1. In 1837, Michigan became the 26th state of the United States, on June 26th. This was after a long struggle to gain statehood, which included a border dispute with Ohio over the Toledo Strip.

2. In 1927, Babe Ruth hit his 27th home run of the season at Navin Field in Detroit, tying the record he had set the year before. The home run was Ruth's 31st of the season, helping lead the Yankees to a 7-2 victory over the Tigers.

3. In 1957, the state of Michigan adopted the Mackinac Bridge Authority Act, paving the way for construction of what would become the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time. The bridge spans the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan.

4. In 1974, a tornado outbreak swept across the state of Michigan, causing significant damage and multiple fatalities. The strongest tornado of the outbreak, an F5, struck the town of Xenia, killing 33 people and injuring hundreds more.

5. In 2005, a group of volunteers in Kalamazoo broke the world record for the largest snowball fight, with 5,387 participants. The event was part of the city's annual Winterfest celebration, and raised money for local charities.