Momentous Moments of Michigan History, Part Three of Three

Concluding our three part series of Michigan History, we are picking up where we left off in the mid-1950s to today. Find out more below.

1957– Detroit Lions win their 4th (and most recent) NFL Championship, defeating Cleveland Browns 59-14 at Briggs Stadium.

1957 – Fort Wayne, Indiana Pistons NBA team moves to Detroit.

1957 – November 1 – The five-mile long Mackinac Bridge opens.

1959 – Berry Gordy, Jr. founds Motown Records in Detroit.

1974 – Gerald R. Ford of Grand Rapids becomes the 38th President of the United States.

1976 – Throwaway bottles are banned by a referendum vote.

1977 – The Renaissance Center is dedicated, marking a revival of downtown Detroit.

1980 – The Republican National Convention is held in Detroit.

1981 – The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum are dedicated in Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids, respectively.

1984 – Detroit Tigers win their 4th (and most recent) World Series Champsionship, defeating San Diego Padres 4 games to 1.

1989– Detroit Pistons win their 1st NBA Championship, defeating Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to none.

1998 – Chrysler Corporation merges with the German auto company Daimler-Benz, forming DaimlerChrysler

2002 – Jennifer M. Granholm becomes the first woman elected governor of the state of Michigan.

2004 – Detroit Pistons win their 3rd (and most recent) NBA Championship, defeating Los Angeles Lakers 4-1.

2008 – Detroit Red Wings win their 11th (and most recent) Stanley Cup, defeating Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2.

2009 – General Motors GM – announced cut of 21,000 US jobs, phasing out Pontiac brand;
Chrysler filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy;

2012 – General Motors reported record profits for 2011