The Michigan Quarter was the first quarter released in 2004, as 26th state in the Union. The quarter features an outline of Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes, which make up the largest body of freshwater in the entire world. The lakes are an important part of Michigan’s history, which is why they are featured on the coin and responsible for one of the state’s nicknames: The Great Lakes State. This nickname is also featured on the coin.
Michigan, which actually adopted ‘The Wolverine State’ as its nickname, became a state in 1837. It is the only state that consists of two peninsulas entirely, and is bordered by Ohio and Indiana to the south, Wisconsin from the Upper Peninsula, Illinois via a water boundary, and Canada via land and water boundaries. The two parts of the state are separated by the Straits of Mackinac, which is a five-mile wide channel that connects Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Michigan, like most states, was home to many different tribes of Native Americans before Europeans settled the land. Algonquian people were the most prominent in the area, namely the Ottawa and the Chippewa. In the 17th century, French settlers came to the area and the first permanent settlement was founded in 1668, which is today’s Sault Sainte-Marie. In the war of 1812, Michigan territory was captured by the British, given to Canada, and was subsequently taken over by the Americans in 1813. Due to the growth of population and industry, statehood was considered in the 1830s, and officially declared on January 26, 1837.