Michigan
Michigan names 2 different subjects across the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf. Each is set out below. 1 of them is described by more than one encyclopedia.
Michigan a State in the North Central Division of the North American Union
Described by 2 of the 6 encyclopedias.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a State in the North Central Division of the North American Union; bounded by Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Ontario; counties, 83; area, 57,430 square miles; pop. (1890) 2,093,889; (1900) 2,420,982; (1910) 2,- 810,173; (1920) 3,668,412; capital, Lansing. Topography.- The State is divided by the Great Lakes into two peninsulas, the lower of which occupies nearly two-thirds of the land area. The surface of the S. peninsula is generally level, broken by conical hills rising to an altitude not exceeding 200 feet. It is divided by a low watershed running N. and S., the larger portion of the State being on the W. of this and gradually sloping toward Lake Michigan. The N. peninsula is mountainous; the Porcupine range, rising to an altitude of 2,000 feet above the sea, forming the watershed between the streams flowing into Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. The surface on either side of this range is rugged. There are numerous lakes and marshes in both peninsulas, and the coast is much indented. Keweenaw, White Fish, and the Big and Little Noquette bays are the principal indentations on the N., while the Grand and Little Traverse, Thunder and Saginaw bays indent the S. peninsula. The State has numerous large islands, the principal ones being the Manitou, Beaver and Fox groups in Lake Michigan; Isle Royale, and Grande Isle, in Lake Superior; Marquette, Bois Blanc, and Mackinaw in Lake Huron; and Nebish, Sugar, and Drummond Islands in St. Mary's Strait. The rivers are small, short and shallow, and but few are na navigable. The principal ones include the Au Sable, Thunder Bay, Cheboygan, and Saginaw, flowing into Lake Huron; Ontonagon, and Tequamenon into Lake Superior, and the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo, Grand, and Escanaba into Lake Michigan. Geology. The geological formation of the State is greatly varied. Primary boulders are found over the entire surface, the N. part being principally of primitive origin, while Secondary deposits cover the entire S. peninsula. The upper peninsula exhibits Lower Silurian sandstones, limestones, copper and iron bearing rocks, corresponding to the Huronian system of Canada. The central portion of the S. peninsula contains coal measures and rocks of the permo-Carboniferous period. Devonian and sub-Carboniferous deposits are scattered over the entire State. Soil. The soil is of a varied composition and in large areas is very fertile, especially in the S., but the N. peninsula for the most part is rocky and mountainous and the soil unadapted to agriculture. The climate is tempered by the proximity of the lakes and is much milder than in other localities with the same latitude. The principal forest trees include basswood, maple, elm, sassafras, butternut, walnut, poplar, hickory, oak, willow, pine, birch, beech, hemlock, witchhazel, tamarack, cedar, locust, dogwood, and ash. Mineral Production. - Michigan is one of the great mineral producing States. It excels chiefly in the production of copper and iron. In the production of copper it ranks third, being exceeded only by Arizona and Montana. The smelter output of copper in the State in 1918 was 231,096,158 pounds. The production of copper began in the State before the first visits of European explorers. The commercial production dates from 1845, since which time copper has been steadily produced in increasing quantities. The production of copper is limited to the Keweenaw or Lake Superior district. The iron ores of the State are hematites. The production is in four regions, the Marquette, Menominee, Gogebic, and Vermilion. The shipments of iron ore in 1918 amounted to 17,587,416 tons and was valued at $65,900,501. This was a slight decrease from the production of 1917. In the production of iron ore, Michigan is exceeded only by Minnesota. Coal is also produced in large quantities. The production in 1918 was 1,385,000 tons. Coal is obtained almost entirely from the lower peninsula. Michigan is among the first of the States in the production of cement. There was produced ced in 1918 3,618,088 tons, valued at $6,078,167. Other important mineral products are salt, clay products, and stone products. Agriculture. The soil of S. Michigan is especially adapted to fruit and berry growing; grapes, cranberries, cherries, strawberries, apples, pears, peaches, and plums are raised to a large extent. The figures for production of the principal crops in 1919 were as follows: corn 64,- 350,000 bushels, valued at $88,803,000; oats, 36,875,000 bushels, valued at $26,- 181,000; rye, 13,500,000 bushels, valued at $17,280,000; hay, 3,180,000 tons, valued at $74,412,000; potatoes, 28,688,000 bushels, valued at $38,729,000; barley, 5,200,- 000 bushels, valued at $6,278,000; wheat, 20,237,000 bushels, valued at $42,497,000. Banking. On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 110 National banks in operation, having $19,205,000 in capital; $11,597,- 338 in outstanding circulation; and $11,- 037,450 in United States bonds. There were also 511 State banks, with $39,114,- 000 capital, and $25,233,000 surplus; 70 private banks, with $752,000 capital, and $204,000 surp surplus; and 8 trust and loan companies anies with $4,200,000 capital and $3,217,000 surplus. The exchanges for the year ending Sept. 30, 1901, at the United States Clearing House at Detroit amounted to $4,032 443,000, an increase over those of the preceding year of $1,- 084,090,000. Manufactures. - Michigan is one of the great industrial States. The last decade has witnessed a remarkable development in a number of the larger cities, notably Detroit, where the automobile industry has become one of the greatest in the world. Other cities of the State have shared in the increased industrial production. There were, in 1914, 8,724 industrial establishments, in which were engaged 320,611 persons. Wage earners numbered 271,090. The capital investment amounted to $869,043,000. The value of the materials used in manufacturing was $592,801,000. The value of the finished products was $1,086,162,000. Education. In 1917 there were in the State 892,888 children of school age. The enrollment in the public schools was 662,- 452, of whom 86 per cent. attended school There were 3,084 men and 18,908 women teachers. The average monthly salary for men teachers was $103 monthly and for women teachers $64 monthly. There was expended for public education $27, 549,985. There are four State normal schools. Among the institutions of higher education are the University of Michigan, the Michigan Agricultural College, Adrian College, Hope College, Hillsdale College, Olivet College, and the U University of Detroit. Churches. The strongest denominations in the State are the Roman Catholic; Methodist Episcopal; Regular Baptist; Lutheran; General Conference; Lutheran, Independent Synods; Presbyterian; Congregational; Protestant Episcopal; Reformed; German Evangelical Synod; and United Brethren. Railroads. The railroad mileage of the State in 1919 was 8,907. For several years there has been practically no construction of new lines. Finance. The total receipts for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1918, was $26,152,138, and the expenditures were $26,551,763. There was a balance on hand at the end of the year of $13,159,- 742. The bonded debt amounts to about $7,000,000. Charities and Corrections. - The charitable and correctional institutions are governed by boards appointed by the Government and Senate. These include hospitals at Kalamazoo, Pontiac, Traverse City, Newberry, and Ionia. There is an industrial school for boys at Lansing and industrial school for girls at Adrian, and a farm colony for epileptics at Wahjamega. State Government. The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legislative sessions are held biennially beginning on the first Wednesday of January, and are unlimited as to length of session. The legislature has 32 members in the Senate and 100 in the House. There are 13 Representatives in Congress. The State government in 1920 was Republican. History. This region was first visited by Jean Nicolet in 1634, at Sault Ste. Marie, at which locality Father Marquette made the first permanent white settlement in 1668. French settlements were also made at Mackinaw and Green Bay, and in 1701 Detroit became the seat of a French colony under Cadillac. The country passed to the English at the end of the French and Indian War, and during the war of the Indians under Pontiac for the extermination of the whites the garrison of Mackinaw was butchered and Detroit suffered a long siege. The country was held by the English after the close of the Revolution, being delivered to the Americans in 1796. Michigan became a portion of the Northwestern territory, and in 1802 was annexed to the Territory of Indiana. On Jan. 11, 1803, it was set aside as a separate Territory. It suffered severely during the War of 1812, Detroit and Mackinaw being captured by the British, and the Territory held till the successes of the Americans in 1813. In 1818, all the region N. of Illinois and Indian Indiana was incorporated with Michigan. In 1823, the legislative power was transferred, by Act of Congress, from the governor and judiciary to a council of nine persons selected by the President from 18 nominees by the citizens at large; and the judicial term was reduced to four years. In 1825 the council was increased to 13 members, selected as before. Michigan was admitted into the Union as a State, Jan. 26, 1837, and in 1838 the capital was removed from Detroit to Lansing. MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COL- LEGE, a coeducational non-sectarian institution in East Lansing, Mich.; founded in 1857; reported at the close of 1918: Professors and instructors, 161; students, 1,140; volumes in the library, 43,000; president, Frank S. Kedzie, Sc. D.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a north central state of the American Union. It lies amid the Great Lakes and borders on four of them. With the exception of the southern border and a portion of the boundary line between the northern peninsula and Wisconsin, the boundaries are entirely natural. The state consists of two peninsulas, the upper and the lower, having a total area of 58,900 square miles, lakes and rivers included. The southern peninsula is hilly or level. The northern peninsula is decidedly rocky and rough. Porcupine Mountains, near Lake Superior, rise to an altitude of 1,830 feet above the sea. The entire drainage of the state is, of course, into the Great Lakes. MINERALS. The rocks of the northern peninsula are granites, sandstones, and limestones, with vast veins of eruptive or volcanic rock. Traces of gold and silver are found. The northern peninsula, especially the county of Keweenaw, is celebrated for copper mines, including the famous Calumet and Hecla. Before the wonderful development of copper mining at Butte, Montana, Michigan led in the production of copper. The upper peninsula is noted also for its iron mines. For some years Michigan was the leading iron state in the Union. It still disputes supremacy with Minnesota. Coal of rather inferior quality is mined in paying quantities in Bay and Saginaw counties. The Saginaw valley is famous for salt. There are about 250 wells, yielding not far from 8,000,000 barrels of salt a year--more than is produced by any other state in the Union. The state is well supplied with building stone of excellent quality, especially sandstones and limestones. Ledges of finely grained sandstone suitable for grindstones are found along Lake Huron. The output of Portland cement, brick, and tile is large. FORESTS. The entire surface of the state is covered with the glacial deposit known as till. Boulders strew the northern peninsula, but become scarcer as one goes southward. The state, from the latitude of Saginaw Bay northward, was covered originally with dense evergreen forests, white pine predominating. For many years Michigan produced more white pine lumber than any other state in the Union. In 1890 the lumber output of the state was valued at $83,000,000. The ravages of the lumbermen and the waste of timber have reduced the present output to but a fraction of that amount. The southern half of the state is a hardwood region, abounding in elm, butternut, walnut, hickory, basswood, maple, poplar, birch, beech, tamarack, cedar, ash, and other characteristic timber. This region rivals Indiana and Ohio in the production of oak, ash, and hickory, used in building vehicles and farm machinery. GAME AND FISH. The fur-bearing and game animals of Michigan are those characteristic of the region, including the moose, deer, and black bear. The beaver is protected by law. The waters of the state are well stocked with fish. Whitefish and lake trout caught in the Great Lakes yield a large revenue. AGRICULTURE. The leading industry of the state is agriculture. The last census returned the annual value of farm productions at $146,547,681. About thirty per cent of the total area is under plow. Reckoned in money value the field crops of the state rank as follows: hay and forage, corn, wheat, oats, potatoes, vegetables, rye, sugar beets, peas, barley, and buckwheat. The flower and nursery productions are valued at nearly $1,000,000 a year. The position of the lower peninsula, surrounded as it is by large bodies of water, is favorable to the production of orchard fruits, small fruits, and apples. The entire peninsula produces apples. A belt along Lake Michigan is famous for the production of peaches; grapes and plums are grown throughout the hardwood region. The vicinity of Detroit is noted for the production of garden seeds. The state is not noted for live stock. It does not have the natural meadows and pasturage of the prairie states. Named in order of money value, the live stock interests are as follows: horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry. Horses are reared largely for agricultural and lumbering purposes. According to the twelfth census the annual animal productions of the state were valued at $53,921,966. The state stands fourth in the production of milk and next to Ohio in the production of wool. MANUFACTURES. In manufactures Michigan ranks tenth in the Union. For reasons stated the products of the sawmill are on the decline. Grand Rapids very possibly leads the world in the production of furniture. Milling is an important industry. The state ranks second in the production of beet sugar. Large manufacturing interests are centered at Detroit. The city is noted for stoves, tobacco, and druggists' goods. Silk weaving has begun at Belding. Shipbuilding is carried on at Detroit, Wyandotte, and Port Huron. HISTORICAL. Father Marquette established a Jesuit mission at Sault Sainte Marie in 1668. This was the first white settlement in the state. Detroit was settled by a French colony in 1701. In 1763 the infant settlements suffered from Pontiac's War. The Indians were not quieted until subdued by General Wayne in 1795. Michigan was a part of the Northwest Territory , then a part of Indiana. In 1805 Michigan Territory was organized. It passed into the hands of the British during the war of 1812, but was recovered by the battle of Lake Erie in 1814. Michigan was admitted to the Union in 1837. The northern peninsula was not originally a part of the territory. It was added when the state was admitted as a sort of compensation for a loss of territory claimed by Ohio. There are eleven cities having a population of over 15,000. Named in order of size in 1900, they are Detroit, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Bay City, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Port Huron, Battle Creek, Lansing, and Ann Arbor . About one-third of the entire population lives in cities having over 8,000 inhabitants. In 1900 the population was 2,420,982, making Michigan the ninth state in population. Michigan is known as the "Wolverine State." EDUCATION. In matters of education, Michigan set the pace for the North Central States. The early settlers were largely from New York and New England . Common schools were established promptly. Michigan was the first to make a state university successful. Both in the management of common schools and of the university, Michigan has been the model of the newer states of the Northwest. The state maintains four normal schools, an agricultural college, and a college of mines. There are also nine private and denominational colleges. There are over 800 newspapers and many free public libraries. Despite recent immigration from foreign countries, the proportion of illiteracy is less than four per cent. In the number of adherents, the Roman Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, German Reformed, United Brethren, Disciples of Christ, and Adventists rank in the order named. STATISTICS. The following statistics are the latest to be had from trustworthy sources: Land area, square miles 57,430 Population 2,584,532 Detroit (1909) 384,855 Grand Rapids 105,909 Saginaw 51,941 Bay City 40,509 Kalamazoo 36,504 Jackson 25,450 Battle Creek (1909) 26,775 Muskegon (1904) 20,897 Lansing (1909) 25,014 Port Huron (1904) 20,028 Flint (1904) 14,884 Ann Arbor (1904) 14,590 Number counties 83 Members of state senate 32 Representatives 100 U. S. representatives 12 Presidential electors 14 Assessed valuation of property $1,597,000,000 Acres of improved land 11,600,000 Manufacturing establishments 7,446 Capital invested $338,000,000 Operatives 175,000 Raw material $233,000,000 Output of manufactured goods $429,000,000 Output of vehicles $20,000,000 Output of furniture $18,000,000 Lumber products $40,000,000 Coal mined, tons 2,000,000 Iron ore, tons 11,830,342 Pig iron, tons 436,000 Copper, pounds 219,000,000 Clay products 1,800,000 Salt, barrels 10,000,000 Portland cement, barrels 3,500,000 Agricultural Products-- Corn, bushels 60,000,000 Wheat, bushels 15,732,000 Oats, bushels 42,000,000 Potatoes, bushels 24,000,000 Beans, bushels 2,000,000 Clover seed, bushels 68,000 Onions, bushels 784,000 Peas, bushels 120,000 Tobacco, pounds 64,000 Butter, pounds 68,000,000 Eggs, dozens 54,000,000 Honey, pounds 2,200,000 Beet sugar, pounds 158,000,000 Wool, pounds 9,600,000 Domestic Animals-- Horses 740,000 Mules 2,916 Milk cows 849,000 Other cattle 1,003,000 Sheep 2,130,000 Swine 1,388,000 Goats 2,861 Miles of railway 8,723 Teachers in public schools 17,286 Pupils enrolled 524,000 Percentage of male teachers 14.5 Average monthly salary of men teachers $67.26 Average monthly salary of women teachers $35.53 Average annual expenditure per pupil $28.55 See Cass ; Detroit ; Celery ; Copper ; Iron ; Salt ; Ann Arbor ; University ; Marquette ; Sault Sainte Marie ; Huron ; Superior ; Erie ; Furniture , etc. Pyramid of the Sun. Stone Sails. Mural Carvings. Mexican antiquities
Michigan one of the Great Lakes
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
one of the Great Lakes . The name is Algonquin, signifying big water. Four states lie on its borders. Two-thirds of the coast line belongs to Michigan. The largest arm is Green Bay. The largest tributary is the Fox. The extreme length of the lake is 340 miles; greatest width, eighty-five miles. The surface is 578 feet above sea level. The greatest depth is about 1,000 feet. Area, 22,000 square miles. The lake is subject to violent storms and to tides at Chicago of about one and three--fourths inches. Lake Michigan formerly discharged its waters by way of the Chicago and Illinois into the Mississippi, but it now communicates with Lake Huron by way of Mackinaw Strait. The opening of the Chicago River canal has set up a flow through the old channel. See Chicago
What Has Changed in the Last Century
When Collier's wrote this in 1921 it noted that at Detroit "the automobile industry has become one of the greatest in the world" — and that industry then carried the state to a 1950 peak of 1.85 million people in Detroit alone, before shrinking so far that the city fell to roughly 640,000 and filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in United States history in 2013, two years after General Motors and Chrysler had passed through federally backed bankruptcies of their own. The state's population has grown from the 3,668,412 counted in 1920 to about 10.1 million, but almost all of that growth came before 1970. The mining picture the entry describes is largely gone: Keweenaw copper mining ended with the closing of the White Pine mine in 1995, Michigan coal production ceased decades ago, and of the iron ranges listed only the Marquette district is still worked. Two landmarks the entry could not foresee tie the state together: Isle Royale became a national park in 1940, and the Mackinac Bridge joined the two peninsulas in 1957.
Written for this edition, 2026.