Lansing Was Once Called Michigan, Michigan

Here's a fun little Michigan fact that may sound entirely made up, but it's 100% true: there was once a town in the state of Michigan called Michigan. Yep. Until 1848, there was a destination known as Michigan, Michigan. Imagine the GPS confusion.

Yes, Michigan Had a Town Called Michigan

While you may not know it, chances are you've been to the former Michigan, Michigan, or at least studied it.

Photo by Crissta Ames-Walle on Unsplash

According to the Michigan Senate, in 1847, the Michigan state legislature was locked in a heated debate (I know, shocking). The argument was over which city would become the permanent state capital.

The Capital City Showdown

Detroit wanted to keep it. Ann Arbor, Jackson, Grand Rapids, and even the slightly overconfident Marshall, who prematurely built a governor's mansion in hopes of winning the bid, were all in the mix. Eventually, in a "fine, whatever" fashion, a compromise emerged.

How Lansing Got Picked—and Briefly Named Michigan

Joseph Kilbourne suggested the absolute middle-of-nowhere woods of Lansing Township. Legislators then reluctantly agreed and officially named the new capital...Michigan.

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For a brief, glorious moment in time, Lansing was briefly known as Michigan, Michigan. But, apparently, even our forefathers realized that would sound ridiculous (looking at your New York, New York).

Where Did the Name Lansing Come From?

So in 1848, after seriously considering names like Pewanogowink, El Dorado, and Kinderhook, they settled on Lansing, borrowing from a town in New York, named after John Lansing, Jr., an "American statesman," according to the City of Lansing.

And that, my friend, is how Lansing went from a forest in the middle of nowhere to Michigan's capital—after being Michigan, Michigan.

Inside Lansing's Knapp's Department Store: See How it Looks Today

On what has been called a historical site long before the store was built, the land at 300 S Washington Avenue in downtown Lansing, Michigan, has been home to the Knapp's Department Store Building since 1937. After the fall of Knapp's in 1980, it found new life as offices for the State of Michigan. The top floors have been refurbished as offices and apartments, but a new project is underway in the former 1st floor and mezzanine thanks to the Eyde Company and Downtown Lansing Inc. Here's a look at how Knapp's Department store looks today.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

Hidden Gems of Downtown Lansing: The Strand - Michigan Theater

The Atrium Office Center at 215 Washington Square in downtown Lansing, Michigan, was once the home of the Strand Theater and Arcade, which eventually became the Michigan Theater. See what remains of the classic French design as we explore the space once occupied by Harry Houdini and Al Jolson. Here's how Lansing's The Strand / Michigan Theater looks today.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow