Lansing, Michigan - Timeline

Timeline

• 1825 – Lansing Township surveyed.
• 1836 – A pair of New York speculators plot and market a non-existent city known as "Biddle City." The New Yorkers that bought into the idea arrive in Lansing to discover that the plots they had bought are located in a marsh, and are underwater. Some of the pioneers stay, but develop a village in what is now Old Town Lansing a mile north of the non-existent "Biddle City."
• 1847 – The state capital moved from Detroit to Lansing Township.
• 1855 – Michigan State University is founded as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan.
• 1859 – The city of Lansing officially incorporated with about 3,000 citizens inside of 7.5 square miles (19 km2).
• 1879 – New State Capitol dedicated. The structure cost $1,510,130.
• 1881 – Michigan Millers Insurance Company founded.
• 1897 – Ransom E. Olds drives his first car down a Lansing street. Later that year he founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company, which became the Oldsmobile division of General Motors in 1908, and he was also the founder of the REO Motor Car Company in 1904, both headquartered in Lansing.
• 1904 – The "most extensive flood in 135 years of local history" causes the Grand River to overflow its banks on March 24–27, leading to major damage and one death. Bridges at Logan Street, Kalamazoo Street, Cedar Street and Mt. Hope Road are all washed away. The Kalamazoo St. bridge lodges against the Michigan Avenue bridge; it is later salvaged and re-erected at Kalamazoo Street.
• 1910 – The population of the city nearly doubles from the 1900 census to 31,229.
• 1912 – The Accident Fund Insurance Company of America founded.
• 1916 – Auto-Owners Insurance Company founded.
• 1929 – The Lansing Symphony Orchestra founded.
• 1940 – Lansing's population stagnates, only rising by 356 over the decade to 78,753.
• 1954 – Frandor Mall opens – first in the area, and second in the state.
• 1956 – The city reaches 15 square miles (39 km2) in size.
• 1957 – Lansing Community College founded.
• 1960 – The city's population finally breaks the 100,000 mark at 107,807.
• 1961 – Jackson National Life Insurance Company founded.
• 1965 – The city reaches 33.3 square miles (86.2 km2) in size.
• 1970 – Lansing reaches its peak population of 131,546.
• 1972 – The Thomas M. Cooley Law School founded.
• 1980 – Lansing's population declines for the first time losing 989 to hit 130,414.
• 1987 – The Sesquicentennial is celebrated in Lansing
• 1989 – The Library of Michigan and Historical Center near the Capitol Complex dedicated.
• 1992 – The Michigan State Capitol completes an extensive renovation to restore it to its original grandeur.
• 1998 – Mayor David Hollister signs a 425 Agreement with Alaiedon Township in September to facilitate the development of the headquarters of Jackson National Life Insurance Company.
• 1999 – Mayor David Hollister signs a 425 Agreement with Meridian Township in November to facilitate the development of the Governor's Collection/College Fields upscale housing development and golf course.
• 2000 – Lansing's population experiences its greatest drop in its history, falling over 6% over the preceding decade to 119,128.
• 2001 – GM opens new assembly plant, Lansing Grand River Assembly. Builds the Cadillac CTS, STS, SRX and V-Series. The architecture of the assembly plant resembles a high-tech research facility instead of a traditional factory.
• 2002 – The Hall of Justice (Michigan Supreme Court building) at the West-end of the Capitol Complex is dedicated.
• 2004 – Last Oldsmobile rolls off the assembly line at Lansing Car Assembly on April 29. This same year the Thomas M. Cooley Law School becomes the largest law school in the nation.
• 2005 – Mayor Tony Benavides signs a series of three 425 Agreements with Delta Township and General Motors facilitating the development General Motors' Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant.
• 2006 – GM opens state-of-the-art facility in nearby Delta Charter Township. As with the 2001 assembly plant built in Lansing, the Delta plant resembles a high-tech research facility and not a traditional factory.
• 2008 – Accident Fund Insurance Company of America announces the renovation of the Ottawa Street Power Station and addition of modern buildings connected by an atrium for their new headquarters.
• 2009 – Construction begins on the new Lansing City Market along the Grand River and the river trail in downtown Lansing.
• 2009 – Auto-Owners Insurance Co. announces it will invest $105.3 million into expanding its Lansing headquarters and adding 800 new jobs.
• 2010 – The Eyde Development Company announced they will be spending $22–$24 million to renovate the landmark Knapp's Building in downtown Lansing.
• 2010 – Kiplinger names Lansing one of the "10 Great Cities for Young Adults."