Portal:Michigan
The Michigan Portal
Michigan (
/ˈmɪʃɨgən/ (help·info)) is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. It was named after Lake Michigan, whose name is a French adaptation of the Ojibwe term mishigami, meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan is the eighth most populous state in the United States. It has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world, bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. In 2005, Michigan ranked third for the number of registered recreational boats, behind California and Florida. Michigan has 12,000 inland lakes. A person is never more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source, or more than 85 miles (137 km) from Great Lakes coastline.
The state is the only state to consist entirely of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is sometimes dubbed "the mitten," owing to its shape. When asked where in Michigan one comes from, a resident of the Lower Peninsula may often point to the corresponding part of his or her hand. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as The U.P.) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile-wide (8.0 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Upper Peninsula (whose residents are often called "Yoopers") is economically important for tourism and natural resources. The Upper and Lower Peninsulas are connected by the five-mile-wide (8.0 km) Mackinac Bridge, which is the third longest suspension bridge between anchorages in the world. The bridge has given rise to the nickname of "trolls" for residents of the Lower Peninsula, because they live "under" (south of) the bridge.
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/ˈmækɨnɔː/ MAK-i-naw) is an island covering 3.8 square miles (10 km2) in land area, belonging to the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in Lake Huron, at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between the state's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. The island was home to a Native American settlement before European exploration began in the 17th century. It served a strategic position amidst the commerce of the Great Lakes fur trade. This led to the establishment of Fort Mackinac on the island by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, Mackinac Island became a popular tourist attraction and summer colony. Much of the island has undergone extensive historical preservation and restoration; as a result, the entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. It is well known for its numerous cultural events; its wide variety of architectural styles, including the famous Victorian Grand Hotel; and its ban on almost all motor vehicles. More than 80 percent of the island is preserved as Mackinac Island State Park.
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Charlevoix Municipal Airport (ICAO: KCVX, FAA LID: CVX) is a public airport located one mile (2 km) southwest of the central business district of Charlevoix, a city in Charlevoix County, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the City of Charlevoix and served by one airline.
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Houghton is a city in Michigan and largest city in Copper Country on the Keweenaw Peninsula. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,010. It is the county seat of Houghton County.
The city is located on the south shore of Portage Lake, primarily on the slope of a hill on the opposite side of the Portage Lake valley from Hancock. The city is bounded on the east by Portage Township, on the west by Dakota Heights and on the south by Hurontown, both unincorporated communities that are part of Portage Township; and also on the west by Adams Township. Houghton is named after Douglass Houghton who discovered copper nearby (though there is evidence indigenous peoples had mined copper in the area thousands of years before). Houghton is also the home of Michigan Technological University. The city is served by Houghton County Memorial Airport.
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| The Flag of Michigan | |
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| The Seal of Michigan | |
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| Bird | American Robin (Turdus migratorius) |
| Fish | Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) |
| Flower | Apple blossom (Malus domestica) |
| Game animal | White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) |
| Mammal | Wolverine (Gulo gulo luscus) (unofficial) |
| Reptile | Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) |
| Tree | Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) |
| Wildflower | Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) |
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| Fossil | Mastodon (Mammut americanum) |
| Gemstone | Isle Royale greenstone or Chlorastrolite |
| Motto | "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice" Latin for "If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you" |
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| Soil | Kalkaska Sand |
| Songs | My Michigan |
| Stone | Petoskey stone |
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| Released in 2004 | |
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- De-redlink: List of Michigan rivers, Islands of Michigan
- Photographs: Requested photographs in Michigan
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Michigan on Wikinews News |
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Michigan on Commons Images |
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Michigan on Wiktionary Dictionary |
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