The Curious Tale: How a Snow Fort Named a Michigan City

I love learning new things about Michigan, One of the most interesting things to me is the story behind how some of our cities got their names.

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Some of the cities were named after Indian tribe leaders, or explorers that developed the area.

One example is Pontiac which was named after the Odawa (Ottawa) war leader, Pontiac, who was known for his role in a rebellion against British rule after the French and Indian War.

Another is Tecumseh which was named after the famous Shawnee leader, Tecumseh, who resisted American expansion in the early 19th century.

I recently learned about a Michigan city that got its name for a very interesting reason.

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How Did Frankfort Michigan Get It's Name?

The story behind how Frankfort, Michigan got it's name goes back to 1885.

According to Michigan.org, a man by the name of Frank Martin built a home on the northern shores of the swamp delta of the Betsie River.

When the winter weather came along big snowdrifts surrounded his house; so Frank built a wooden stockade around it to keep the snowdrifts away.

According to legend, his neighbors thought it looked like a fort, so when the neighbors referred to Martin’s home they called it “Franks Fort”.

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As time went on, it was shortened to Frankfort and the town had a name.

Do you know of any cool or interesting stories behind how other Michigan cities got their names?

Please share the story with me by sending a message.