Why is ‘Michigan Month’ Happening in Upstate New York?
At the onset of hearing about this story, I was admittedly confused. “Michigan Month” is actually a thing in a city called Plattsburgh, New York. It’s a small city in…
Illustrated map of the state of Michigan in United States with cities and landmarks. Editable vector illustration
At the onset of hearing about this story, I was admittedly confused. "Michigan Month" is actually a thing in a city called Plattsburgh, New York. It's a small city in upstate New York with a population of around just 20,000.
Starting on July 1, 2022, it is officially "Michigan Month" in this small town, as they recently explained on Instagram. How can this be? That's a good question, and I'm here to attempt to answer it.
Apparently, what Michiganders call a "Coney dog," people in Plattsburg, New York, call a "Michigan." I mean, it kind of makes sense, because the Coney dog is a Michigan favorite. Coney dogs are popular in the Detroit area and beyond, offering a juicy hot dog topped with bean-less chili, onions and mustard, positioned on a steamed bun. It doesn't get much better than that, kids. Technically, a "Michigan," according to Syracuse.com, is "a steamed hot dog covered in a meat sauce and topped with chopped raw onions and a stripe or two of yellow mustard. (The onions and mustard are optional, and they can be worn on top of the meat sauce or buried beneath.) The sauce, rumored to have been invented by a Detroit woman who moved to Plattsburgh, is thicker than most meat sauces but not as thick as chili."
Michigan Month in Plattsburgh, New York, also brings a 5K road race, locally designed T-shirts and a passport that residents are able to get stamped at any restaurant that cook Michigans. Restaurants known for serving Michigans in the area include Ronnie's, Clare and Carl's, McSweeney's and Gus's Red Hots. The whole thing has me wondering what other food we can coin as a Michigan. I'm thinking cherry pie, Superman ice cream or Mackinac Island Fudge. Let's just start calling those things "Michigans." Now I'm hungry.
Michigan has a slew of beautiful parks and outdoor areas that are a major tourist attraction for Michiganders and those beyond the Mitten. It's easy to find state parks, campgrounds and outdoor recreation areas throughout the state, which makes it simple to find summertime things to do in the state.
Of course, many of Michigan's most charming state parks are located on or near one of the Great Lakes. It doesn't get much more beautiful than exploring a state park near the water. I'm actually more of an ocean kind of girl, but since we're so far from the ocean here in Michigan, you really can't go wrong enjoying the gorgeous lakes.
If you're looking for some summertime fun, I've put together a list of 30 beautiful Michigan state parks to get on your to-visit list. I've only been to a few of these parks, but the ones I've visited are breathtaking. Last summer, I traveled to Sleepy Hollow State Park in Laingsburg and did some hiking, which offered an endless array of beautiful views of nature. Another one on the list that I've visited is Ludington State Park Beach, which offers some great views of lighthouses.
If you're looking for some interesting Michigan state park trivia, Michigan's 101 state parks and recreation areas cover 306,000 acres (124,000 ha) with 14,100 campsites in 142 campgrounds and over 900 miles (1,400 km) of trails. The state parks get 28 million annual visitors. Michigan's state parks system was launched in 1919. There are three Michigan state parks that pre-date the creation of the park system in 1919, and those include Mackinac Island State Park (1895), Michilimackinac State Park (1909) and Interlochen State Park (1917). According to Michigan.gov, Michigan has 103 state parks and 138 state forest campgrounds. "In Michigan, you’re never more than a half hour away from a state park, state forest campground or state trail system," they state.
