In Michigan’s nearly 175-year history, its broad spectrum of innovations, brought forth by a creative entrepreneurial spirit, has been watched not only by the country, but the world.
From industry to the arts and entertainment, our state has crafted a rich legacy of influence from its acclaim as the automotive capital of the world or the contributions of its steam-powered lumber mills that helped to build a nation, to its right as the birthplace of Motown and home to the second largest theater district in the United States.
Most people think of our stature as the “automotive capital of the world” to mean manufacturing, but Michigan didn’t just manufacture cars, it designed the most beautiful cars the world has ever seen.
The spirit of innovation and creativity that is uniquely Michigan has left its mark not only throughout our state, but our country and the world.
For instance, Albert Kahn, one of the most notable architects of our time, helped build our automotive reputation with his revolutionary work in factory development, like the River Rouge Plant in Dearborn, which in its time was the largest manufacturing complex in the U.S. He created bases contributing to our defense during World War I and solidified Detroit’s position as the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II. Kahn also designed offices and homes with immeasurable aesthetic value, as in his Fisher Building, which define the Detroit skyline and many of the classic buildings at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Detroit revolutionized the newspaper business through James E. Scripps, founder of the Detroit News, making it more accessible. Michigan-raised Thomas Alva Edison developed devices changing history with the phonograph, motion picture camera, and of course, the light bulb.
All of these notable innovators and their contributions embody the possibilities that can be created through the creative industries and serve as important reminders of our past that act as windows to what today’s innovators hold for our future.
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