On This Day

The first production the Ford Model T Ford was completed at the company’s Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit on this day in 1908. Between 1908 and 1927, Ford would build some 15 million Model T cars. The innovation of the moving assembly line brought the cost down to a vehicle that many more Americans could afford.

The first production the Ford Model T Ford was completed at the company’s Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit on this day in 1908. Between 1908 and 1927, Ford would build some 15 million Model T cars. The innovation of the moving assembly line brought the cost down to a vehicle that many more Americans could afford.

The cornerstone was laid for the current capitol building in Lansing on this day in 1873. The building was completed in 1879 at cost of $1,510,000, which would be a little over $37 million it today's dollars.

The movie Somewhere in Time starring Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve was released on this day in 1980. It is set on Mackinac Island and spurred a whirlwind of new tourism to the island, including a "Somewhere in Time Weekend" that still happens annually at the Grand Hotel.

Chester Gould's famous comic strip starring Dick Tracy, made its first appearance ever in the Detroit Daily Mirror on this day in 1931. Nearly sixty years later a movie version would be released starring Warren Beatty and Michigan native, Madonna.

The first regular season Detroit Lions football game to be played in the now defunct Pontiac Silverdome happened on this day in 1975. The games was broadcast on ABC's Monday Night Football, while 80,642 people watched it live in the stadium. Unfortunately, though perhaps not surprisingly, their Detroit Lions lost to the Dallas Cowboys 36-10.

For the first time, Henry Ford’s entire Highland Park automobile factory was run on a continuously moving assembly line on this day in 1913. A motor and rope pulled the chassis past workers and parts on the factory floor. The innovation improved production time of the Model T from 728 to 93 minutes, thereby lowering the price […]

The same day as the Great Chicago Fire, Michigan experienced a series of simultaneous wildfires on this day in 1871. It seriously damaged the towns of Alpena, Holland, Manistee and Port Huron, burning 2.5 million acres, leaving hundreds of families homeless. While an official tally was never undertaken, it's estimated that hundreds died in the Michigan fires.

The first professional football game was held at Navin Field, later to be known as Tiger Stadium, on this day in 1921. Like the baseball team, Detroit was then known as the Tigers, and they defeated the Dayton Tirangles 10-7. A jazz orchestra was also on hand to add ambience.

Elijah McCoy died on this day in 1929. He was born in Canada, the son of fugitive slaves who had escaped through the Underground Railroad in Detroit. His family later returned to Ypsilanti, Michigan. Having worked on the railroad, he earned notority for his 57 U.S. patents, most having to do with the lubrication of steam engines. […]

On this day in 1975, Saturday Night Live debuted on NBC, featuring the comedic genius of Detroit native, Gilda Radner. She created legendary characters like Lisa Lubner, Emily Litella, and Roseanne Roseannadana. Her tragic bout with ovarian cancer led to the creation of Gilda's Clubs across the country and the annual Gilda's Laughfest each March in Grand […]

On this day in 1969, a caller to Detroit radio station WKNR-FM told DJ Russ Gibb about a rumour that Beatle Paul McCartney was dead. Gibb and other callers then discussed it and supposed clues on the air for a lengthy time. The discussion led to a satirical review of Abbey Road published in the Michigan Daily under the headline "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought […]

Detroit's Cobo Hall, which at the time was said to be the largest exhibit center in the world, was dedicated on this day in 1960. Later that week President Dwight D. Eisenhour would visit the hall as it played host to the auto show. It is now a convention center known as Huntington Place.

During an improvised speech at the University of Michigan on this day in 1960, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy proposed what would later become the Peace Corps. The crowds responded to this speech with a petition signed by 1,000 students willing to serve abroad. The university still ranks among the top in the nation for Peace Corps […]

On this day in 1948, future president, Gerald Ford, married Elizabeth Anne (Betty) Bloomer at Grace Episcopal Church, in Grand Rapids. Betty would go on to become one of the most impactful First Ladies by publicly sharing her struggles with breast cancer and addiction.

Eighteen-year old Detroit Red Wing rookie, Gordie Howe scored a goal in his first appearance at Olympia Stadium on this day in 1946. Howe played for 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, and would come to be known as "Mr. hockey.".

On this day in 1899, President William McKinley came to Three Oaks to dedicate a park that would house a cannon captured by Admiral Dewey in the Battle of Manila during the Spanish American War. The cannon was awarded to Three Oaks as a trophy for its efforts at raising $1400, the largest per-capita contribution for a […]

The Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks at the Poniac Silverdome on this day in 1979. The two teams made history together, as it was the first NBA game in which all of the players were African-American.

On this day in 1929, Thomas Edison arrived in Dearborn and toured the recreation of his Menlo Park laboratory at Greenfield Village for the first time. Henry Ford had the lab where edison created the incandescent lightbulb and many other innovations, painstakingly recreated. An overwhelmed Edison remarked to Ford, "It is almost unbelievably faithful."

Former slave and women's rights advocate, Sojourner Truth, who resided in Battle Creek for much of her life, became the first individual inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame on this day in 1983. Rosa Parks was also inducted in that inaugural year.

An area with massive coastal sand dunes on the Lake Michigan shore was officially established as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on this day in 1970. The park covers a 35-mile-long stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline, as well as North and South Manitou islands.

On this day in 1966, Motown group, The Supremes, became the first female group to have a #1 album on the U.S. charts with The Supremes a Go Go. They knocked The Beatles from the top of the charts. Songs on the album included: You Can't Hurry Love, Baby I Need Your Loving, and This Old Heart of Mine.

Detroit Lions player, Mel Gray, passed Ron Smith to become the all-time NFL leader in kickoff return yards on this day in 1994. He finished his career with 10,250 yards. He is currently #4 on the list.

Harry Houdini, the most celebrated magician and escape artist of the 20th century, performed for the last time at a theater in Detroit on this day in 1926. Days before he had been punched in the stomach, and the blows ruptured his appendix. He fell ill on the train to Detroit, but decided to perform. Doctors at […]

On this day in 1924, Edwin L. "Ty" Tyson and Leonard "Doc" Holland set up a microphone in the east end zone stands at during the Wisconsin game at Ferry Field and did the first radio broadcast of a Michigan home football game over WWJ. It is believed to be the first "live" broadcast originating directly from […]

The Erie Canal officially opened on this day in 1825, greatly facilitating the transportation of passengers and freight between the eastern seaboard and Michigan ports. 92,232 acres of land in the Michigan Territory was sold in 1825, leading to a population explosion, and putting it on the path to statehood.

The new Grand Rapids Amtrak Station was dedicated on this day in 2014. The new station was attached to an existing transit facility in downtown Grand Rapids. It serves as an intermodal terminal, housing intercity passenger rail, intercity bus, and local transit.

Stevie Wonder released his 15th studio album, Talking Book, on this day in 1972. The album's first track, You Are the Sunshine of My Life, hit No.1 on the charts, and earned Wonder his first Grammy Award.

Gordie Howe wore the #9 on his Detroit Red Wings uniform for the first time on this day in 1947. Prior to that, he had worn 17, but switched to 9 so that he could have a lower berth bed on the train during road trips. At that time, lower sweater numbers got the larger and more […]