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PODCAST

Michigan Minute

WKAR Public Media

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?

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All Episodes

1:00

Blind Justice, Rose Bowl & Motown Legends | Jan 1

Michigan Minute ·

2025/01/01

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 Temptations were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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SS Tashmoo's Launch & Michigan's First Native-Owned...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/31

On this day in 1899, the 306-foot paddle-wheeler SS Tashmoo was launched in Detroit, becoming a beloved Great Lakes pleasure boat. It sailed for 37 years until it sank after hitting a submerged rock, though all passengers were safely evacuated. In 1983, Fred Dakota opened The Pines, Michigan’s first Native-American owned casino, starting in his garage before expanding to a 3,200-square-foot facility in Baraga, Michigan.

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Repeal of Prohibition & Michigan's Official...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/30

On this day in 1933, Governor William Comstock marked the repeal of Prohibition by purchasing the first bottle of whiskey sold in Michigan: Old Taylor Bourbon. In 1998, the Dwarf Lake Iris was designated Michigan’s official wildflower after a public vote, surpassing the more common Large Flower White Trillium, which is found across the U.S. but not primarily in Michigan.

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Michigan’s Railroad & the Birth of Pro Hockey |...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/29

On this day in 1953, the Detroit River Railroad Tunnel switched from electric to diesel-powered locomotives, connecting Michigan to Ontario. In 1902, Houghton, Michigan, became the birthplace of professional hockey when the Portage Lake Hockey Club, the first to pay players, faced the University of Toronto. This game marked the beginning of pro hockey, leading to the formation of the International Hockey League two years later.

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MSU's Spring Break Inspiration & "Where The Boys Are"...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/28

In 1959, MSU Professor Glendon Swarthout, inspired by his students heading to Florida for Spring Break, wrote a book about their experiences. The 1960 book "Where The Boys Are" was turned into a successful MGM film starring Connie Francis, debuting on this day. The film, book, and hit song popularized the Spring Break phenomenon well beyond MSU.

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Michigan’s First Public Executions & the End of the...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/27

On this day in 1821, Michigan held its first public executions, where two Indigenous men performed a death dance before their hanging. It wasn’t until 1846 that Michigan became the first state to abolish executions for non-treasonous crimes. This week in 2014, the Michigan Citizen, a prominent voice for African-American and progressive communities, published its final edition after 36 years.

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Michigan's Train Station, Ski Resort & Rosie the...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/26

In 1913, the first train arrived at Detroit’s Michigan Central Station, the tallest train station in the world at the time. In 1963, Boyne Highlands Resort opened with world-first triple chair ski lifts and an Alpine-style lodge. In 2010, Geraldine Doyle, the real-life Rosie the Riveter, passed away. Her image from Lansing’s factory inspired the iconic "We Can Do It!" poster, symbolizing women's empowerment during WWII.

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Michigan’s First Christmas, Iron King & Snowboarding...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/25

In 1660, Michigan's first recorded Christmas celebration took place near Keweenaw Bay, documented by Father Rene Menard with French-Canadian traders and Huron converts. In 1811, Eber Brock Ward, the first of the Iron Kings, was born and became Detroit's first billionaire. In 1965, snowboarding was invented in Muskegon by engineer Sherman Poppen, who created a snowboard for his daughters, later becoming an Olympic sport in 1998.

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The Italian Hall Disaster & the Treaty of Ghent |...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/24

In 1913, the Italian Hall disaster occurred in Calumet, Michigan, when a false "fire" alarm during a children’s Christmas party led to a deadly stampede, killing several, including many children. It’s believed the alarm was triggered by a strikebreaker. On this day in 1814, the Treaty of Ghent was signed, ending the War of 1812 and leading to the return of captured territory, including Fort Mackinac to the United States.

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The 1888 Fire in Hermansville & Michigan’s Drinking...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/23

On this day in 1888, the lumber town of Hermansville, Michigan, near the Wisconsin border, was destroyed by fire. With no fire department and frozen water supplies, the bucket brigade was unable to stop the flames. In 1978, Michigan raised the legal drinking age back to 21 after it had been lowered to 18 for nearly seven years. The change came after an increase in teenage drinking and automobile accidents, approved by voters in November of that year.

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Detroit’s WWI Sabotage Plot & Madonna’s First Hit |...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/22

On this day in 1917, Albert Carl Kaltschmidt was convicted for leading a plot to sabotage Detroit businesses, Windsor, Canada, and a railroad tunnel in Port Huron during World War I. Only one explosion succeeded, and Kaltschmidt was fined $20,000, imprisoned for three years, and deported. In 1984, Bay City’s Madonna scored her first Billboard No. 1 single with Like a Virgin, which stayed at the top for six weeks.

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Jemele Hill: From MSU to Media Icon | December 21

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/21

Born on this day in 1975 in Detroit, journalist and MSU alum Jemele Hill began her career in reporting at Mumford High School before earning a Journalism degree at Michigan State University. Hill rose to fame at ESPN, co-anchoring SportsCenter. In 2019, her tweets criticizing President Trump and MSU Athletics made headlines, but as Hill told WKAR’s Al Martin, it never diminished her Spartan pride.

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Laura Smith Haviland: Michigan’s Abolitionist &...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/20

Born on this day in 1808, Laura Smith Haviland became a prominent abolitionist in Michigan. She and her husband founded the Raisin Institute in 1837, a reform school that admitted children of all races, creeds, and sexes—likely Michigan’s first to admit African Americans. Haviland’s legacy is honored with a statue at the Lenawee County Historical Museum, inscribed as “A Tribute to a Life Consecrated to the Betterment of Humanity.”

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Detroit Symphony’s Debut & Michigan’s Celery...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/19

In 1887, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performed its first concert in its subscription season at the Detroit Opera House, featuring works by Liszt, Gottschalk, Berlioz, and Beethoven. It later became the first orchestra to broadcast a performance on the radio. On this day in 1856, celery was introduced to Michigan at a banquet in Kalamazoo to honor firefighters, sparking interest in the crop and earning the city the nickname “Celery City.”

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Ty Cobb’s Birth & MLK’s Speech at WMU | December 18

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/18

Born on this day in 1886, Ty Cobb became one of baseball’s greatest players and a Detroit Tiger legend, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. On this day in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to 2,000 people in Kalamazoo during a snowstorm, sharing his vision for a brighter future of freedom and justice, saying, “My faith is that somehow this problem will be solved.”

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Michigan’s First Election & Motorized Fire Engines |...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/17

On this day in 1798, Michigan’s first American election was held in the Northwest Territory, with Solomon Sibley defeating James May amid accusations of voter bribery. In 1908, Lansing introduced the first factory-built, motorized fire engine, a milestone that would soon be adopted by manufacturers, though Detroit didn’t fully retire its horse-drawn fire engines until 1922.

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Gov Bingham & Michigan’s First Aero Club | December 16

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/16

Born on this day in 1808, Kinsley Scott Bingham served as Michigan's 11th governor, U.S. Representative, and Senator. He signed the legislation creating Michigan’s first agricultural college, which later became Michigan State University. In 1909, Detroit’s prominent citizens, with help from the Wright brothers, founded Michigan’s first aero club and conducted Detroit's first airport survey—by car.

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Pontiac Road & Lions’ First Championship | December 15

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/15

On this day in 1819, Michigan’s first surveyed road, Pontiac Road, opened, with wooden planks connecting Detroit to Pontiac, charging tolls for carts and cattle. In 1935, 15,000 people gathered at University of Detroit Stadium for the NFL Championship, where the Detroit Lions defeated the New York Giants 26-7, securing their first championship. The win was a bright spot for Detroit during the Great Depression, with each player earning $7,207, equivalent to about $162,000 today.

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Michigan's Frostbitten Convention & Medal of Honor...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/14

In 1983, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime, setting an NBA record for the highest-scoring game. Pistons center Bill Laimbeer missed a free throw with seconds left, allowing Isiah Thomas to tie the game and force overtime. In 2003, Michigan State faced the University of Kentucky at Ford Field in Detroit's Basketbowl, setting a record for the most-attended basketball game with 78,000 spectators; Kentucky won 79-74.

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1:00

Record-Breaking Pistons Game & MSU's Basketbowl |...

Michigan Minute ·

2024/12/13

In 1983, the Detroit Pistons defeated the Denver Nuggets 186-184 in triple overtime, setting an NBA record for the highest-scoring game. Pistons center Bill Laimbeer missed a free throw with seconds left, allowing Isiah Thomas to tie the game and force overtime. In 2003, Michigan State faced the University of Kentucky at Ford Field in Detroit's Basketbowl, setting a record for the most-attended basketball game with 78,000 spectators; Kentucky won 79-74.

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