Hello friends and family,
Here’s another history lesson from dad. Only this one is about Michigan’s history. Michigan is a fascinating state and the history is rich and full of inventive and entertaining persons. I think dad wrote this story before the Motown Museum opened. I think he would have loved it there. The museum is something that anyone into musical history should visit at least once.
When dad saw that some Rock & Roll bands were naming themselves after cities, he suggested my band name themselves “Hogs Hollow” . . . Not quite the image the band was looking for . . .
I hope you enjoy this story that I can find no correlation to contemporary events . . . How refreshing is that?!?
Love to all,
David T
p.s. You can write comments below each story. Comments are very much appreciated.
“No Trivialities in Michigan Trivia”
By Don Tschirhart
Excerpted from the unpublished book “It’s a Wonderful World II: A Retired Reporter Looks At Life“
No Trivialities in Michigan Trivia
Spam aside, I find it fun to open up my internet and read all the e-mail in my letter box.
People remember I’m alive and know I can’t live without having my cranial funny-bone tickled.
Also I find the internet very educational even at my ripe age. My sister couldn’t understand a particular illness the doctor said she had. I got into the computer and downloaded a description.
I want a recipe for barbecue sauce and it’s as close as my finger tips. News of the day or hourly stock/mutual fund quotes is a click away.
Older people have told me they’re afraid of computers. I tell them the only way a computer can harm them is not to have one.
Someone sent me an email the other day containing Michigan trivia I would like to share with you.
Did you know, for instance, that between 1910-1920 one Michigan community led the nation in growth? Where else but Hamtramck, which grew in that decade from 3,589 to 45,615 residents. Most of them, I’m sure, were Polish immigrants, who believe it or not, moved into homes vacated by a large Irish population.
Over the years names of cities and even parts of cities had names that needed to be changed. Can you imagine the original name of prestigious and snobby Bloomfield Hills?
How about Bagley’s Corners? Can you imagine Ford, GM and Chrysler executives living in, of all places, Bagley’s Corners. I mean no offense to Mr. Bagley?
And no wonder our southern neighbor, Utica, changed its name from “Hog’s Hollow.” Spring that one on your friends and neighbors who live there. Do you think shopping center mogul Alfred Taubman would have built the massive Lakeside Mall in, of all places, Hog’s Hollow?
Hershey, Pennsylvania, is the home of the famous chocolate bar, a place to have fun and get fat at the same time.
But I bet you didn’t know the Dutch-influenced Holland, Mich., is home to three almost-as-famous candies — Beech-Nut gum, Life Savers candy and Squirt soft drink.
Americans are so used to typing E-mail messages or clicking phone keypads they probably don’t remember that 134 years ago Detroit telephone customers were the first to have numbers assigned to them. And no one in Detroit has had the imagination to suggest a Telephone Hall of Fame . . . yet.
The state’s largest city — Detroit — has the distinction of having the first traffic light (1915) at Woodward and Grand, the first urban freeway — the Davison — 1942, the first carbonated soft drink — Vernor’s ginger ale — in 1866, and the first fresh-water aquarium — Belle Isle — which opened in 1804, and still smells like they never changed the water.
Just a little north of Lapeer, Bay City must have been a fun town back in the lumber boom days. The city by the bay has tried recently to generate interest in its waterfront.
Maybe the city should tag their waterfront area with the old name given the row of saloons that lined Water Street — Hell’s Half Mile. That nostalgic name might bring in curious tourists.
I learned first hand how inflation has taken its toll (literally). I paid $187 to license my two cars this year. Michigan auto owners paid 50 cents each to operate their vehicles in 1905.
And isn’t it funny how names sometimes make a person and a group. Take singing groups.
Would you believe a Michigan-based trio with the name Primettes would become popular? Look what happened when they changed their name to the Supremes. And in 1960 the Primes became the world-famous Temptations.
Back in the mid-1970’s an attempt was made to save a two-story house on Forest Street near the Lodge Freeway near downtown Detroit.
Unfortunately, the home in which the internationally famous aviation pioneer who first flew the Atlantic Ocean — Charles A. Lindbergh — was born and raised had to be demolished after several fires set by vandals.
My momma’ used to say, “Learn something new every day.”
I hope I’ve given you something old that is new today.
