Michigan Civil War Blog

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

Jeffersonian origins of "Michigan"

On this date two hundred and six years ago, the territory of Michigan came into existence:

An ACT to divide the Indiana Territory into two separate governments.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the thirtieth day of June next, all that part of the Indiana Territory, which lies north of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan, until it shall intersect Lake Erie, and East of a line drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern boundary of the United States, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate territory, and be called Michigan.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be established within the said territory, a government in all respects similar to that provided by the ordinance of Congress, passed on the thirteenth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, for the government of the territory of the United States, northwest of the river Ohio; and by an act passed on the seventh day of August, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, entitled "An act to provide for the government of the territory north west of the river Ohio;" and the inhabitants thereof shall be entitled to, and enjoy all and singular the rights, privileges, and advantages granted and secured to the people of the territory of the United States, northwest of the river Ohio, by the said ordinance.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the officers for the said territory, who by virtue of this act shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall respectively exercise the same powers, perform the same duties, and receive for their services the same compensations, as by the ordinance aforesaid and the laws of the United States, have been provided and established for similar officers in the Indiana Territory; and the duties and emoluments of superintendent of Indian affairs, shall be united with those of governor.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act contained, shall be construed so as, in any manner, to affect the government now in force in the Indiana Territory, further than to prohibit the exercise thereof within the said territory of Michigan, from and after the aforesaid thirtieth day of June next.

Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That all suits, process, and proceeding, which, on the thirtieth day of June next, shall be pending in the court of any county, which shall be included within the said territory of Michigan; and also all suits, process, and proceedings, which on the said thirtieth day of June next, shall be pending in the general court of the Indiana Territory, in consequence of any writ of removal, or order for trial at bar, and which had been removed from any of the counties included within the limits of the territory of Michigan aforesaid, shall, in all things concerning the same, be proceeded on, and judgments and decrees rendered thereon, in the same manner as if the said Indiana Territory had remained undivided.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That Detroit shall be the seat of government of the said territory, until Congress shall otherwise direct.

Nathl. Macon,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A. Burr,

Vice-President of the United States, and President of the Senate.

January 11, 1805.

Approved,

TH: JEFFERSON.

Will we see this in the LP in '11?

One of the top 10 Upper Peninsula stories by one media account included this:

"U.P. State Fair under local control

ESCANABA - The U.P. State Fair returned to the fairgrounds in Escanaba under the control of the newly-formed U.P. State Fair Authority.

Under the direction of the Authority, fairgoers also saw the return of stock car racing to the grandstand arena.

A record 51,500 people passed through the gates during the week-long event in 2010. A projection set in October, when the Authority took over control of the fair was 45,000 paid gate admissions for the fair.

Revenues also exceeded the projected income by $14,000 at the gate, with the fair taking in $364,333. The gate proceeds for 2010 exceeded the amount taken during the final year of the fair being funded by the State of Michigan.

In 2009, gate proceeds were set at $321,113.

The U.P. State Fair Authority, with members from all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula, took control of the fairgrounds Oct. 1, 2009, after Gov. Jennifer Granholm announced the state would cease to provide funding for the annual event due to budget constraints."

A great story. Especially in contrast to the Lower Peninsula State Fairgrounds situation: closed, padlocked, with no prospect of revival in sight. With the Ulysses S. Grant home off limits and ... well, it's better to be positive and say ... there's no where to go but up.

New Governor quotes Lincoln

Michigan Governor Snyder invoked Abraham Lincoln during his inaugural today:

'President Abraham Lincoln was looking to America’s future during the darkest times of the Civil War when he said: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise to the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.”

We can heed his words and enter this new year with a clean slate.'

Year in review

This last year of the first decade of this new millenium is in the books at midnite. Can we look back at any progress on Michigan efforts in Civil War and other historical commemoration?

Yes. Let's look first at "other". Perhaps the most significant and gratifying to Michiganders should be the renewal of Capitol Park in Detroit. It's the site of our only territorial capitol, which became the first State capitol in 1837 upon admission to the Union. There is so much history there, it ain't funny. The park has been redone by the City of Detroit, and the heritage aspects are beginning to be resuscitated, beginning with proper commemoration of Michigan's first ('boy') Governor, Stevens T. Mason. Check it out: Boy Guv. It was exciting to see t-shirts and posters in connection with the event, the latter of which proclaimed "Michigan begins again in Capitol Park, Detroit." It was gratifying to reach the $100,000 donation mark. Halfway there.

During '10, the Michigan Historical Commission and its partners, the Historical Center and History Foundation, continued to push ahead with the workplan they devised in '07-'08. The Commission continued to advocate on behalf of Michigan history interests (often times to deaf ears, unfortunately), the Center continued to offer programs especially to youth despite budget cuts and personnel losses, and the Foundation continued to raise money for the "MHCs" despite a terrible economic climate.

The Historical Society of Michigan continued to move ahead as well. It continues to publish Michigan History magazine, coordinate the centennial farms program, offer seminars and conferences, and do other good things.

One minor event: there was a certain reappointment to the Commission way back in March, giving the re-apppointee four more years to try to help move the history needle forward.

Then, of so much importance, there's the continuing work on the Sesquicentennial. The Fall was especially busy, what with our second conference at Grand Valley State in October, the convening of the full complement of "Partners" in November, unveiling of the website [http://micivilwar.org/] and logo, and ongoing efforts to raise funds. Again, despite a very difficult year -- and almost paralysis in public quarters due to uncertainty about the future, if any -- the Committee continued to work and build the foundation for an authentic, grassroots based commemoration.

There is so much work to do. There are places to save, events to commemorate, people to be enlightened. It will be quite interesting a year from now to see how '11 has turned out. Right now, there are high hopes in these quarters.

In a real sense we are beginning again as a State. We're picking ourselves up from a low point and striding forward. It's simply what we must do.