Travel Articles

Lansing is Michigan’s state capital. Go to the Michigan Historical Center in downtown Lansing. These connected buildings house the Archives, the State Library and the Historical Museum. The museum has interesting displays beginning with the dawn of the Native Americans to the present days. One of the interesting facts was the surveyor’s layout of the grids of Michigan, which President Jefferson ordered. There are baseline and meridian roads, which were the starting point for the surveyors.

Find about the great war between Ohio and Michigan. No one was injured. Rumor has it that one chicken died. The war lasted for a few weeks. One day the men from Ohio would fire their guns. The next day the men from Michigan would do the same. This went on and on. The results of this conflagration was that Michigan got the Upper Peninsula, while Ohio got a sliver of land which is now Toledo. Who got the best deal? At that time it was Ohio. Later on, the tables shifted.

The state capital in Lansing was built on a budget and came in under it (mirabile dictu). The building is built with native woods, especially pine, and stone and bricks. Everything else is painted to give the illusion of marble, walnut and other precious building materials. The floor of the rotunda is glass, opaque, but strong. Because of the Chicago fire, two results occurred. The building had to be fire proof, or nearly so. The bidding on the architectural designs were extended, because many were burned from the fire. Apparently they did a good job. The building still stands and some of the paint is from the original construction.

What is a trip to Lansing without going to MSU (Michigan State University), which is right down the street a couple of miles in East Lansing. Drive around the campus; very beautiful. There are many museums on campus. It seems that each college has their own collection of artifacts, which they put on display.

John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a full-time RVer, who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music., A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures, links, and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org