Central Michigan
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- This article is about the geographic region, for the university of the same name, see Central Michigan University.
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Central Michigan, often called Mid-Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Central Michigan corresponds roughly to the palm. The region consists mainly of farmland, with a few cities of moderate size.
The definitions of Central Michigan and Mid-Michigan can vary significantly, depending on one's point of reference. Important cities in Central Michigan include Lansing (the capital of Michigan), Jackson, East Lansing, Okemos, Mt. Pleasant, Grand Ledge, Alma, Ithaca, and Clare. Local media, most notably television and radio stations, refer to Flint, Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City areas as "Mid-Michigan"; For this area see Flint/Tri-Cities.
Central Michigan's economy is primarily agricultural. Major crops include corn, sugar beets, and soy beans. The major educational institutions in Central Michigan are Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan State University in East Lansing, Lansing Community College in Lansing, Mid-Michigan Community College in Harrison and Mt. Pleasant, Albion College in Albion, Alma College in Alma, Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Olivet College in Olivet, and Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor. Thomas M. Cooley Law School (the nation's largest) is headquartered in Lansing.
Until 2004, Mid-Michigan (specifically Lansing) was also known for being the location of the main Oldsmobile plant for General Motors.
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[edit] Geography
- See also List of Michigan state parks and geography of Michigan.
- Most of the area is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing[1]
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Airports
- Scheduled airline service is offered from Lansing Capital City Airport.[2]
- Portions of Central Michigan are near Midland and Flint. Scheduled airline service is also available from MBS International Airport[3] near Midland, Michigan and Flint Bishop International Airport.[4]
- Other portions are proximate to Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which is east of Grand Rapids, Michigan.[5]
[edit] Major Highways
[edit] Major roads
[edit] Interstate highways
I-69.
I-94.
I-96.
I-496 (R.E. Olds Freeway).
I-69 Business Loop or BL I-69 is a loop route running through Lansing.
I-96 Business Loop or BL I-96 is a loop route running through Lansing.
[edit] US highways
US-12 also known as Michigan Avenue and Chicago Road
US-127 comes from the South, through Lansing, and ends its 758 mile (1,220 km) journey at Grayling[6]. It directly connects northern Michigan (and the Mackinac Bridge via US I-75) to Lansing, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee (all the way down to Chatanooga)[7] US-127 is the direct link between the state capital in Lansing and the Ingham County seat in Mason.
[edit] Michigan highways
M-43 (Saginaw Highway) is a highway in southwestern and central Michigan from South Haven to Webberville.
M-46 -- a cross peninsular road, running across the entire mitten icluding the thumb -- from Port Sanilac on the Lake Huron shore; through Saginaw near Saginaw Bay; and then on to Muskegon on the Lake Michigan shore.[8] This east-west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally.
M-66
M-99 (Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd).
M-100
[edit] Railways
- Main article: Michigan Services
[edit] Notable People
More comprehensive lists are available at individual cities, villages, etc.
[edit] Lansing
- Martin Bertram - author of medieval novel Vanity of Vanities
- Jim Cash - Screenwriter Top Gun and other successful films
- Thom Hartmann - radio talk-show host & author
- Andy Hilbert - NHL hockey player
- John Hughes - film director
- Magic Johnson - NBA basketball star
- Lisa Kron - theatre actress & playwright
- Muhsin Muhammad - NFL football star
- Ransom E. Olds - Automobile Manufacturer; founded Olds Motor Vehicle Company
- Larry Page - co-founder of Google.com
- Greg Raymer - 2004 World Series of Poker champion
- Burt Reynolds - actor
- Steven Seagal - actor
- John Smoltz - MLB star and 1996 Cy Young Award winner
- Jim "Soni" Sonefeld - drummer & percussionist for Hootie & The Blowfish
- Debbie Stabenow - U.S. Senator - began political career in Ingham County
- Stevie Wonder - singer, attended the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing (Born and raised in Saginaw, MI)
- Malcolm X - human rights activist
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- Archdiocese of Lansing home page and history
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Michigan (arranged by counties and regions)
- Michigan Geology -- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources website, harbors, hunting, resources and more.
- Info Michigan, detailed information on 630 cities
- Michigan's Official Economic Development and Travel Site, including interactive map, information on attractions, museums, etc.
- Michigan Historic Markers
- Michigan's Official Economic Development and Travel Site.
