2024 Milestone Celebrations
Michigan was founded on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state of the United States of America—making this year its 187th Birthday / Anniversary (depending on how you look at it).
Many noted Michigan businesses, attractions, events and communities (including Promote Michigan, founded in 2004) are also celebrating milestone years this year…here’s a list (please feel free to share others we may have missed).
390 Years (1634)
- Jean Nicolet, guided by the Wyandot, passed through the Straits of Mackinac and followed the southern shoreline of the Upper Peninsula, en route to find the Ho-Chunk and the imagined passage to the Pacific.
345 Years (1679)
- René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle sailed Le Griffon to St. Ignace and on to an island at the inlet of Green Bay, departed from there with 14 men via canoe south on Lake Michigan, and established Fort Miami.
340 Years (1684)
- The mission of St. Joseph was established in Niles by Claude-Jean Allouez.
205 Years (1819)
In the Treaty of Saginaw, the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomiceded more than six million acres in the central portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan to the United States.
195 Years (1829)
185 Years (1839)
- Grand Haven South Pierhead Inner and Entrance Lights
- Gravelly Shoal Lighthouse, Saginaw Bay
- South Manitou Island Lighthouse, Lake Michigan
180 Years (1844)
175 Years (1849)
- Copper Harbor Lighthouse, Copper Harbor
- Michigan State Normal College (today known as Eastern Michigan University), Ypsilanti
- Village of Northport
180 Years (1854)
- Eagle River Lighthouse, Eagle River
- Grand Island North Lighthouse, Munising
- Ingham County Fair, Mason
- “Republican Party,” Jackson
165 Years (1859)
155 Years (1869)
- City of Muskegon
- City of Plainwell
- City of South Haven
- Copper Harbor Front Range Light, Copper Harbor
- Grey’s Opera House, Romeo
- McGulpin Point Lighthouse, Mackinaw City
150 Years (1874)
- Au Sable Lighthouse, Grand Marais
- Coveyou Scenic Farm Market, Petoskey
- Little Sable Point Lighthouse, Mears
- Michigan State History Conference, Ludington
- Poverty Island Lighthouse, Lake Michigan
- Spectacle Reef Lighthouse, Lake Huron
145 Years (1879)
135 Years (1889)
130 Years (1894)
125 Years (1899)
120 Years (1904)
115 Years (1909)
- Ivanhoe Café (Polish Yacht Club), Detroit
- Meyer May House, Grand Rapids (Construction Completed; Frank Lloyd Wright)
- Schuler’s Restaurant, Marshall
110 Years (1914)
105 Years (1919)
- Abick’s Bar, Detroit
- Chippewa County Historical Society, Sault Ste. Marie
- Dawn Theater, Hillsdale
- Regent Theater, Allegan
- Michigan State Parks
- Michigan State Trunkline Highway System
- Mitchell State Park, Cadillac
- Sand Hills Lighthouse, Ahmeek
100 Years (1924)
- Bayview to Mackinac Yacht Race 100th Running
- Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival
- Kalamazoo Institute of Arts
- Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse, Ludington
- Performing Arts Center / Braumart Theatre, Iron Mountain
- Sleeper State Park, Caseville
- South Higgins Lake State Park, Roscommon
- Straits Area State Park, St. Ignace
- Westin Book Cadillac, Detroit
95 Years (1929)
- Ambassador Bridge, Detroit
- Bohm Theatre, Albion
- Frauenthal Center, Muskegon
- Greenfield Village (originally named the Edison Institute), Dearborn
- House of Flavors, Ludington
- Lansing Symphony Orchestra
- Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, Ann Arbor
- Michigan Theatre, Jackson
- Soo Theatre, Sault Ste. Marie
- Tulip Time Festival, Holland
- University Club at Michigan State University, East Lansing
90 Years (1934)
85 Years (1939)
- Bill’s Drive-In, Ypsilanti
- Lelli’s Prime Steak Chops & Seafood, Auburn Hills
- Michigan Licensed Beverage Association
- Red Flannel Festival, Cedar Springs
75 Years (1949)
- Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls
- Fricano’s Pizza Tavern, Grand Haven
- Sinbad’s Restaurant and Marina, Detroit
- UP State History Conference, Escanaba
- Warren Woods State Park, Three Oaks
65 Years (1959)
- Art Craft Display
- Art Van (First store on Gratiot Avenue and 10 Mile Road)
- Fayette Historic State Park, Delta County (Upper Peninsula)
- Little Caesars (First store in Garden City)
- Mission Table (opened as Bowers Harbor Inn) – Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City
- Motown’s Hitsville USA Studio, Detroit
- Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs
- Trout Unlimited
60 Years (1964)
Bald Mountain Recreation Area Lower Trout Lake Bathhouse Complex & Contac Station, Lake Orion
55 Years (1969)
- Alma Highland Festival & Games, Alma
- Ann Arbor Blues Festival
- Park Library at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant
- Petoskey State Park
- Pisanello’s Pizza, Mt.Pleasant
50 Years (1974)
- Chateau Grand Traverse – Old Mission Peninsula, Traverse City
- Duck Lake State Park, Whitehall
- Gerald R. Ford of Grand Rapids became 38th President of the United States
45 Years (1979)
- Puffer Red’s, Ann Arbor
- Joseph Today
- The Plant Professionals, Lansing
- West Michigan Home & Garden Show, East Lansing
40 Years (1984)
- Fantasy of Lights, Howell
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Powwow
- Silver Bells in the City, Lansing
- Johns Mint Festival
35 Years (1989)
- Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University, East Lansing
- Laurium Manor Inn, Laurium
- Michigan History Center (Library of Michigan, State Archives and Michigan Historical Museum), Lansing
30 Years (1994)
- Be A Tourist in Your Own Town, Lansing
- Buster Keaton Society (Damfinos) Annual Convention, Muskegon
- Garylyn Zoo, Mackinaw City
- Ice Breaker Festival, South Haven
- Juneteenth Celebration (NAACP), Ann Arbor
25 Years (1999)
- Common Ground Music Festival, Lansing
- Inn at Bay Harbor, Petoskey
- Michigan Irish Music Festival, Muskegon
- Sojourner Truth Monument, Battle Creek
20 Years (2004)
- Bay Point Inn, Gun Lake/Shelbyville
- Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter (Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Traverse City)
- Keweenaw Brewing, Houghton
- Mackinaw Trail Winery, Petoskey
- Polar Express Movie Released (written by Chris Van Allsburg of Grand Rapids)
- Promote Michigan
- Schmohz Brewing, Grand Rapids
- Short’s Brewing, Bellaire / Elk Rapids
15 Years (2009)
- Culinary Institute of Michigan, Muskegon
- Firekeepers Casino, Battle Creek
- Restaurant Week GR, Grand Rapids
- Sun Dried Music Fest, Mason
- Unity Vibration Kombucha, Ypsilanti
- Zingerman’s Camp Bacon, Ann Arbor
10 Years (2014)
- Arclight Brewing Company, Watervliet
- Brewery Becker, Brighton
- Charlotte Brewing Company
- Cogdal Vineyards, South Haven
- Farmington Brewing Company
- Grand Rapids Remodeling & New Homes Show
- Lansing Beerfest
- Love Wines Winery, Ludington
- Michigan Chicken Wing Festival, Lansing
- Mount Pleasant Craft Beer Festival
- Northville Winery and Brewing Company
- One Well Brewing, Kalamazoo
- Pigeon Hill Brewing, Muskegon
- River’s Edge Brewing, Milford
- Tripelroot, Zeeland
- Upper Hand Brewing, Escanaba
SOURCE: Promote Michigan (est. 2004)
Updated December 2023