Shows / Michigan Minute
Michigan Minute
WKAR’s Jamie Paisley presents intriguing stories for each day in Michigan history. From name changes and iconic cities to arcane laws, Michigan Minute covers a wide variety of fascinatingly true tales from the Great Lake State. Interested in supporting the Michigan Minute?
Episodes
- Michigan Minute
Detroit's Icons: K-Mart & Donyale Luna | Mar 1
On this day in 1962, the S.S. Kresge Company opened the first K-Mart in Garden City, Michigan, marking the start of a retail empire. Also, on this day in 1966…
- Michigan Minute
1992 MSU Firebombing & Sunday Baseball Law | Feb 28
On this day in 1992, ecoterrorist Rodney Coronado struck the Michigan State Campus, setting fire to decades of research in Anthony Hall. In 1907, the Detroit…
- Michigan Minute
1702 Comet, Aggies' First Game & Rosa Parks Statue | Feb 27
On this day in 1702, a comet blazed across the skies over Michigan, startling native Americans and frightening French fur traders. In 1899, Michigan…
- Michigan Minute
Burt's Compass, Record Ban, Minder's Past | Feb 26
On this day in 1836, William Austin Burt received a patent for his solar compass, which helped survey Michigan accurately despite magnetic interference. In…
- Michigan Minute
Clark's Victory, Albion College & Blue Ice | Feb 25
On this day in 1779, British military governor Henry Hamilton surrendered Detroit to American Colonel George Rogers Clark, leading to the British ceding land…
- Michigan Minute
Olivet College, Marijuana Ban & Sonny Eliot | Feb 24
On this day in 1844, Olivet College, Michigan’s first coeducational college and the first to admit black students, was founded. In 1928, Detroit outlawed…
- Michigan Minute
MSU Admits Women & Soapy Williams Born | Feb 23
On this day in 1870, Michigan Agricultural College, now MSU, accepted women students for the first time, integrating them into all courses, including…
- Michigan Minute
George DeBaptiste's Underground Railroad Work | Feb 22
On this day in 1875, George DeBaptiste, a key figure in the Underground Railroad, passed away in Detroit. Born in 1814, DeBaptiste was never enslaved and…
- Michigan Minute
Detroit Physician, Michigan Troops, Malcolm X Death | Feb 21
On this day in 1849, the Detroit city council called for the election of a City Physician to combat smallpox outbreaks. In 1865, Michigan African American…
- Michigan Minute
Hudson Motor Co. Founded & John Glenn's Orbit | Feb 20
On this day in 1909, eight businessmen in Detroit founded the Hudson Motor Car Company, aiming to produce a car for under $1,000. Their first car rolled out in…
- Michigan Minute
Ford Ends Internment Order, Smokey Robinson Born | Feb 19
On this day in 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the proclamation “An American Promise,” formally ending Executive Order 9066, which had led to the internment…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan Schools, Balloon Voyage, & Olympic Medal | Feb 18
On this day in 1842, the Michigan legislature approved the organization of a public school system in Detroit. In 1977, Karl Thomas from Troy ended a record…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's First African-American Rodeo Queen at MSU | Feb 17
On this day in 2018, Michigan held its 49th Spartan Stampede rodeo and selected its first African-American Rodeo Queen, Khalilah Smith, a Michigan State…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's Largest Fish & First US Rep Elected | Feb 16
On this day in 1974, Joe Maka speared Michigan's largest recorded fish, a 7-foot, 193-pound sturgeon, at Mullett Lake. Also, in 1819, William Woodbridge was…
- Michigan Minute
Lansing's Incorporation & Motown's Brian Holland | Feb 15
On this day in 1859, Lansing, Michigan, was incorporated as a city after being sold as a non-existent "Biddle City." Also, celebrating the birthday of Brian…
- Michigan Minute
Nancy Love's Birth, Bank Holiday, Aretha's Hit | Feb 14
On this day in 1914, Nancy Harkness Love, a pioneer in women's military aviation, was born in Houghton, Michigan. In 1933, Governor William Comstock declared a…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's 1855 Law & Lansing's Worst Flood | Feb 13
On this day in 1855, the Michigan Legislature moved to protect escaped enslaved people by prohibiting the use of county jails for their detention. In 1938…
- Michigan Minute
Spanish Flag Over Niles & MSU's Founding | Feb 12
On this day in 1781, a Spanish force captured Fort St. Joseph, raising Spain’s flag over Michigan. In 1855, Governor Kinsley S. Bingham established The…
- Michigan Minute
Edison's Birth, Reynolds' Fame & UAW's Victory | Feb 11
On this day in 1847, inventor Thomas Edison was born. He acquired 1,093 patents and innovated the phonograph, light bulb, and motion picture camera. In 1936…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's Transfer, Symphony's Radio Debut | Feb 10
On this day in 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War, transferring Michigan from French to British rule. In 1922, the Detroit Symphony…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's Coldest Day & Detroit's Arsenal Shift | Feb 9
On this day in 1934, Vanderbilt, Michigan, recorded the state's coldest temperature at -51°F. In 1942, Detroit's auto manufacturers halted civilian car…
- Michigan Minute
Bowman's 1,000th Win & Gresser's Chess Mastery | Feb 8
On this day in 1997, Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman won his 1,000th regular season game. Also, in 1906, chess master Gisela Kahn Gresser was born in…
- Michigan Minute
Sheila Young's Medals, Frozen Lake Superior, & DeVos | Feb 7
On this day in 1976, Detroiter Sheila Young became the first American to win three medals in one Winter Olympics. In 1994, satellite images showed Lake…
- Michigan Minute
Grand Rapids Wins the Name Game & Merze Tate's Birth | Feb 6
On this day in 1844, the Grand Rapids vs. Kent dispute was settled, officially naming it Grand Rapids. In 1905, Merze Tate was born in Blanchard, Michigan. She…
- Michigan Minute
Granholm's Birth, Kevorkian Barred, & Brook Trout | Feb 5
On this day in 1959, Governor Jennifer Granholm was born. She made history as Michigan's first woman Attorney General and Governor, and later served as US…
- Michigan Minute
Lindbergh's Atlantic Flight & Alice Cooper's Birth | Feb 4
On this day in 1902, Charles Lindbergh was born in Detroit. He became the first person to fly nonstop across the Atlantic in 1927. In 1948, Vincent Furnier…
- Michigan Minute
First Train Ride, Howe's 6 Goals, & 13th Amendment | Feb 3
On this day in 1838, passengers rode the Michigan Central Railroad from Detroit to Ypsilanti for the first time. In 1944, Detroit Red Wing’s Sydney Howe scored…
- Michigan Minute
Stockwell's Admission & Ty Cobb's Induction | Feb 2
On this day in 1870, Elizabeth Madelon Stockwell became the first woman admitted to the University of Michigan. In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its…
- Michigan Minute
I-94's Completion & Blue Star Mothers' Founding | Feb 1
On this day in 1967, Michigan completed I-94, becoming the first state with an interstate highway stretching border-to-border. In 1942, the Blue Star Mothers…
- Michigan Minute
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft's Literary Firsts | Jan 31
On this day in 1800, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, the first known Indigenous literary writer and poet, was born in Ste. Saint Marie. Known as Bamewawagezhikaquay…
- Michigan Minute
Fred Korematsu & Tom Izzo's Birthdays | Jan 30
On this day in 1919, future Detroiter Fred Korematsu was born. He resisted Japanese American internment during WWII and was later awarded the Presidential…
- Michigan Minute
Prohibition, Selleck's Birth, & Michigan's Rocket | Jan 29
On this day in 1919, Michigan ratified the 18th Amendment, leading to Prohibition. In 1945, actor Tom Selleck was born in Detroit. In 1971, Michigan launched…
- Michigan Minute
1898 Speed Limits & Baseball Legends in Michigan | Jan 28
On this day in 1898, Sault-Sainte Marie imposed a 6 mph speed limit, sparking criticism from The Soo Times. In 1958, Ozzie Virgil joined the Detroit Tigers as…
- Michigan Minute
Crosswhite Freed, Tenney Librarian, & Wolf Saved | Jan 27
On this day in 1847, citizens of Marshall, Michigan, thwarted slave catchers and helped the Crosswhite family escape to Canada. In 1859, Jesse Eugene Tenney…
- Michigan Minute
Corina Morariu Birthday & Michigan Statehood Signed | Jan 26
On this day in 1978, Detroit welcomed future Wimbledon winner Corina Morariu. She won major doubles titles and overcame leukemia. Michigan also became the 26th…
- Michigan Minute
First Fluoridated Water in Grand Rapids, Michigan | Jan 25
On this day in 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first U.S. city to add fluoride to its tap water. This was part of a study comparing dental health with…
- Michigan Minute
Grace Gilbert Dies & Upper Peninsula Snowstorm | Jan 24
On this day in 1924, Grace Gilbert, the famous Bearded Lady from Kalkaska, Michigan, passed away. In 1938, a colossal winter storm hit the Upper Peninsula…
- Michigan Minute
Lorinda Etheridge Dies & Malcolm X at MSU | Jan 23
On this day in 1913, Lorinda Anna Blair Etheridge, a Union nurse and vivandière, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. In 1963, Malcolm X spoke at MSU…
- Michigan Minute
Romney Resigns, K-Mart Files, & Pfizer Closes Sites | Jan 22
On this day in 1969, Governor George Romney resigned to join Nixon's cabinet. In 2002, K-Mart filed for bankruptcy. And in 2007, Pfizer closed three research…
- Michigan Minute
First Train at Fort Street Depot & Kiwanis Charter | Jan 21
On this day in 1893, the first train arrived at Detroit’s Fort Street Union Depot. In 1915, Kiwanis International was founded, with the first club organized in…
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's First Locomotive Train & The Supremes | Jan 20
On this day in 1837, Michigan's first locomotive-powered train began service from Adrian to Toledo. In 1988, the Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll…
- Michigan Minute
Bob Heft's 50-Star Flag Design & Legacy | Jan 19
On this day in 1941, Bob Heft was born in Saginaw, Michigan. At 17, he designed the 50-star American flag, which earned him a B-minus in class but later a call…
- Michigan Minute
Bread Slicing Ban & Glenn Frey Passes | Jan 18
On this day in 1943, Michigan bakeries were ordered to stop slicing bread to save steel for the war effort. Also today, Glenn Frey, co-founder of The Eagles…
- Michigan Minute
Ellen Tower, Hudson's Closes, & James Earl Jones | Jan 17
On this day in 1899, Ellen May Tower, a veteran of the Spanish American War, became the first woman in Michigan to receive a military funeral. In 1983…
- Michigan Minute
Blanche Martin, Caberfae Ski, & Meteor Sighting | Jan 16
On this day in 1937, Blanche Martin, the first African American MSU Trustee, was born. In 1938, Caberfae Ski Resort opened in the Manistee National Forest. And…
- Michigan Minute
Macomb Named, First All-Woman Jury, WKAR TV Launch | Jan 15
On this day in 1818, Macomb County was named after General Alexander Macomb. In 1919, Michigan had its first all-woman jury, which quickly delivered a guilty…
- Michigan Minute
Joseph Williams & Jack Johnson's Arrest | Jan 14
On this day in 1856, Joseph R. Williams became the first president of the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan. In 1913, Jack Johnson, the first…
- Michigan Minute
Ontonagon's Founding & Willcox's Medal of Honor | Jan 13
On this day in 1854, Jim Paul registered the plot of land that would become Ontonagon, though he failed to secure the title. In 1862, Gov. Austin Blair…
- Michigan Minute
Tamla Records Birth & Motown Legacy | Jan 12
1959: Berry Gordy founds Tamla Records, the precursor to Motown, to release Marv Johnson's "Come to Me."
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's Birth & Environmental Awareness | Jan 11
1805: President Jefferson signs act creating Michigan Territory. 1955: Detroit SAE reveals car exhaust contributes to smog. 1988: Dr. Hutton oversees first…
- Michigan Minute
Detroit's Political Turmoil and Football Fortunes | Jan 10
1974: Charles Youngblood convicted in bribery scandal. 1964: William Clay Ford acquires Detroit Lions for $4.5 million.
- Michigan Minute
Michigan's Past in Print | Jan 9
1886: Detroit Free Press highlights "Milder Winters" linked to steam heat. 1973: Marquette Airport penalized for failing FAA anti-hijack measures. 1996: House…
- Michigan Minute
Mail, Militia, and Milestone | Jan 8
1831: Detroit gets daily mail, takes 14 days from New York. 1838: Gov. Mason deploys militia against Patriots raiding Detroit. 1997: Marilyn Kelly's…
- Michigan Minute
Flight, Gear Shift, and Near Miss | Jan 7
1929: First non-stop flight Detroit to Miami, 9 hours, pilots Schlee and Brock. 1950: Chevrolet debuts affordable Powerglide, sells 300,000 in first year…
- Michigan Minute
On Ice and Off Stage | Jan 6
1912: Danny Thomas, born Muzyad Yakhoob, invents the Spit Take, later founded St. Jude Children's Hospital. 1994: US Figure Skating Championship scandal at Joe…
- Michigan Minute
Trailblazing Coeds and Detroit's Renaissance | Jan 5
1870: U of M Board allows female students; Madelon Louise Stockwell leads the way. 1988: Michigan Central Station's last train departs, symbolizing Detroit's…
- Michigan Minute
Driving Progress, Breaking Barriers | Jan 4
1918: Ford River Rouge plant launches, evolving into an industrial powerhouse. 1943: Fran Harris breaks radio gender barriers, becoming Michigan's first woman…
- Michigan Minute
Governors, Trailblazers, and Sworn Records | Jan 3
1848: Governor Epaphroditus Ransom inaugurated in Lansing, key developments. 1951: Ruth Thompson, Michigan's first woman in Congress. 2019: Rashida Tlaib…
- Michigan Minute
The Gray Ghost, Red Raids, & Coleman Young | Jan 2
On this day in 1920, an infamous pirate known as the Gray Ghost began haunting the Detroit River. Also in 1920, the FBI rounded up suspected communists in…
- Michigan Minute
Blind Justice, Rose Bowl & Motown Legends | Jan 1
On this day in 2015, Richard Bernstein became Michigan Supreme Court's first blind justice. In 1954, the MSU Spartans won their first Rose Bowl. In 1989, The…