Central Michigan, also called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

state of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. As its name implies, it is the middle area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Mid Michigan corresponds roughly to

the thumb The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of t ...

and palm, stretching from Michigan's eastern shoreline along

Lake Huron Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the lake is derived from early French ex ...

into the fertile rolling plains of the

Michigan Basin The Michigan Basin is a geologic basin centered on the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The feature is represented by a nearly circular pattern of geologic sedimentary strata in the area with a nearly uniform structural dip towar ...

. The region contains cities of moderate size, including

Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Historically, flint was widely used to make stone tools and start ...

, Saginaw, and the state capital of Lansing. Generally Central, or "Mid", Michigan is defined by governmental organizations as an area North of Jackson, and South of Clare.

Definitions

For the most part, ''Central Michigan'' and ''Mid Michigan'' are synonymous with each other, representing generally the same geographic area of Michigan. However, some definitions of ''Central Michigan'' and ''Mid Michigan'' can vary significantly, depending on one's point of reference. * The Greater Lansing area, sometimes called the ''Capitol Region'', includes the area surrounding the state capitol of Lansing and nearby

East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, although a small portion extends north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinton County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...

. * The Greater Tri-Cities area, also called the ''Great Lakes Bay Region'', is the area surrounding the Saginaw Bay including the cities of Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and can be expanded to include Mt. Pleasant as well. * The

area is included in Mid Michigan, and can also be considered a part of

Metro Detroit Metro Detroit is a major metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Michigan, consisting of the city of Detroit and over 200 municipalities in the Southeast Michigan, surrounding area. There are varied definitions of the area, including the officia ...

. *

The Thumb The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of t ...

is a peninsula that surrounded by

in the east-central area of the state. This area is sometimes dubbed the ''Blue Water Area''.

Other definitions

Central or Mid Michigan can also include areas that are referred to as

Southern Michigan Southern Michigan is a loosely defined geographic area of the U.S. state of Michigan. Southern Michigan may be referred to as a sub-region or component area to other regions of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It is an area of rolling farmland, ...

. This is loosely defined and can refer to a region in the south-central portion of the state characterized by the

Irish Hills Irish Hills is an area of land located roughly in southeastern Jackson County and northwest Lenawee County in Southeast Michigan. It was named after the numerous Irish immigrants who settled there from 1830 until 1850. Today it is known thr ...

. The region includes the

Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the ma ...

, Jackson, and Hillsdale areas which are also considered a part of

Southeast Michigan Southeast Michigan, also called southeastern Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that is home to a majority of the state's businesses and industries as well as slightly over half of the state's population, most of whom are c ...

. Portions of Central or Mid Michigan can overlap with portions of

Western Michigan West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for a region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Generally, it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Peninsula's Lake ...

. For example, areas of Montcalm County could fall into both regions, with the west side of the county such as Greenville aligning with West Michigan, and eastern portions identifying more with Central Michigan. Also, some areas may overlap with what is known as Northern Michigan. These areas, such as Clare, Gladwin, and Arenac County are along the border of the two regions and can be considered parts of both, depending on your frame of reference. Portions of

can overlap with Central Michigan, especially the counties of Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston and St. Clair are statistically included in Metro Detroit however geographically lie in Mid Michigan.

Geography

The region includes many rivers including the Grand River, Red Cedar River,

Saginaw River The Saginaw River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed November 7, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is formed by the confluence of the Tittabawassee River, ...

, Tittabawassee River, Shiawassee River and Flint River. A

drainage divide A drainage divide, water divide, ridgeline, watershed, water parting or height of land is elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. On rugged land, the divide lies along topographical ridges, and may be in the form of a single ...

occurs in Central Michigan, causing the Grand River to flow west into

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

and the

to empty into the Saginaw Bay. The terrain has rolling hills and plains with fertile soil. Agriculture dominates in the rural areas, where corn, soybeans, sugar beets, and hay are grown. The region has mostly small towns with a few cities of notable size. Most of the area is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing or Roman Catholic Diocese of Saginaw.

Principal cities

Central Michigan has several cities of regional and geographic importance: * Lansing, is the capital of

and centrally located in the Lower Peninsula. It is the fifth largest city in the state. The Lansing-East Lansing metropolitan area is the third largest metro area in Michigan. *

is the sixth largest city in the state and an important center for Michigan's automotive industry. * The Tri-Cities area includes Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw. The Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City metropolitan area is the fifth largest metro area in Michigan.

Counties included

History and culture

Central Michigan has a rich and varied culture, including European farmers who settled in rural areas to work the land and ethnic minorities populating the area's urban centers to make a living in the automobile industry. The Mid-Michigan area was predominately

Ojibwe The Ojibwe (; Ojibwe writing systems#Ojibwe syllabics, syll.: ᐅᒋᐺ; plural: ''Ojibweg'' ᐅᒋᐺᒃ) are an Anishinaabe people whose homeland (''Ojibwewaki'' ᐅᒋᐺᐘᑭ) covers much of the Great Lakes region and the Great Plains, n ...

territory prior to colonization. One of the first European settlements in the region was the French Fort St. Joseph in present-day Port Huron in 1686. The area that became Michigan opened up to European settlement following the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

. Later in the 1800s

Lewis Cass Lewis Cass (October 9, 1782June 17, 1866) was a United States Army officer and politician. He represented Michigan in the United States Senate and served in the Cabinets of two U.S. Presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Buchanan. He was also the 1 ...

would negotiate the Treaty of Saginaw, in which Ojibwe land was handed over to form much of present-day Mid-Michigan. The opening of the

Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east–west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigability, navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, ...

brought vast numbers of settlers to the region, as population started growing northward from Ohio. The first settlers to the area cleared the land for the

lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...

industry. Forests of

the Thumb The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of t ...

and Saginaw Valley provided much of the lumber to feed the growing United States. The convenient access to transportation provided by the

and its numerous tributaries fueled a massive expansion in population and economic activity. As the trees were being cut down in the region, logs were floated down the rivers to sawmills located in Saginaw, destined to be loaded onto ships and later railroad cars.

was also a lumber boom town, with the city turning lumber into carriages and wagons, which would later give way to the automobile industry. Michigan became a state in 1837, with the State Capitol in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

until the winter of 1847 when the state constitution required that the capital be moved from

to a more central and safer location in the interior of the state. Many were concerned about Detroit's proximity to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

-controlled

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, which had captured Detroit in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. The United States had recaptured the city in 1813, but these events led to the dire need to have the center of government relocated away from hostile

British territory British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

. There was also concern with Detroit's strong influence over Michigan politics, being the largest city in the state as well as the capital city."Lansing and Its Yesterdays", published by the State Journal Company, Published January 1, 1930 Unable to publicly reach a consensus because of constant political wrangling, the

Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2020 ...

privately chose the Township of Lansing out of frustration. When announced, many present openly laughed that such an insignificant settlement was now the capital city of Michigan. Two months later, Governor William L. Greenly signed into law the act of the legislature officially making Lansing Township the state capital. Persons of European ancestry have formed the overwhelming majority of the population since the late 19th century. Farmers, mostly of English and Scots-Irish immigrants, many of whom arrived from

. Other settlers of the same ancestry migrated from eastern states such as New York, and

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, as well as from New England. After the land had been lumbered off, farming dominated the rural landscape of Central Michigan. Corn, soy beans, navy beans, and sugar beets are now commercially grown in these areas today. Later 19th- and 20th-century residents included Polish and German immigrants who migrated from Europe through the

area. Many of the customs, much of the regional lifestyle, and even the local accent, strongly reflect these origins. Saginaw County, in particular Frankenmuth, is such an example of Bavarian Culture in Mid-Michigan. On the eastern edge of the region, a large Canadian influence can be found in St. Clair County where Canadian culture and language has become integrated cities along the Canada–US border. Huron County in the Thumb has a heritage of Polish ancestry, while Clare is known for its Irish roots. The state's economy underwent a transformation at the turn of the 20th century. Many individuals, including Ransom E. Olds,

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

and Horace Dodge, Henry Leland,

David Dunbar Buick David Dunbar Buick (September 17, 1854 – March 5, 1929) was a Scottish-born American inventor, widely known for founding the Buick Motor Company. He headed this company and its predecessor from 1899–1906, thereby helping to create one ...

, Henry Joy, Charles King, and

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American Technological and industrial history of the United States, industrialist and business magnate. As the founder of the Ford Motor Company, he is credited as a pioneer in making automob ...

, provided the concentration of engineering know-how and technological enthusiasm to start the birth of the automotive industry. In Lansing,

Olds Motor Vehicle Company Olds may refer to: People * The olds, a jocular and irreverent online nickname for older adults * Olds (surname) Places * Olds, Alberta, Canada * Olds, Iowa, United States * Olds Peak, Antarctica Other uses * F. E. Olds, an American brass ...

was founded in August 1897. The company went through many changes, including a buyout, between its founding to 1905 when founder Ransom E. Olds started his new

REO Motor Car Company The REO Motor Car Company (''REO'' pronounced , not letter by letter) was a company based in Lansing, Michigan, which produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 to 1975. At one point, the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms. ...

, which would last in Lansing for another 70 years. In Flint, William C. Durant's

Buick Buick () is a division (business), division of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American automobil ...

became the largest manufacturer of automobiles by 1908. In 1908, Durant founded

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

, filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint. GM moved its headquarters to Detroit in the mid-1920s. Durant lost control of GM twice during his lifetime. On the first occasion, he befriended Louis Chevrolet and founded

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...

, which was a runaway success. He used the capital from this success to buy back share control. Flint would later be the site of the GM and

United Auto Workers The United Auto Workers (UAW), fully named International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and sou ...

Flint sit-down strike The 1936–1937 Flint sit-down strike, also known as the General Motors sit-down strike, or the great GM sit-down strike, was a sitdown strike at the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan, United States. It changed the United Automobile Worke ...

. In 1897, Canadian-born chemist

Herbert Henry Dow Herbert Henry Dow (February 26, 1866 – October 15, 1930) was an American chemical industrialist who founded the American multinational conglomerate Dow Chemical. A graduate of the Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio, he was a p ...

, who invented a new method of extracting the

bromine Bromine is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a similarly coloured vapour. Its properties are intermediate between th ...

that was trapped underground in

brine Brine (or briny water) is a high-concentration solution of salt (typically sodium chloride or calcium chloride) in water. In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawat ...

Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in Midland County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 42,547 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland metropolitan statistical area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City ...

formed

Dow Chemical The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. The company was among the three largest chemical producers in the world in 2021. It is the operating subsidiary of Dow Inc., ...

. Dow originally sold only

bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color from (i.e. to whiten) fabric or fiber (in a process called bleaching) or to disinfect after cleaning. It often refers specifically t ...

and

potassium bromide Potassium bromide ( K Br) is a salt, widely used as an anticonvulsant and a sedative in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with over-the-counter use extending to 1975 in the US. Its action is due to the bromide ion ( sodium bromide is equa ...

, and has since expanded to be the third largest chemical producer in the world. Beginning in the late 1960s, urban areas including Flint, Saginaw, and Lansing experienced a large amount of

deindustrialization Deindustrialization is a process of social and economic change caused by the removal or reduction of industrial capacity or activity in a country or region, especially of heavy industry or manufacturing industry. There are different interpr ...

and subsequent depopulation and

urban decay Urban decay (also known as urban rot, urban death or urban blight) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban decay. ...

. As auto jobs were sent elsewhere, rates of crime, unemployment and poverty increased. Initially, this took the form of "

white flight The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...

" that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities. This decline was exacerbated by the

1973 oil crisis In October 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) announced that it was implementing a total oil embargo against countries that had supported Israel at any point during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which began after Eg ...

and the U.S. auto industry's subsequent loss of market share to imports. The result meant white families moved to the suburbs, with leaving large

hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

and

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

populations in the urban centers. In Lansing, recent

gentrification Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...

, the placement of refugees, and international students attending Michigan State have made the Greater Lansing a very culturally diverse area. Michigan remains a leading auto-producing state in the U.S., with the industry primarily located throughout the

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

Ontario, Canada Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, and the Southern United States. Michigan typically ranks third or fourth in overall Research & development (R&D) expenditures in the U.S. Mid-Michigan is home to one of the state's leading research institutions,

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

which makes up the University Research Corridor. Michigan's public universities attract more than $1.5 B in research and development grants each year. Founded in 1855 in

as the nation's first land-grant institution, Michigan State University has been a pioneer in research and the cultural center of Mid-Michigan. The university has made significant contributions in agriculture and pioneered the studies of

packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coo ...

, hospitality business, plant biology,

supply chain management In commerce, supply chain management (SCM) deals with a system of procurement (purchasing raw materials/components), operations management, logistics and marketing channels, through which raw materials can be developed into finished produc ...

music therapy Music therapy, an allied health profession, "is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music t ...

, and

communication sciences Communication studies (or communication science) is an academic discipline that deals with processes of human communication and behavior, patterns of communication in interpersonal relationships, social interactions and communication in differ ...

. Michigan State frequently ranks among the top 30 public universities in the United States and the top 100 research universities in the world.

Economy

Central Michigan's economy is primarily

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

, and some

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

manufacturing.

Agriculture

Major crops grown in this region include

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

, sugar beets, and soy beans. The

Michigan Sugar Company Michigan Sugar Company is an agricultural cooperative, based in Bay City, Michigan, that specializes in the processing of beet sugar. Founded in 1906, Michigan Sugar sells beet sugar under the brand names ''Big Chief'' and ''Pioneer.'' Michiga ...

, which is a cooperative owned by 1,250 farmers, operates factories in Bay City, Caro, Croswell, and Sebewaing. Livestock and

dairy A dairy is a place where milk is stored and where butter, cheese, and other dairy products are made, or a place where those products are sold. It may be a room, a building, or a larger establishment. In the United States, the word may also des ...

farms also make up the agricultural landscape of Central Michigan. Koegel Meat Company is headquartered in Flint and is a major producer of sausages and processed meats. Lansing based Quality Dairy Company is a major producer of

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of lactating mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfeeding, breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. ...

and ice cream in the region.

Financial

The largest financial institution in the region is Detroit- headquartered TCF Financial Corporation, which is also the second largest Michigan-based bank. Citizens Republic Bancorp was formerly headquartered in Flint, and has since been acquired by FirstMerit Corporation, which has been sold to Ohio's Huntington Bank. Grand Rapids-based Independent Bank has a large presence in the region as well. Regional banks and credit unions also exist throughout Central Michigan. One of those is Michigan State University Federal Credit Union which is the largest university-based credit union in the world.

Government

Since Lansing is the State Capitol, the number one employer in the Greater Lansing area is the State of Michigan, either with the Michigan Legislature, court system, or executive agencies. The Michigan State Police is headquartered in Lansing, and formerly called East Lansing Home. MSP also has regional posts in Mt. Pleasant, Bay City, Caro, Flint, and Lapeer.

Healthcare

McLaren Health Care Corporation is a major employer in the region, as a non-profit operating nine hospitals in the state. McLaren is headquartered in Flint and has hospitals in McLaren Flint, Flint, McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital, Lansing, Lapeer, Bay City, Mt. Pleasant, and Port Huron. Other major healthcare corporations include Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Covenant Hospital in Saginaw, and Lake Huron Medical Center in Port Huron. Furthermore, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine has locations across the region, as does the University of Michigan Health System. Under the name MidMichigan Health, U of M operates hospitals in Clare, Gladwin, Alma, and Midland.

Insurance

Central Michigan, specifically the Greater Lansing area, is home to many statewide and national Insurance in the United States, insurance companies. Auto-Owners Insurance is headquartered in Delta Township and is the largest such company headquartered in the state. In downtown Lansing, workers compensation insurance company Accident Fund has its headquarters. Founded in Jackson but having headquarters in Lansing, Jackson National Life is a life insurance company serving 49 states. Smaller insurer Frankenmuth insurance has its headquarters in Frankenmuth.

Manufacturing

General Motors operates the Flint Truck Assembly factory in Flint and Powertrain plants in Flint, Bay City, and Saginaw. Until 2004, Mid-Michigan (specifically Lansing, MI, Lansing) was also known for being the location of the main Oldsmobile plant for General Motors. The plant is now Lansing Grand River Assembly. GM also operates Lansing Delta Township Assembly in Eaton County. The world headquarters of Nexteer Automotive, a car parts supplier, is located in Saginaw. S.C. Johnson and Son has a manufacturing facility in Bay City making Ziploc products. The Dow Chemical Company and Dow Corning have their world headquarters in Midland.

Power generation

CMS Energy's subsidiary Consumers Energy and DTE Energy's Detroit Edison both have a presence in this region and provides much of the electrical power for the lower peninsula of Michigan. CMS operates the Karn-Weadock facility in Essexville, Michigan, Essexville, and DTE has plants in Harbor Beach, Michigan, Harbor Beach, Greenwood Township, St. Clair County, Michigan, Greenwood Township, and two plants in East China Township, Michigan, East China (St. Clair Power Plant and Belle River Power Plant). The Lansing Board of Water & Light has several of its own generating plants in the Greater Lansing area, and the Midland Cogeneration Venture is a partnership in Midland. Renewable energies, specifically wind farms are also a rising form of electricity generation in this region. The counties of Gratiot, Tuscola, and Huron are home to many large wind farms. In Lapeer County, DTE Energy owns the largest Photovoltaic power station, solar farm in Michigan.

International trade corridor

The I-69 International Trade Corridor is a strategic commercial gateway between the

and

, with multi-modal transportation infrastructure that offers a wide range of distribution options. The I-69 International Trade Corridor Next Michigan Development Corporation (NMDC) offers economic incentives to growing businesses, both existing and new, that utilize two or more forms of transportation to move their products and are located within the territory of the NMDC. The I-69 International Trade Corridor Next Michigan Development Corporation is the largest in the state of Michigan with 35 municipal partners. Constituent counties of the trade corridor are: Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer, and St. Clair Counties.

Colleges and universities

Major educational institutions in Central Michigan include: * Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant *

in East Lansing * Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing * Lansing Community College in Lansing * Mid Michigan Community College in Harrison and Mt. Pleasant * Mott Community College in Flint * Northwood University in Midland * St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron * Alma College in Alma * Olivet College in Olivet * Saginaw Valley State University in University Center * Thomas M. Cooley Law School (the nation's largest) is headquartered in Lansing. * University of Michigan–Flint * Delta College (Michigan), Delta College in University Center * Kettering University in Flint * Baker College (throughout different areas of Michigan) * Davenport University (throughout different areas of Michigan)

Media

Newspapers

The ''Lansing State Journal'' is the sole daily newspaper published in metropolitan Lansing, and is owned by Gannett, which also owns ''The Times Herald'' in Port Huron and USA Today. The ''Flint Journal'' is available in the Flint and Lapeer areas and is published four times a week. Editions of the ''Bay City Times'', ''Midland Daily News'' and ''Saginaw News'' are available in the greater Tri-Cities (Michigan), Tri-Cities area. The ''Times'' and the ''Saginaw News'' published three times a week, while the ''Midland Daily News'' publishes daily. ''The Great Lakes Bay Edition'', a joint publication between the ''Saginaw News'' and the ''Bay City Times'', focuses on those two cities, as well as Midland, and publishes once a week. The Hearst Corporation owns the Midland Daily News and the Huron Daily Tribune. Mount Pleasant is served by a daily newspaper called ''The Morning Sun''. The ''Detroit Free Press'' and ''The Detroit News'' are available throughout the area.

Radio

The region is served by multiple radio stations. For a complete listing of stations, see one of the following markets: * Template:Lansing-East Lansing Radio, Lansing Area * Template:Flint Radio, Flint Area * Template:Saginaw-Bay City-Midland Radio, Greater Tri-Cities including Saginaw, Bay City, and Midland. * Template:Thumb Radio, Thumb Area including Port Huron, Sandusky, and Lapeer. * Template:South Central Michigan Radio, South Central Michigan including Jackson, Adrian, and Hillsdale. * Template:Central Michigan Radio, North Central Michigan including Mt. Pleasant, Caddilac, and Alma.

Broadcast television

Television in the Central Michigan area varies from market to market. Availability of stations depends on the reception of aerial signals, as well as availability of cable and satellite in a particular area. In some areas of the region, broadcasts from all three markets can be received over the air. *Template:Lansing TV, Lansing/Jackson Market *Template:Flint-Saginaw-Bay City TV, Flint/Tri-Cities Market *Template:Northern Michigan TV, Cadillac / Traverse City Market

Transportation

Airports

Scheduled airline service is offered from Lansing Capital Region International Airport. Airline service is also available from MBS International Airport near

and Flint Bishop International Airport. Other portions are proximate to Gerald R. Ford International Airport, east of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport near Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Railroads

Passenger rail is provided by Amtrak and has stations in East Lansing, Durand, Flint, Lapeer, and Port Huron on its Blue Water (train), Blue Water line. * The Great Lakes Central Railroad is a regional railroad operating from Petoskey to Ann Arbor. * CSX owns a major line between Detroit and Grand Rapids, passing through Lansing. It also owns a line from Toledo to Flint, and another south of Port Huron. * Grand Trunk Western Railroad, a part of the Canadian National system has a busy line between Port Huron and Chicago, passing through Flint, Durand, and Lansing. * Mid-Michigan Railroad, owned by Genesee & Wyoming and operating in the Alma area. * The Huron and Eastern Railway is also owned by Genesee and Wyoming and has lines north of Durand branching into the Thumb. * Lake State Railway serves each of the Tri Cities and stretches into Northern Michigan.

Transit

*Bay Metropolitan Transportation Authority *Blue Water Area Transit *Capital Area Transportation Authority *Flint Mass Transportation Authority *Indian Trails *Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services

Major highways

Major Michigan State Trunkline Highway System, trunkline routes throughout the Mid-Michigan area: * from Port Huron to Fort Wayne, Indiana, connecting Flint and Lansing. * is a major artery connecting the Tri-Cities with Flint and Detroit. * business route to downtown

. * business route to downtown Saginaw. * from Port Huron to Chicago via Detroit, Jackson, and Battle Creek. * from Grand Rapids to Detroit via Lansing. * in the Lansing area. * an east–west route between Ludington, Michigan, Ludington and Bay City, connecting multiple communities in between. * co-signed with I-75 through much of the region. * comes from the south, through Lansing, and ends its journey at Grayling. It directly connects Northern Michigan (and the Mackinac Bridge via I-75) to Lansing, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee (all the way down to Chattanooga, Tennessee, Chattanooga US 127 is the direct link between the state capital in Lansing and the Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County seat in Mason, Michigan, Mason. * runs roughly the same route as I-75 in the Genesee County/Shiawassee County border, the Saginaw County/Genesee County border then into Bay County * runs north and south through Genesee County and Tuscola County and terminates in Bay City. * is an east–west highway connection Mt. Pleasant with Midland * runs east and west, roughly the same route as I-69 in Genesee County and is a direct east–west route connecting St. Johns, Michigan, St. Johns and Owosso, Michigan, Owosso. * runs north and south in Lapeer County and Tuscola County. * is a highway of an arc-like shape closely following the outline of the Thumb along the Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay shoreline between Port Huron and Bay City. It is generally a scenic drive. * is a highway in southwestern and central Michigan from South Haven, Michigan, South Haven to Webberville, Michigan, Webberville. is east–west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally. * — a cross peninsular road, running across the entire mitten including the thumb—from Port Sanilac, Michigan, Port Sanilac on the

shore; through Saginaw near Saginaw Bay; and then on to Muskegon, Michigan, Muskegon on the

shore. This east-west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally. * is a north–south highway connecting Webberville, Michigan, Webberville, Perry, Michigan, Perry, Owosso, Michigan, Owosso and St. Charles, Michigan, St. Charles. * (Van Dyke Road) is a gateway route to the Thumb of Michigan, carrying vacationers to the resorts and cottages on Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron in the vicinity of Caseville and Port Austin. It goes up the middle of the Thumb, and directly connects in Macomb County, Michigan to the M-53 expressway. * Dort Highway, a main road leading into Flint running roughly the same route as Interstate 475 (Michigan), I-475, then follows I-75 to Birch Run

Notable people

More comprehensive lists are available at individual cities, villages, etc.

Lansing

* Jim Cash - Screenwriter ''Top Gun'' and other successful films * Thom Hartmann - Talk radio, radio talk-show host & author * Andy Hilbert - NHL hockey player * John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughes - film director * Magic Johnson - National Basketball Association, NBA basketball star * Lisa Kron - theatre actress & playwright * Muhsin Muhammad - NFL football star * Ransom E. Olds - Automobile Manufacturer; founded Oldsmobile, 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

Tri-Cities and Flint

* Michael Moore - filmmaker, screenwriter, author, journalist, actor, and left-wing political activist from Davison. * Bob Allman – Chicago Bears player (1936) (Bay City Central HS) * Emil Anneke – German Forty-Eighter and US politician * Robert Armstrong (actor), Robert Armstrong (1890–1973) - actor, best known for starring role in ''King Kong (1933), King Kong'' * Rolf Armstrong (1889–1960) – painter and pin-up artist * Edmund Arnold – father of modern news design * Warren Avis – founder of Avis Rent A Car * Howie Auer — Philadelphia Eagles player (1933) * James A. Barcia – U.S. Representative, Michigan House of Representatives, state representative, and Michigan State Senate, state senator. * Gary Bautell – military radio broadcaster with the American Forces Network * James G. Birney (1792–1857) - presidential candidate 1844 and 1848 Liberty Party (United States, 1840), Liberty Party, a founder of Bay City * Ruth Born (1925–) - All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Nathan B. Bradley - first mayor of Bay City, U.S. Representative, Michigan State Senate, state senator * Betsy Brandt - actress, ''Breaking Bad'', ''The Michael J. Fox Show'' * Madonna (entertainer), Madonna – singer, actress, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy and Golden Globe award winner, was born in Bay City; she grew up in Rochester Hills, Michigan * Spoke Emery – Major League Baseball player * Eric Esch – Super Heavyweight Champion boxer, kickboxer, and martial artist * Troy Evans (American football), Troy Evans (b.1977) – NFL linebacker, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints * John Garrels – silver and bronze Olympic medal winner * Sanford M. Green, Michigan jurist and politician * Ernie Gust – Major League Baseball player * Harriet Hammond (1899–1991) - silent-film actress * Bill Hewitt (American football), Bill Hewitt – Chicago Bears 1932–1936, Philadelphia Eagles 1937–1939, Phil-Pitt Steagles, Pro Football Hall of Fame * Alex Izykowski – 2006 Winter Olympics bronze medalist in short track speed skating * Edward Jablonski (1923–2004) - author, music archivist and aviation-aerial warfare historian * Jim Kanicki – Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants 1960–62 (Bay City Central HS) * Thomas G. Kavanagh - Michigan Supreme Court justice * Bruce LaFrance – Tantric (band), Tantric musician * John List (serial killer), John List – mass murderer * Jason "The Michigan Kid" Lynch – professional billiards trick-shot artist * George Kid Lavigne – boxer, world lightweight champion 1896, and inductee of International Boxing Hall of Fame (1998) * Terry McDermott (speed skating), Terry McDermott – 500m speed skating gold medalist in Innsbruck 1964 Winter Olympics * John McGraw (merchant), John McGraw – businessman, co-founder of Wenona, Michigan, now part of Bay City, Cornell University philanthropist * Tyler McVey (1912–2003) - actor

Thumb area

* Thomas Edison - Inventor and entrepreneur settled in Port Huron from 1854 to 1863. * Brewster H. Shaw - retired United States Air Force colonel and former NASA astronaut from Cass City. * Frank Murphy - Detroit mayor, Michigan governor, U.S. Attorney General and Justice of the United States Supreme Court born in Harbor Beach. * Marguerite de Angeli, children's book author, Newbery Award winner * Terry Knight, singer, DJ, manager, Terry Knight and the Pack, Grand Funk Railroad * Jake Long, offensive lineman, Miami Dolphins * Terry Nichols, accomplice in the Oklahoma City bombing * Jim Slater (hockey player), Jim Slater, hockey player Atlanta Thrashers * Obadiah Gardner - US Senator for Maine * Terry McMillan - Award-winning author of ''Waiting to Exhale'', and ''How Stella Got Her Groove Back'' *Gabriel Rheaume - Writer - ''The Shores We Walk'', from Deckerville.

References

External links

Archdiocese of Lansing home page and history

Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Michigan (arranged by counties and regions)

* [http://www.michigan.gov/dnr 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's Official Economic Development and Travel Site.
{{Michigan Central Michigan, Regions of Michigan Geography of Michigan