1. The first known observance of May 17th as Norwegian Constitution Day in Michigan took place in 1886 when Norwegian immigrants in the Upper Peninsula town of Iron Mountain held a parade to mark the occasion.

2. In 1956, the Michigan Legislature passed a joint resolution declaring May 17th as Norwegian Constitution Day. This made Michigan one of the first states in the country to officially recognize the holiday.

3. The largest Norwegian-American settlement in Michigan was located in the Iron Range region of the Upper Peninsula. Many of the Norwegian immigrants who settled in this area were drawn to the region by the opportunity to work in the area's booming iron mines.

4. Michigan's first Norwegian-language newspaper was published in Grand Rapids in 1874. The paper, called "Michigan Tidende," was a weekly newspaper that served the state's growing Norwegian-American community.

5. Michigan's connection to Norway goes beyond its large population of Norwegian immigrants. The state is also home to a number of Norwegian-American cultural organizations and events, including the Norwegian Festival in Stoughton and the Nordic Fest in Decorah.