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 approved a resolution to assist in the exchange of prisoners of war, focusing on Colonel Orlando B. Willcox, who was later promoted and awarded the Medal of Honor.

On this day in 1959, Berry Gordy started his first record label, Tamla Records, to release Marv Johnson’s single "Come to Me." Due to radio rules, Gordy founded multiple labels, eventually incorporating them under Motown Records. Today marks the beginning with Tamla Records.

On this day in 1805, President Thomas Jefferson signed the act establishing the Michigan Territory. In 1955, the Society of Automotive Engineers reported on car exhaust creating smog. And in 1988, Dr. Lenny Hutton delivered the world’s first quintuplets conceived by In-Vitro Fertilization at Beaumont Hospital.

On this day in 1974, Detroit Democrat Charles Youngblood was convicted of conspiracy to bribe a public official. In 1964, William Clay Ford took control of the Detroit Lions for $4.5 million. The Lions, originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, are now worth over $4 billion.

On this day in 1886, the Detroit Free Press reported on “Winters Getting Milder” due to steam heat. In 1973, Marquette Airport was fined for not complying with FAA anti-hijack regulations. And in 1996, a task force called for equitable funding for Michigan’s public universities.

On this day in 1838, Governor Stevens T. Mason called out the state militia to prevent Canadian rebels from using Michigan as a base to attack Canada. In 1997, Marilyn Kelly's investiture marked the first time women comprised a majority on Michigan’s Supreme Court.

On this day in 1929, the first non-stop flight from Detroit to Miami took place. In 1950, Chevrolet introduced the Powerglide, the first affordable automatic transmission. And in 1971, a B52 bomber narrowly missed the Big Rock Park nuclear plant when it crashed into Lake Michigan.

On this day in 1994, the U.S. Figure Skating Championship in Detroit was marred by the attack on Nancy Kerrigan, orchestrated by supporters of Tonya Harding. In 1912, Muzyad Yakhoob, later known as Danny Thomas, was born in Deerfield, Michigan. He founded St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

On this day in 1870, the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents voted to allow women as students. In 1988, the last train left Michigan Central Station, which was later refurbished by Ford in 2023 as a symbol of Detroit’s resurgence.

On this day in 1918, the historic Ford River Rouge plant began operations, initially assembling Fordson tractors. In 1943, Fran Harris became Michigan’s first woman newscaster on the radio, marking a step towards radio equality.