Lansing, Michigan
Why is Michigan’s capital in Lansing? Lansing is not the most populous city in the state, as that honor has always been held by Detroit. Lansing, while more centrally located than Detroit, is still quite far from the Upper Peninsula. A more centralized location would be closer to St. Louis, Michigan, if you look at the lower peninsula or “the mitten”, or Manton, Michigan, if you include both peninsulas. No, the reason for Lansing’s foundation stems from the outcome of the War of 1812.
Detroit was the capital of the Michigan Territory when the war began, and British Troops captured the area. Even after the war, British troops were stationed directly across the Detroit River in the modern-day city of Windsor, Ontario. What Michigan needed was a “More Defensible Capital Building.”
Lansing met the requirements for the new capital, and in 1847, the legislature voted to transform a small township in the “howling wilderness” of southern Michigan into the state’s seat of government. According to a display in the capitol building, there were only eight registered voters in the Lansing township when it was voted on as the state’s capital. Today, Lansing thrives as Michigan’s capital, and the building is a showcase for Michiganders and tourists alike.
Visitors to Michigan’s capitol building can take a self-guided tour going to the house chamber, the senate chamber, and to the capital grounds. Information about visiting the the Michigan Capitol Building is found here. Visitors to the state capitol building can also book guided tours.
We appreciated our brief stop in Lansing and were glad to visit this architectural treasure. Michigan’s Capitol building is a classy and refined structure, making it an excellent venue for the state’s governance.