 |
Lake Superior, Houghton County
Photograph by Richard B. Mieremet |
Welcome
to Michigan, the Great Lake state. Michigan is quite unique among the states in that it is divided into two
distint geographic sections, the Upper peninsula, and the Lower peninsula. Lake Michigan lies between the two
peninsulas. The Upper peninsula is very sparsely populated, more than 90% of the peninsula being forested.
The Lower peninsula contains the cities, industry, and agriculture. The Upper and Lower Peninsulas were
connected in 1957 with the construction of Big Mac, the Mackinac Bridge.
Almost half of Michigan is comprised
of water and, except for Alaska, Michigan has more shoreline than any other state, fronting four
of the Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie.
With 3,177 miles of Great Lakes shoreline it is easy to see why Michigan boasts a thriving recreational
industry, and leads the nation with approximately one million registered pleasure boats.
Author John Steinbeck: "Michigan, handsome as a well made woman, and
dressed and jewelled. It seemed to me that the earth was generous and outgoing here in the heartland, and,
perhaps, its people to a cue from it."
| THE NAME:
The word Michigan originally referred to a clearing on the lower peninsula and was derived from the Chippewa
Indian word "majigan" which means clearing. Lake Michigan was named after this clearing by European explorers in the
area in the 1670's. The state later took the name of the clearing as well.
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S.
State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994 |
| THE NICKNAMES:
The Wolverine State: It has been generally accepted that Michigan was nicknamed "The Wolverine State" for
the abundance of wolverines that once roamed the peninsula. However, according to the Michigan Historical
Center, wolverines were very rare in Michigan if they were present at all. It's not clear how this nickname
originated, but there are two theories.
Some think the nickname was originated by Ohioans in 1835 during a dispute over an Ohio/Michigan boundary called
the "Toledo Strip." This dispute became known as the
Toledo War.
Though Michigan and Ohio both sent troops to the area, no shots were ever fired. It's said that Ohioans, at
that time, referred to Michiganians as "...as vicious and bloodthirsty as wolverines."
Another theory is proposed that Native Americans compared the way that settlers were taking land, in the 1830s, to the
way the excessively greedy wolverine went after its food.
The Great Lake State: or "The Great Lakes State", or "The Lakes State" nicknames have been applied to Michigan
for many years. They refer to the fact that Michigan shores meet four of the five Great Lakes and to the number
of inland lakes in the state. The four Great Lakes that border Michigan are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake
Huron and Lake Erie. There are also more than 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan and, according to the Michigan
Historical Center, one is never more than six miles from an inland lake or more than 85 miles from
one of the Great Lakes.
From 1968 to 1975 and from 1979 to 1983, the legend on the standard Michigan License Plate read "The Great Lake State."
This legend recognizes the Great Lakes and more than 11,000 inland lakes found in the state. This legend was
changed to "Great Lakes" in 1984.
Water Wonderland: This promotional nickname again references the water resources of the state of Michigan.
"Water Wonderland" appeared on Michigan license plates beginning in 1954. It was modified to "Water-Winter
Wonderland" in 1965. This modified legend appeared on Michigan license plates from 1965 through 1967.
Lady of the Lake: With over 40,000 square miles of water surface within its boundaries, Michigan's history
has been "saturated" with the association. "Lady of the Lake" is another nickname referencing the influence
of water in the state. It is thought that this nickname may have been taken from Sir Walter Scott's poem,
"The Lady of the Lake."
The Auto State: This nickname draws attention to the automobile manufacturing that has played such an important
role in the history of the state.
Source: Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. State
Names, Seals, Flags and Symbols Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut - 1994
Shankle, George Earlie, Phd State Names, Flags, Seals, Songs, Birds, Flowers and
Other Symbols H. H. Wilson Company, New York - 1938 (Reprint)
The Michigan Historical Center (http://www.sos.state.mi.us/history/index.html), October 24, 2002 |
THE CITIZENS:
People who live in Michigan or who come from Michigan are called Michiganians, Michiganders or Michiganites. |
THE QUARTER:
 |
| U.S. Mint image |
The Michigan quarter is the first of 2004, and the 26th in the United States Mint's 50 State Quarters® Program. On January 26, 1837, Michigan became the 26th state to be admitted into the Union. The Michigan quarter depicts the outline of the State and the Great Lakes system. The quarter is inscribed "Great Lakes State."
As indicated by the State's nickname, much of Michigan's history is tied to the Great Lakes - Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. These are five of the world's largest lakes that, together, encompass more than 38,000 square miles and form the largest body of fresh water in the world. Michigan is the only State that borders four of the five Great Lakes, more than any other state. Standing anywhere in the State, a person is within 85 miles of one of the Great Lakes. To assist in navigating, Michigan has 116 lighthouses and navigational lights.
On November 28, 2001, Governor John Engler established the 25-member Michigan Quarter Commission. The Commission members consisted of individuals from the fields of education, art, history, and numismatics. The Commission solicited recommendations for design concepts from the residents of the State and received over 4,300 suggestions. The Commission narrowed the entries down to five candidate concepts that were approved by Governor Engler, and forwarded them to the United States Mint on May 10, 2002. Other design concepts considered included "Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and State Icons," "Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and the Mackinac Bridge," "Michigan State Outline, with the Mackinac Bridge and Automobile," and "Michigan State Outline, with Great Lakes and Automobile."
In September 2003, following a consultation with the Michigan Quarter Commission, Governor Jennifer Granholm selected the Great Lakes design.
Source: The United States Mint, http://www.usmint.gov, February 1, 2004
For more on the state commemorative quarters, visit this page.
This 50 State Quarter Map is a great way to collect and display all 50 State Quarters. |
|
