Michigan Civil War Blog

Michigan Civil War State Song to be superseded?

From a Lansing capitol news service (Gongwer) comes this:

STATE SONG: There's a state bird, a state flower, a state fish and even a state soil, but Michigan has never had one official state song. Unofficially, the state song is "Michigan, My Michigan," the first version of which was written by Winifred Lee Brent of Detroit in 1862 to the tune of "O Tannenbaum." According to the Department of Natural Resources, the Civil War's battle of Fredericksburg inspired Ms. Brent to write the song. The lyrics were rewritten in subsequent years.

In 1937, the Legislature by concurrent resolution declared "My Michigan" to be an official, but not the official, state song. It never seemed to gain traction though.

Now Rep. Frank Foster (R-Petoskey) has a different take. Mr. Foster introduced HB 4263 on Thursday to make "Michigan Man," by Mike Ridley of Iron River, the official state song.

No offense to Representative Foster, and though I like the song, making this THE official State song, and thus diminishing one that commemorates the sacrifice of Michiganders who 1. Saved the Union; 2. Fought for their State; 3. Ushered in a new birth of freedom for all Americans is not a good idea. If we're going to enact THE official song, let's keep faith with the thousands of soldiers and sailors who put their lives on the line, with their families and friends and others who felt the pangs of sacrifice, and their descendants.

Groundhog Day in Michigan

MIRS has a story last nite entitled "10 Things You Didn't Know Michigan Spent Money On" based on the weekly Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) procurement contracts list. As this is a history blog primarily, it's worth quoting the first one listed:

"State Fairgrounds Security: Hold up on your double take. There isn't a state fair anymore, but the grounds it once occupied are still a liability.

'While the majority of the State Fairgrounds facility is empty, the state is still liable for the structures, any illegal activities that might occur on the premises, etc. Furthermore, there is still one tenant on the property at Joe Dumars' Fieldhouse, and they have security needs, as well,' said DTMB spokeswoman Lauren Leeds.

The state has a $1.3 million multi-year contract with Advance Security for armed security guard services."

Now those who endured the Great Recession here will well recall that the former Governor decreed that the longest-running State Fair in the Nation would have to end. And that the Fairgrounds, home of the Giant Stove, Seabiscuit statue, Ulysses S. and Julia D. Grant Home and other heritage artifacts would close "because while they are a wonderful tradition, the state fairs are not an essential purpose of government." (2009 State of State) This came under the heading of things where "we simply can’t afford them any more." At the time, the State Fair subsidy was around a half million dollars a year (some years less). [One might need to wonder why all the attention and effort to save such a paltry sum given the magnitude of the overall budget, but let's ignore that aspect and concentrate solely on the equation involved here.]

So, let's understand. We couldn't afford $500,000 and had to end our status as the longest-running State Fair in America, at a Fairgrounds that was regularly open to the public, and where at least the outside of our only publicly-owned presidential house could be viewed  ... and now we're spending more than double that, have actually increased the expenditure by 160%, so that security guards can keep people out and done so for that last 3.5 years (2010-2012 1/2, and running), meaning a total increased loss of $2.8 million. These are general funds, so they come right out of people's paychecks.

If that doesn't make you want to crawl back into your burrow this second day of February, what would?!

Here's hoping that 2013 will see the turning of this lamentable story into one that Michigan can be proud of.

Link to State origin

As posted here long ago, every day to work involves a trip down a certain two-lane road past old farmhouses and other historic properties. More recently, on a historic home tour, one of those houses was opened to the public. Lo and behold, the structure was built by Esek Pray (what a name!), delegate to the "Frostbitten Convention" of December 1836 that acted to approve the necessary step for Michigan to become the 26th State. Amazing 'coincidence' that commuting to work takes one by the house of a person from 176 years ago who helped launch this community into the Union. Closer to work, a State Historical Marker in front of the Washtenaw County building on Huron in Ann Arbor marks the event.

In just a few minutes, Michigan will turn 176 years old, it having been admitted to the United States of America on January 26, 1837. Happy Birthday, Great Lake State!

Happy Birthday Hotspur!

Today is the 201st anniversary of the birth of Michigan's first Governor, Stevens T. Mason. Thursday evening, a number of history enthusiasts gathered at Capitol Park to celebrate the forthcoming day along with the 175th year of Michigan Statehood, led by Detroit enthusiast and author Amy Elliott Bragg. Don Faber, author of a new bio on STM, also spoke. It was festive, especially given the 70+degree weather that evening, and the sun cast its light on the park in all its renovated beauty.

The sad tale of the Michigan State Fairgrounds

This is a follow-up to the excellent Lessenberry story this week.

In 2009, Michigan's then-Governor determined to shut the State Fairgrounds in Detroit and end Michigan's reign and claim to fame that it annually hosted the Nation's longest-running State Fair. Why? The then-Governor said in the 2009 State of the State address: "we must tighten our belts." So the decision was made: "I will recommend eliminating funding for both state fairs, because while they are a wonderful tradition, the state fairs are not an essential purpose of government." The savings: somewhere in the neighborhood of half a million dollars for the Lower Peninsula fair. All efforts to reverse the decision failed.

One can presume the then-Governor recollected that Detroit Pistons great Joe Dumars was using the site for good purposes: Community Center Ceremony.

This week, Michigan's now-Governor signed two bills into law positioning the Fairgrounds property for re-use. One of the reasons stated was this: "This legislation also removes an excessive fiscal cost from the state ledgers." [see: Snyder signs bills]

What gives? How can the site have been closed in order to save taxpayer $ and now transferred in order to save taxpayer $?

The answer is found in the legislative fiscal agency analysis of the two bills now made law [SFA analysis]: "Revenue from leases and rentals on the property totaled $245,500 in FY 2010-11. State expenses for maintenance of the fairgrounds totaled $1,140,000 in that year, resulting in net expenses for the property fof $894,500." The decision to terminate the annual Fair subsidy did not factor in the costs to close and shutter the site, and did not apparently factor in the existing lease rental income that was being received from all tenants. Somehow, though, even though the site was to be closed down, the Dumars lease continued, and continued access to the site was required along with security. Also, despite the statement in the SoftheS that "I’m grateful that others are stepping forward to continue this tradition" of State Fairs, only the UP Fair had a set of champions who ensured its continuation. If there was a plan for the LP Fair, it never got off the drawing board.

This is a lesson in government decisionmaking on spending. Although the dollars were thought to be 'small', the impact was far greater. Instead of a site with ongoing activity and an annual Fair that served several hundred thousand patrons, at a subsidy of $500,000, and extension of a national record, Michigan ended up with a site that served hardly any public at a cost nearly double. Also, a Department of Natural Resources 'pocket park' that taught urban youth how to fish in a pond the shape of the LP was closed down.

Happy Birthday, hometown!

According to my local government news source, today is a celebration day:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP – 185 YEARS!

Plymouth became a Township on April 12, 1827 when Governor Lewis Cass officially approved the name of Plymouth Township."

Does Michigan's history go very far back? Guess so. Nice to see the connection to Mr. Cass. Here's hoping yours truly will be around for the 200th in 2027!

Happy Birthday Governor Milliken!

Today is the 90th birthday for Michigan's longest serving chief executive. Another year or so and he will also become the Governor who lived the longest. Both achievements are appropriate, given how his life and public service stand for classiness, respect for the opposition, pragmatism, and the highest level of ethics.

As a member of the Michigan Historical Commission since 2007, yours truly sometimes looks back to see the example of those who served before me. When I look into the Milliken years and see appointments he made to the Commission, the one that stands out the most to me is Jerry Roe. Though Mr. Roe was a mainstay of the Republican Party, leading some to speculate that he would be purely partisan, he was also someone keenly interested in the State's history and heritage. You wouldn't know that if you rely exclusively on such sources as Wikipedia, but it's true.

Governor Milliken made many fine appointments, just one part of his legacy of greatness. Hats off to the senior Michigan public servant on this, a momentous date in his life and a day all Michiganders should cherish.

What are Michiganders like?

From Laura Berman's column in yesterday's Detroit News:

'After conducting focus groups in the Detroit area in late July, Dan Carol, a senior fellow at the New Policy Institute, was struck by how "tough-minded" Michigan residents and their counterparts elsewhere are. "They are like venture capitalists," he said. "They have many questions. They support spending their tax dollars for smart economic development and job creation but they want to make sure it's done in a smart way. They want these investments to last."

Michigan's survivors are increasingly wary of empty promises. Stoney [an underemployed person quoted in the story] said she supports the Legislature's move to end welfare after four years — "that's enough," she says, having never received any. Her adult sons now pay her rent and grocery bills, while she job-hunts. The Labor Day crowd applauded the idea that Detroit is — as Obama said, quoting a Chrysler commercial — "a city that's been to heck and back."

Yes, we're all gritty and tough and still, miraculously, here.'

The kind of sentiments expressed in the dedication to Michigan and the Civil War.

America's most beautiful place

Michigan has taken a beating over this past decade. Butt of jokes, victim of horrible leadership, poster child for those who are omniscient about the obvious choices that everyone else should have made, it probably has a national image that would drive even the biggest booster to tears.

Then, this morning's paper has two fascinating stories that give the lie to all the claptrap about how no one in their right mind should deign to live here.

First is the item about how ABC's Good Morning America announced that the Sleeping Bear Dunes area is America's Most Beautiful Place. Even the Michigan media is kinda confused about this, but for someone who drove through the area the first week of July after being away for many years it makes complete sense. The entire area is magical. The dunes are amazing, but so is the entire landscape from Leland all the way to Frankfort. It is a one-of-a-kind environment that draws you in and makes you want to stay. Michigan is home to America's Most Beautiful Place?! Oh yeah, and many, many more could be added to such a list.

Then is a column entitled "The allure of the Great Lakes State brings a family back to Michigan", found here: DetNews  Another head-shaker, right? "Allure"?! -- must be a headline writer gone bad, surely. For once, the headline is on point with the story. For someone with a fondness for Thomas Wolfe, I enjoyed the author's allusions to two of his greatest works, but more so the personal slants of this expatriate who has come home to Michigan to teach after being unable to escape the powerful magnetic draw home that so many of us feel once we moved away. We only appreciated Michigan once it was gone.

Which leads to a small editorial, here. Boosterism is not the point of this blog; telling true stories about the Great Lake State and its heritage is. One need not embellish history to make eyebrows raise here; after doing a number of talks on Michigan and the Civil War during this first Sesquicentennial year, it is obvious that the tales can tell themselves and sink deep into the hearts of surprised listeners -- if only a voice would utter them. Some have been doing this for years; it is an honor for yours truly to have found a small part in sharing the story of American's most beautiful place, Michigan. We need to appreciate it, all of it, including the heritage that is so amazing and so fragile, before it is gone.

The significance of a date

Today is the 174th anniversary of the day that Michigan became a State. Pretty significant for those of us here who would rather not be residing in a territory, and given these provisions of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution:

"Section 3. New states may be admitted by the Congress into this union; but no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any particular state.

Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence."

A bit of a difference, there.

Just as a bit of a difference can have enormous historiographical import: Lincoln pardon altered