LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan is celebrating 187 years since its official declaration as a state. On January 26th, 1837 following the Toledo war, a bloodless battle in which Ohio won rights to the Toledo Strip and Michigan the western portion of the Upper Peninsula, Michigan became the 26th state to join the union.
The area was mostly settled by the Algonquian people, which includes the Anishinaabe groups of the Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Potawatomi nations. Then in the 17th century, French voyagers came to the region to settle and explore.
Michigan is a francized version of the Ojibwe word for big water or big late, Mishigami, which became Michigan over time as the French colonized the area.
Our Great Lakes State is home to 115 lighthouses, more than any other state, 60 of which are here in the U.P.. The 10th largest state by population, and 11th by area, over 10 million Michiganders call this state home, with 19.3 million acres of forest land, and over 3,000 miles of freshwater coastline.
