important dates

Selected Dates in Michigan History

1620 Étienne Brulé and his companion Grenoble, French explorers, were probably the first white men to see Lake Superior.
1668 Fathers Jacques Marquette and Claude Dablon founded the first mission at Sault de Sainte Marie.
1701 Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac, with his lieutenant Alphonse de Tonty, established a trading post on the Detroit River which they named Fort Pontchartrain; present site of Detroit.
1715 French established Fort Michilimackinac at the Straits of Mackinac. The fort, near present-day Mackinaw City, was essential to French security.
1760 The French surrendered Fort Pontchartrain to the British ending French rule in Detroit. Major Robert Rogers was in command of the British soldiers.
1763 Indian wars occurred throughout the area west of the Allegheny Mountains. Siege of Detroit led by Pontiac lasted 135 days. All forts in Michigan except Detroit taken by Indians.
1787 The Ordinance of 1787 established the Northwest Territory, of which Michigan was a part, and defined the procedure for obtaining statehood.
1792 Under the British Parliament's Constitutional Act, the first election was held in Michigan.
1794 In an article in the Jay Treaty, the British agreed to evacuate the forts in the West on or before June 1, 1796.
1796 British evacuated Detroit and abandoned its posts on the lakes.
1805 Michigan Territory was created, with Detroit designated as the seat of government. William Hull appointed as governor. Detroit was destroyed by fire.
1812 Detroit was surrendered by Governor Hull to the British during the War of 1812. Fort Mackinac also fell.
1813 General Duncan McArthur entered Detroit at the head of the American forces. Lewis Cass appointed military and civil governor of Michigan Territory.
1819 Treaty of Saginaw negotiated by Governor Cass. Indians ceded about six million acres diagonally across the center of Michigan. Michigan sent a delegate to Congress.
1828 Territorial Capitol was built at Detroit at a cost of $24,500.
1835 Toledo War over Michigan-Ohio boundary. Michigan was not admitted to the Union because she would not surrender claim to the Toledo strip. Area was finally surrendered in exchange for the western section of the Upper Peninsula.
1835 First Constitutional Convention. Stevens T. Mason inaugurated as the first Governor.
1837 Michigan was admitted as the twenty-sixth state in the Union.
1841 University of Michigan moved from Detroit to Ann Arbor.
1842 Copper mining operations started near Keweenaw Point.
1844 Iron Ore discovered in the Upper Peninsula at Negaunee.
1847 A law was passed by the State Legislature to locate the State Capital "in the township of Lansing, in the county of Ingham."
1850 Michigan Constitution was revised and ratified on November 5, 1850.
1854 Republican Party was organized at Jackson.
1855 Ship canal at Sault Ste. Marie opened.
1861-65 Over 90,000 Michigan men were mustered into service in the Civil War.
1879 New State Capitol dedicated in Lansing. The structure cost $1,510,130.
1908 New State Constitution adopted. Model T Ford manufactured.
1910 First primary election in Michigan.
1920 Detroit's WWJ began commercial broadcasting of regular programs and became the first such radio station in the United States.
1930 Detroit-Windsor tunnel opened to traffic.
1935 United Automobile Workers organized.
1941 Auto plants converted to production of war materials and Michigan became known as the "Arsenal of Democracy."
1951 Fire in the State Office Building, Lansing. Cost of remodeling $2,939,500. Name of building changed to Lewis Cass Building.
1957 Five-mile long Mackinac Bridge opened November 1.
1963 Constitution ratified at April election.
1974 Gerald R. Ford of Grand Rapids became the 38th President of the U.S.
1976 Throw away bottles banned by referendum vote.
1977 Renaissance Center dedicated marking revival of downtown Detroit.
1979 Michigan State University wins the National Championship in basketball.
1980 Republican National Convention held in Detroit.
1981 Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum dedicated in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids respectively.
1982 First International Grand Prix Formula One auto race held in Detroit.
1987 Michigan celebrated 150 years of statehood.
1989 Michigan Library and Historical Center dedicated in Lansing.
1990 Detroit Pistons win 2nd consecutive National Basketball Assn. championship.
1992 Michigan State University hosts third and final Presidential debate. State Capitol fully restored and rededicated.
1992 A constitutional amendment limited the number of terms an official could serve as governor or as a federal or state Senator or Representative.
1997 Detroit Redwings win first Stanley Cup in 42 years.
1998 Detroit Redwings repeat as Stanley Cup champions. The 25 story J. L. Hudson building in Detroit is demolished. Chrysler Corporation merges with the German auto company Daimler-Benz forming Daimler-Chrysler.
2000 Michigan State University wins the National Championship in basketball.

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