- Michigan had the world’s first concrete road built in 1901 at Detroit.
- Traditionally, Michigan ranks first in the nation in the number of registered watercraft.
- The state highway system has over 1,900 miles of paved shoulders (greater than four feet wide) suitable for bicycling and over 100 miles of separate paths.
- Michigan was first in the nation in developing roadside parks and picnic tables.
- Michigan has more than 120,000 miles of public roads and streets as of 2002. This is a distance of well over four times around the earth at the equator.
- The Mackinac Bridge is one of the greatest man-made wonders of the world.
- The nation’s first wildlife sanctuary is at Wintergreen Lake and was established by W. K. Kellogg.
- Iron Mountain boasts the world’s highest man-made ski jump.
- Michigan established the first state university and also the first agricultural (land grant) college in the world.
- Michigan was the first state to legalize tax support for high schools.
- Michigan had the first separate state education department and the first state superintendent of public education.
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