Michigan Dates in History - June

From ratifying the 19th Amendment to give women the right to vote to the opening of Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park — June is full interesting anniversaries and memories for the Great Lakes State. How many of these did you know?

June 3, 1965

Astronaut James McDivitt from Jackson became the first Michiganian to orbit the earth in outer space.

June 6, 1706

The first major confrontation between the French and local Native Americans occurs when a French commander’s dog bites an Ottawa. Fighting leaves Father Nicolas de L’Halle, Ste. Anne’s priest, and 30 Ottawa dead.

June 6, 1822

Alexis Ste. Martin, a fur trapper was accidentally shot in the stomach on Mackinac Island. Army doctor William Beaumont treated him. The wound failed to heal allowing Beaumont to observe and conduct experiments on the process of digestion.

June 6, 1925

Chrysler Corporation was incorporated.

June 6, 1975

A convicted hog thief and bad check writer escaped from Jackson Prison in a hijacked helicopter. A friend forced the pilot to land in the prison yard where the prisoner was hiding. He was arrested the next day at a bar in Leslie.

June 10, 1919

Michigan became the second state to ratify the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote.

June 11, 1805

Great Fire of 1805 - Detroit. On the morning of June 11, 1805, the city of Detroit caught fire. With the exception of one stone fort and the brick chimneys of wooden houses, the city was leveled to the ground by that afternoon.

June 11, 1961

Norm Cash, in a game against the Washington Senators, became the first Detroit Tiger to hit a ball out of Tiger Stadium. Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle had hit balls out of the park for visiting teams.

June 13, 1903

The Ford Motor Company was formed by nine investors who put up $28,000 in cash and promised to invest another $21,000. Henry Ford was vice president and general manager. He had failed in other car making ventures, but this time he had the capable assistance of James Cousins who deserves much of the credit for the company’s success.

June 13, 1929

“Belly Bombers” became available when Detroit’s first White Castle opened on East Jefferson.

June 15, 1948

In the first night baseball game in Detroit the Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics (4– 1) under the lights at Briggs Stadium (later Tiger Stadium).

June 16, 1820

Territorial Governor Lewis Cass lowered a British flag flying over Sault Ste. Marie. It was the last foreign flag to assert sovereignty over any part of Michigan.

June 17, 1866

Lewis Cass died at Detroit. Cass had served as governor of Michigan Territory, US Senator, Secretary of War under Andrew Jackson and as Secretary of State under James Buchanan. He ran for the presidency of the United States in 1848. Cass helped organize the Historical Society of Michigan in 1828.

June 17, 1875

Frederick Sanders, the father of the ice cream soda, opens his store on Woodward Avenue.

June 18, 1898

The Detroit, Belle Isle and Windsor Ferry Company opened Bob-lo Island Amusement park.

June 22, 1933

Greenfield Village allowed visits by the general public for the first time.

June 22, 1937

Joe Louis, the “Brown Bomber,” won the title as heavyweight champion of the world by knocking out James Braddock. Louis remained undefeated and retained his title until 1949.