hampshire, and simulcast on WTMU-LP channel 32). The dispute eventually culminated into what would be known as the Toledo War when Michigan and Ohio militia maneuvered in the area. The city is served by stations representing every major American network including:. A state government was formed in 1835, although Congressional recognition of the state languished due to a boundary dispute with Ohio, with both sides claiming a 468 square mile (1,210 km²) strip of land that included the important port city of Toledo on Lake Erie and an area to the west then known as the "Great Black Swamp". The Boston television DMA, which also includes Manchester, New Hampshire, is the fifth largest in the United States [1] (http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html). By the 1830s, Michigan had some 80,000 residents, more than enough to apply for statehood. A variety of FM radio formats serve the area as well as NPR stations WBUR and WGBH. The population grew slowly until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, which brought large numbers of settlers. Several major AM stations include talk radio WRKO 680 AM, sports/talk station WEEI 850 AM, and news radio WBZ 1030 AM. Michigan passed to Great Britain in 1763 and then to the new United States two decades later. Boston has the largest broadcasting market in New England, with the Boston radio market being the ninth largest in the United States. Most of the rest of the region remained unsettled by whites, however. The Improper Bostonian (http://www.improper.com/) is a biweekly "what's happening" guide to the Boston area. The town became a major fur-trading and shipping post. Just Rentals and Just Property are exclusive to Real Estate and are bi-weekly. Clair and Erie. The Boston Independent Media Center (http://boston.indymedia.org/) provides alternative views. In 1701, explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit on the straits between Lakes St. Spare Change is a bi-weekly paper. Michigan was explored and settled by French voyageurs in the 17th century. As of October 2004, the Weekly Dig is owned by Boston Magazine. The name is derived from Lake Michigan, which in turn is believed to come from the Chippewa Indian word meicigama, meaning "great water." Bounded by four of the Great Lakes, Michigan has the longest state shoreline in the continental United States, and more recreational boats than any other state in the union. The Boston Phoenix, The Improper Bostonian, and the Weekly Dig are weekly newspapers. Michigan is a state in the United States. A local edition of The Metro, a free paper, is also available. List of people from Michigan. The Boston Globe, owned by the New York Times Company, and The Boston Herald are Boston's two major daily newspapers. List of Michigan counties. See also: Media in Boston.. List of highways in Michigan. The New England Medical Center is affiliated with Tufts University while the Boston Medical Center is the primary teaching facility for the Boston University School of Medicine. List of Michigan-related topics. Other medical institutions include Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Lahey Clinic, and Children's Hospital. List of Governors of Michigan. Another hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Michigan is the only state composed of two separate peninsulas. Rated as one of the best in the world, Mass General is the third oldest general hospital in the U.S., and the oldest and largest in New England. The state soil, Kalkaska Sand, ranges in color from black to yellowish brown, covers nearly a million acres (4,000 km²) in 29 counties. One such hospital is the Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General), which is affiliated with the Harvard Medical School. The state wildflower, the Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris), is a federal-listed threatened species. As the home to some of the world's most respected research hospitals, Boston enjoys an international reputation in the medical field. The state gem chlorastrolite, literally the green star stone, also known as the Isle Royale greenstone is found on Isle Royale and the Keweenaw. It is also a major seaport along the United States east coast. The state stone, the Petoskey stone (Hexagonaria pericarnata), is composed of fossilized diatoms from long ago when the middle of the continent was covered with a shallow sea. The Port of Boston is the largest and busiest seaport in Massachusetts. The state motto, Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice is Latin for "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you", a paraphrase of a statement made by British architect Sir Christopher Wren about his influence on London. Teradyne, one of the world's leading manufacturer of semiconductors and other electronic equipment, has its corporate headquarters located in Boston. State nicknames include the Wolverine State, Great Lakes State, Mitten State, and Winter Water Wonderland. Boston Scientific is located in Natick, and Gillette is headquartered in Boston. State soil: Kalkaska Sand. Raytheon has its global headquarters in nearby Waltham while Novell also has its corporate headquarters there. State gem: Isle Royale greenstone (also called chlorastrolite). Shoe and athletic apparel maker Reebok is headquartered in nearby Canton. State stone: Petoskey stone. Boston headquartered Fidelity Investments helped popularize the mutual fund in the 1980s, and has made Boston one of the top financial cities in the United States. State tree: White Pine. Other important industries include financial services, especially mutual funds and insurance. State wildflower: Dwarf Lake Iris. Boston's colleges and universities have drawn high-tech industries to the city, including computer hardware and software companies like EMC Corporation (headquartered in Hopkinton) and Akamai (headquartered in nearby Cambridge), as well as biotechnology companies like Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Biogen Idec. State flower: Apple Blossom. See also: An annotated bibliography of fiction set in Boston (http://www.cas.suffolk.edu/richman/Boston/bosbib.htm) (external weblink). State fossil: Mastodon. See also: List of television shows set in Boston. State reptile: Painted Turtle. Boston is also home to a wide array of musical talent from bands like Boston, Godsmack, and Aerosmith, to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, the Boston Philharmonic, the Boston Lyric Opera Company, and the Handel and Hayden Society (the oldest choral company in the U.S.) among many others. State fish: Brook Trout. The weekend following Labor Day, the boutiques on Newbury Street close as over thirty art galleries spill out onto the street, providing unlimited access to their contents during Art Newbury Street. State mammal: White-tailed Deer. The Boston Film Festival is held annually in early September. State bird: American Robin. The Boston Globe Jazz and Blues Festival takes place each June; the Boston Early Music Festival takes place every odd-numbered year. State song: My Michigan (official, but disputed amongst Michiganders). The Boston Ballet is a world-renowned classical dance company. State motto: Si Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam Circumspice. Avant garde theatres are scattered throughout the city, especially along Huntington Avenue. Alpena IceDiggers, North American Hockey League. The Theater District, south of Boston Common, contains a number of ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre and The Wang Center for the Performing Arts. Traverse City North Stars, North American Hockey League. Mark Twain once wrote of it, In New York they ask "how much money does he have?" In Philadelphia, they ask, "who were his parents?" In Boston they ask, "how much does he know?" It is also considered one of the most culturally impressive cities in the world. Saginaw Spirit, Ontario Hockey League. Boston is considered to be a highly intellectual city. Plymouth Whalers, Ontario Hockey League. Surrounding cities host Babson College, Bentley College, Brandeis University, Hellenic College, Lesley University, the Longy School of Music, Merrimack College, Pine Manor College, Regis College, Tufts University and Wellesley College, among others. Flint Generals, United Hockey League. Other schools in Boston proper include Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory, the Boston Architectural Center, Boston University, Emerson College, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, the Massachusetts College of Art, the New England Conservatory of Music, Northeastern University, Simmons College, and Suffolk University. Port Huron Beacons, United Hockey League. The greater Boston area is home to over 100 colleges. Kalamazoo K-Wings, International Hockey League. Cambridge is also the home of the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Muskegon Fury, United Hockey League. Harvard University, the nation's oldest university, was founded in Cambridge, where it maintains its main campus, though the bulk of its current land holdings lie in Boston. Grand Rapids Griffins, American Hockey League. However, it moved from the city's South End to then-rural Chestnut Hill to escape Boston's rapid urbanization in the late nineteenth century. Grand Rapids Rampage, Arena Football League. Boston College was the first institution of higher education to be founded in Boston. Detroit Demolition, National Women's Football Association. The Boston area is well-known for its colleges and universities. Detroit Fury, Arena Football League. See also: List of colleges and universities in Massachusetts.. Grosse Ile, $42,150. The city also serves as the home of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit as well as the headquarters of the 1st District of the Federal Reserve Bank. Beverly Hills, $43,452. The National Archives has a regional center in nearby Waltham. Northville, $43,454. O'Neil Federal Building. West Bloomfield Township, $44,885. Kennedy Federal Office Building and the Thomas P. South Gull Lake, $45,175. Properties include the John F. Huntington Woods, $45,264. Boston is also the United States federal government center for New England. Sylvan Lake, $48,744. The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) operates Boston's Logan International Airport. Grand Beach, $51,788. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority runs the "T", Boston's public transport system. Grosse Pointe, $53,942. In addition to city government, numerous state authorities and commissions play a role in the life of Bostonians, including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (water and sewer) and the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, formerly known as the Metropolitan District Commission (some parks and most beaches). Grosse Pointe Farms, $54,846. The School Committee is appointed by the mayor, as are city department heads. Birmingham, $59,314. The President of the City Council is elected by the Councilors from within themselves. Bloomfield Township, $62,716. The top four vote-getters are elected. Michiana, $63,558. Each voter casts up to four votes for at-large councilors; no more than one vote per candidate. Orchard Lake Village, $67,881. There are four at-large seats. Grosse Pointe Shores, $69,639. There are nine wards or neighborhood seats, each elected by plurality voting by the residents of that ward. Franklin, $71,033. The City Council is elected every two years. Bingham Farms, $74,588. The mayor is elected to a four-year term by plurality voting (see List of Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts). Lake Angelus, $83,792. Boston has a "strong mayor" system in which the mayor, Thomas Menino, is is vested with extensive executive powers. Bloomfield Hills, $104,920. Boston is notable for having one of the most attractive and livable urban cores in the country; rents and housing prices are correspondingly high. Barton Hills, $110,683. Dorchester is probably the most diverse Boston neighborhood being populated with every ethnic group. East Lansing (Home of Michigan State University). Roxbury and Mattapan, located south of downtown, are populated largely by African Americans and Hispanics, as well as middle-class families priced out of more expensive neighborhoods. Holland (Home of the Michigan Dutch). The South End, south of the Back Bay, is populated by gays, artists, yuppies, African Americans, and Hispanics—it is noted for its restaurant scene and bohemian atmosphere. Frankenmuth (Michigan's Little Bavaria). The Back Bay, west of the Public Garden, is one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the United States—it includes the shops and restaurants on Newbury Street and the two tallest skyscrapers in Boston. Midland (headquarters for the Dow Chemical Company). Allston/Brighton, for example, is populated mostly by students from nearby Boston University and recent graduates. Traverse City (the Cherry Capital of the World). Each of the neighborhoods has a distinct character. Marquette (Largest city in the Upper Peninsula with 19,661 people). The city is divided into many neighborhoods (http://www.cityofboston.gov/neighborhoods/), including: Allston, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Brighton, Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Fenway/Kenmore, the North End, Hyde Park, Roslindale, Roxbury, South Boston, the South End, Chinatown, Bay Village and West Roxbury. Battle Creek (Cereal City U.S.A.). Out of the total population, 25.6% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Livonia, population 100,545. 19.5% of the population and 15.3% of families are below the poverty line. Ann Arbor population 114,024 (the home of the University of Michigan). The per capita income for the city is $23,353. Lansing population 119,128 (the state capital). Males have a median income of $37,435 versus $32,421 for females. Sterling Heights population 124,471. The median income for a household in the city is $39,629, and the median income for a family is $44,151. Flint population 124,943. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males. Warren population 138,247. For every 100 females there are 92.8 males. Grand Rapids population 197,800 (The Furniture City). The median age is 31 years. Detroit population 951,270 (also known as "Motor City" and Motown). In the city the population is spread out with 19.8% under the age of 18, 16.2% from 18 to 24, 35.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who are 65 years of age or older. Non-Religious – 9%. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 3.17. Other Religions – 4% (mostly Muslim and Jewish). 37.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. Other Christian – 1%. There are 239,528 households out of which 22.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.4% are married couples living together, 16.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% are non-families. Roman Catholic – 29%. Census data does not account for this significant segment of the community because of confusing terminology, as Brazilians speak Portuguese and often do not consider themselves Hispanic or Latino. Protestant – 54%. These figures become less reliable due to the large undocumented Brazilian population, estimated by some studies to approach 250,000 in Massachusetts. 3.3% of the population is of Hispanic origin, a category that may include members of any race. 14.44% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. 1.9% Mixed race. The racial makeup of the city is 54.48% White, 25.33% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 7.52% Asian American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.83% from other races, and 4.39% from two or more races. 0.6% American Indian. Boston is the capital of "Irish America". 1.8% Asian. There are 251,935 housing units at an average density of 2,008.5/km² (5,202.5/mi²). The Irish are the largest ethnic group in the city of Boston. 14.2% Black. The population density is 4,696.9/km² (12,165.8/mi²). 80.2% White. As of the census2 of 2000, there are 589,141 people, 239,528 households, and 115,212 families residing in the city. state taxes. In the winter, the Frog Pond at Boston Common doubles as a popular ice-skating rink. Automobiles (General Motors, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler), Amway, Cereal (Kellogg's), Copper, Furniture (Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth), Iron. The outer suburbs of Boston, which tend to be forested, have vibrantly-colored foliage every autumn that attracts many tourtists. Major industries/products
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (http://www.bea.gov/) estimates that Michigan's total state product in 2003 was $365 billion. Per capital personal income in 2003 was $31,178, 20th in the nation. (1,100 mm) of snowfall a year, though this increases dramatically as one goes inland away from the city. State income
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The coldest month is January with an average high of 35.6 °F (2 °C) and a low of 21.5 °F (−6 °C). Keweenaw National Historical Park. The hottest month is August, with an average high of 80 °F (27 °C) and a low of 64 °F (18 °C). Isle Royale National Park. It has been known to snow in October and get quite warm in February. the Upper Peninsula. The summers are usually warm and humid, while the winters are cold and windy. the Lower Peninsula and. The weather in Boston, like much of New England, changes rapidly. The power of initiative extends only to laws which the legislature may enact under this constitution.". The Neponset River forms the boundary between the city and its southeast neighbors, Quincy and Milton. Referendum and Voter Initiative: Michigan's constitution provides for voter initiative and referendum (Article II, § 9 [ [1] (http://www.michiganlegislature.org/mileg.asp?page=getObject&objName=mcl-Constitution-II-9&queryid=3791545&highlight=referendum)]), defined as "the power to propose laws and to enact and reject laws, called the initiative, and the power to approve or reject laws enacted by the legislature, called the referendum. To the east lies Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands, many of which are open to the public. state constitution. The Charles River separates Boston from Cambridge, and Charlestown. Michigan Constitutions of 1835, 1850, 1908, and 1963 (http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-29938_30243-96757--,00.html). Boston is bordered by the cities of Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Newton, and Quincy, and the towns of Winthrop, Brookline, Needham, Dedham, Canton, and Milton. structure of state judicary. Only Beacon Hill, the smallest of the three original hills, remains partially intact. Michigan Senate. Much of the Back Bay, and South End are built on reclaimed land—two and a half of Boston's three original hills were used as a source of material for the landfill. Michigan State House of Representatives. The total area is 45.98% water. Michigan Legislature -- bicameral
Capital: Lansing. Recently, Boston has experienced a loss of regional institutions and traditions, which once gave it a very distinct social character, as it has become part of the more homogenized BosWash megalopolis. 1987 Michigan celebrated 150 years of statehood. Their execution sparked riots in London, Paris and Germany, and helped to reinforce the image of Boston as a hotbed of intolerance. Ford of Grand Rapids became the 38th President of the United States. On August 23, 1927, Italian anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti were sent to the electric chair after a seven-year trial in Boston. 1974 Gerald R. Today it is known as "The T" and is run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. The riot had lasting effects on the entire metro region and is usually cited as one of the reasons the Detroit area is among the most segregated areas in the United States. Also, on September 1, 1897, the Tremont Street Subway opened as the first underground streetcar subway in North America. After 5 days of rioting, 43 people lay dead, 1189 injured and over 7000 people had been arrested. During the 1800s, the first medical school for women, The Boston Female Medical School (which later merged with the Boston University School of Medicine), opened in Boston on November 1, 1848. 1967 Race riots struck the city of Detroit. The city has several notable "firsts." Both the first school in America, Boston Latin School (1635), and the first college in America, Harvard College (1636), were founded in the early days of Boston. 1957 Five-mile long Mackinac Bridge opened November 1. It was chartered as a city in 1822, and by the mid-1800s it was one of the largest manufacturing centers in the nation, noted for its garment production, leather goods, and machinery industries. 1943 Riot broke out pitting whites against blacks during wartime. After the revolutionary war, the city became one of the world's wealthiest international trading ports, exporting products such as rum, fish, salt and tobacco. 1937 Flint Sit-Down Strike ended with official recognition of the United Auto Workers by General Motors. During this period, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride. 1890s and 1900s Ford, Chrysler and General Motors were founded in southeastern Michigan. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several of the early battles of the Revolution (such as the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston) occurred in or near the city. The structure cost $1,510,130. Boston played a key role in sparking both the American Revolution and the ensuing American Revolutionary War. 1879 New State Capitol dedicated in Lansing. Indeed, Puritan values of hard work, moral uprightness, and education remain a part of Boston's culture. 1847 A law was passed by the State Legislature to re-locate from Detroit the State Capital to a site "in the township of Lansing, in the county of Ingham.". These values molded an extremely stable and well-structured society in Boston. 1846 Marji-Gesick, an Ojibwa Indian, pointed out a large deposit of iron ore to prospector Philo Everett near the present-day city of Negaunee. Winthrop's sermon, "a City upon a Hill," captured this idea. 1840 Douglass Houghton reported finding copper deposits on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Early colonists believed that Boston was a community with a special covenant with God. 1838 Patriot War. Founded on September 17, 1630, on a peninsula called Shawmut by the Native Americans who lived there, Boston is named after Boston, England, a town in Lincolnshire from which several prominent colonists originated. 1837 The Panic of 1837 was a severe setback to the nascent state bank and to several ambitious programs of public improvements, including the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal. Its history is inherently intertwined with the history of the United States. January 26, 1837 Michigan became the 26th US State. Boston has an illustrious history that spans nearly four centuries. 1817, The University of Michigan is established in Detroit, the first public university in the state. Main article: History of Boston. 1837 Admitted as a free state into the union (the 26th state), it was admitted concurrently with the slave state of Arkansas. Greater Boston is one of the top-ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States, the fifteenth in the Americas, and the one of the top-fifty largest in the world. As a resolution, Ohio received Toledo and the Toledo Strip but Michigan gained the western two-thirds of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Greater Boston metropolitan area, including nearby cities and towns such as Cambridge, Brookline, and Quincy as well as many suburban communities further from the city, has a population of approximately 5.8 million residents. A minor conflict with Ohio over the city of Toledo, Ohio, known as the Toledo War, contributed to delaying Michigan's statehood. As of the 2000 census, its population was 589,141. Mason inaugurated as the first Governor. Its nicknames include "Beantown", "The Hub" (shortened from Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase The Hub of the Universe), "The City of Higher Learning" (due to the plethora of universities and colleges in the Boston area) and The Athens of America, due to its great influence on cultural, intellectual, and political matters. Stevens T. It is the unofficial capital of the region known as New England as well as one of the oldest and wealthiest cities in the United States, with an economy based on education, health care, finance, and high technology. 1835 First Constitutional Convention. The city is also the county seat of Suffolk County. 1828 Territorial Capitol built in Detroit at a cost of $24,500. Boston is the capital and the largest city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The Council was expanded to thirteen members in 1825 and made an elected body in 1827. MLB.com (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1903). Accessed June 1, 2005. President who selected them from eighteen persons chosen by the people. 1903 World Series - Major League Baseball: World Series History. 1823 Congress transferred legislative powers previously exercised by the Territorial Governor and Judges to a nine-member Legislative Council, appointed by the U.S. Accessed May 15, 2005. 1821 With the Treaty of Chicago, the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi ceded all the lands south of the Grand River to the United States. Skyscrapers.com (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/?id=101045). 1819 In the Treaty of Saginaw, the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi ceded more than six million acres, or 24,000 km² in the central portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan to the United States. Boston Skyscrapers. 1813 Lewis Cass became Territorial Governor. Portland, Oregon. Detroit was destroyed by fire. Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. 1805 Michigan Territory was created, with Detroit designated as the seat of government. William Hull appointed as governor. Taipei, Republic of China. Wayne County was established as an administrative division of the Northwest Territory. Padua, Italy. 1796 Detroit and other posts in Michigan were turned over to the United States under terms of the Jay Treaty. Haifa, Israel. did not take control of the territory until 1796. Melbourne, Australia. The U.S. Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. 1783 The area that is now Michigan is included with the territory ceded by Great Britain to the United States by the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolutionary War. Barcelona, Spain. 1760s Chief Pontiac led a major revolt of the Ottawa tribe against the British. Strasbourg, France. 1760 Detroit was captured by the British. Kyoto, Japan. 1701 Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac, with his lieutenant Alphonse de Tonty, established a trading post on the Detroit River which they name Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit; now the present site of Detroit. Faith from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, specifically South Boston. Marie, Michigan, the first European settlement in Michigan. Sharon McKendrick and her mother Maggie from the 1961 version of the Parent Trap. 1668 Père (Father) Jacques Marquette established Sault Ste. The characters from the TV sitcom Cheers. 1622 Étienne Brûlé and his fellow explorers from Grenoble, France, were probably the first white men to see Lake Superior. Trapper John McIntyre and Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from M*A*S*H. Manchester Airport in Manchester, New Hampshire. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island. F. T. Hanscom Field in Lexington and Bedford. Boston Celtics (Basketball - National Basketball Association). Boston Bruins (Ice hockey - National Hockey League). USS Constitution. Paul Revere's House. Old North Church. Old State House. Massachusetts State House. Granary Burying Ground. Faneuil Hall. Bunker Hill Monument. Boston Common, with the Boston Public Garden being adjacent. Channel 68 - WBPX (PAX). Channel 62 - WMFP (Shop At Home). Channel 56 - WLVI (WB). Channel 48 - WYDN (DayStar). Channel 46 - WWDP (ShopNBC). Channel 38 - WSBK (UPN). PBS - WGBH Channel 2, which also operates WGBX channel 44, is a major producer of PBS programs. FOX - WFXT Channel 25. NBC - WHDH Channel 7. ABC - WCVB Channel 5. CBS - WBZ Channel 4. Specifically, "12 Prospero Place, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.". Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events movie takes place in Boston, as seen on the envelope at the end of the movie. Zodiac, by Neal Stephenson; an eco-thriller focusing on industrial pollution in the Boston Harbor. The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner; part of the story finds its setting in Boston. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood; post-nuclear Cambridge and Boston are the setting of this dystopian novel. Looking Backward, utopian novel written in 1887 and set in Boston in 2000. The Bostonians, by Henry James; life in aristocratic Boston during the late nineteenth century. The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown; Boston is the home of protagonist Robert Langdon. Parker. The Spenser detective novels, by Robert B. Curley. The Last Hurrah, by Edwin O'Connor; O'Connor's 1956 account of big-city politics, inspired by the career of longtime Boston Mayor James M. Walk East on Beacon!. What's the Worst That Could Happen?. Vig (Money Kings). The Verdict. Un Ballo in Maschera, Opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Thomas Crown Affair. Still We Believe: The Boston Red Sox Movie. Elsewhere. St. Southie. A Small Circle of Friends. The Paper Chase. Night School. Next Stop Wonderland. Mystic River. Monument Ave.. Love Story. Legally Blonde. Harvard Man. Good Will Hunting. The Friends of Eddie Coyle. Fever Pitch. Coma. The Brink's Job. The Boondock Saints. Blue Hill Avenue. Blown Away. Blow. Boston LBGT Pride parade and festival (http://www.bostonpride.org/). Boston Marathon, the world-famous 26-mile run. Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Fourth of July on the Esplanade (fireworks and music on a massive scale). First Night (http://www.firstnight.org/) Boston's major New Year's Eve arts and activity festival, attracting over 1.5m people. Siege of Boston. Battle of Lexington and Concord. Boston Tea Party. Boston Massacre. American Revolutionary War. American Revolution. |