1. In 1835, the first steamboat arrived in the town of Allegan on the Kalamazoo River. This marked the beginning of a new era of transportation and commerce in the region.

2. In 1924, the world-famous Mackinac Bridge Authority was established to oversee the construction of the Mackinac Bridge, which would eventually become the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere.

3. In 1965, the Michigan State Police raided the home of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo in Detroit, arresting her for driving black activists to a protest in Selma, Alabama. Liuzzo was later murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

4. In 1984, the John Ball Zoological Garden in Grand Rapids unveiled a new exhibit featuring two Siberian tigers. The exhibit was hailed as a major attraction and helped to boost tourism in the region.

5. In 2009, the city of Flint declared a state of emergency due to an outbreak of swine flu. The declaration allowed city officials to marshal resources and take swift action to contain the spread of the disease.