2018 Milestone Years
Michigan was founded on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state of the United States of America—making this year its 181st Birthday / Anniversary (depending on how you look at it).
Currently home to nearly 10 million people, spread out throughout two peninsulas, Michigan is the Great Lakes State – the Mitten of Plenty – the Wolverine State. Michigan’s early business history is centered in industries that benefited from its proximity to the Great Lakes: fishing, lumbering, mining, fur trapping and agriculture.
Today, manufacturing remains the state’s top industry—followed by agriculture and tourism. This year, many noted Michigan businesses are celebrating milestone years…here’s a list (please feel free to share others we may have missed).
350 Years (1668)
170 Years (1848)
- Copper Harbor Lighthouse Construction Complete – Copper Harbor
- Pointe aux Barques Light – Lake Huron – Port Hope (Lit March 1848)
165 Years (1853)
150 Years (1868)
- Granite Island Light – Lake Superior
- Huron Island Light – Lake Superior (Lit October 20, 1868)
- Ludington Daily News – Ludington
145 Years (1873)
140 Years (1878)
- Michigan State Capitol Building Construction Complete (September 26, 1878)
- Port Austin Reef Light – Lake Huron (construction completed)
- Sand Point Lighthouse – Baraga – Lake Superior
130 Years (1888)
- Pipe Island Light – St. Marys River – De Tour Village
- Skillagalee Island Light (Ile Aux Galets Light) – Lake Michigan (New light constructed)
125 Years (1893)
120 Years (1898)
115 Years (1903)
- Muskegon Pier Light – Lake Superior
- South Haven South Pier Light – Lake Michigan (New tower light first lit November 13, 1903)
- Stormy Kromer – Ironwood
110 Years (1908)
- General Motors Founded by William C. Durant (September 16, 1908)
- Munising Front and Rear Range Lights – Lake Superior (Lit October 30, 1908)
- Rock of Ages Light – Washington Island – Lake Superior
100 Years (1917)
- Chevy Trucks
- Elk reintroduced to Michigan – Pigeon River Country State Forest near Gaylord
- Tippy Dam – Brethren
90 Years (1928)
- The Kean’s Store Company – Mason
- Lansing Shoal Light – Lake Michigan (New light lit October 6, 1928)
85 Years (1933)
80 Years (1938)
- Blue Water Bridge – Port Huron (Opened to traffic on October 10)
- Caberfae Peaks Resort (Winter Season) – Cadillac
- Historic Vogue Theatre – Manistee
75 Years (1943)
70 Years (1948)
- Charlevoix South Pier Light Station – Charlevoix
- Top ‘O Michigan Outboard Boat Races – Inland Waterways (August)
65 Years (1953)
60 Years (1958)
55 Years (1963)
50 Years (1968)
- International 500 Snowmobile Race – Sault Ste Marie
- Fisher’s Bridge – Isabella County’s Deerfield Park
- Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek Resort (Winter Season) – Bellaire
- Windemere – Ernest Hemingway’s Family Cottage on Walloon Lake added to National Register of Historic Places
45 Years (1973)
- Augusta Creek Bridge – Augusta
- Beggar’s Banquet – East Lansing
- International Cherry Pit-Spitting Championship at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm – Eau Claire (July)
- Outdoorama – Novi
40 Years (1978)
35 Years (1983)
30 Years (1988)
- Lake Michigan Circle Tour Guide Published by West Michigan Tourist Association
- Poncho’s Pond RV Park – Ludington
- Victorian Sleighbell Parade & Old Christmas Weekend – Manistee (Nov. 29-Dec. 1)
- Whitefish Point Bird Observatory Annual Celebration of Spring Migration – Paradise (April)
- West Michigan Golf Show – Grand Rapids
25 Years (1993)
- Chateau Chantal – Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City
- The Thoroughbred Golf Course at Double JJ Ranch & Golf Resort – Rothbury
- West Michigan Whitecaps – Comstock Park
20 Years (1998)
- Bay Harbor Vintage Car & Boat Festival – Bay Harbor (June 22-24)
- Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery – Suttons Bay
- Michigan International Auto Show – Grand Rapids
- MotorCities National Heritage Area – Detroit
- Rochester Mills Beer Company – Rochester
- Thunder Over Michigan at Yankee Air Museum – Belleville
- Willow Vineyards – Cedar
15 Years (2003)
10 Years (2008)
- Blue Tractor BBQ & Brewery – Ann Arbor
- BNektar Mead – Ferndale
- Lawton Ridge – Kalamazoo
- HopCat – Grand Rapids
- Original Gravity Brewing Company – Milan
- Right Brain Brewery – Traverse City
- Wee Bee Jammin – Bear Lake
- Yoopersteeze (now UP Supply Company) – Marquette
5 Years (2013)
- Brewery Becker – Brighton
- Grand Rapids Brewing (originally founded in 1893)
- Grand River Brewery – Jackson
- Gonzo’s Biggdogg Brewing – Kalamazoo
- Latitude 42 – Portage
- Mountain Town Brewing Co. (Formerly Mt. Pleasant Brewing Co) – Mt Pleasant
- Stormcloud Brewing — Frankfort
SOURCE: Promote Michigan (est. 2004)
Updated January 7, 2018