Tuesday Tidbit

Yesterday was world water day. We can be thankful here in Michigan that we have an abundance of water. Forty of Michigan's 83 counties touch at least one of the Great Lakes and we have over 11,000 inland lakes. Let's make sure we don't take our abundance for granted!

Tuesday Tidbit

The Cherry Hut has been serving hunks of homemade cherry pie since 1922, when James and Dorothy Kraker opened a roadside pie stand as an outlet for cherries from their orchard. Today, the hut in Beulah (pop. 363) is a full-blown restaurant famous for its cherry pie.


**I've had the pie, and it is delicious!!"

Tuesday Tidbit

The model for the smiling chef on the Cream of Wheat box is believed to be Frank L. White, who died in 1938 in Leslie (pop. 2,044). A granite gravestone with an etching of the cereal box was placed on his grave in 2007. White was photographed for the cereal box about 1900 while working at a Chicago restaurant.

Tuesday Tidbit

The Saginaw River is only 20 miles long, but with its tributaries is the largest drainage system in the state.

Tuesday Tidbit

Vernors ginger ale was created in Detroit and became the first soda pop made in the United States. In 1862, pharmacist James Vernor was trying to create a new beverage when he was called away to serve our country in the Civil War. When he returned, 4 years later, the drink he had stored in an oak case had acquired a delicious gingery flavor.**


**Vernor's son suggested in 1936 that the formula was not actually developed until after the war.

Tuesday Tidbit

Sault Ste. Marie was established in 1668 making it the oldest town between the Alleghenies and the Rockies.

Tuesday Tidbit

In 1920, Detroit's WWJ begins commercial broadcasting of regular programs, the first such radio station in the United States.

Tuesday Tidbit

The city of Novi was named from its designation as Stagecoach Stop # 6 or No.VI.

(This may be my husband's favorite piece of Michigan trivia!)

Tuesday Tidbit

Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office. The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for 125 years.

JW Westcott Company

Tuesday Tidbit

According to Metroparents Magazine:

$1 spent at a local store= 68 cents for the local economy
$1 spent at a national store= 43 cents for the local economy
$1 spent at an online store = 0 cents for the local economy (the exception is a website for a local business)