Michigan’s Oldest Town is Older Than America by More Than 100 Years

America was founded by the Continental Congress issuing the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. One Michigan town is 108 years older than America.

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What Was American Before 1776?

Before July 4, 1776, America was a series of British colonies that go back to the 17th and early 18th centuries in what is now a part of the eastern United States.

13 colonies along the Atlantic coast continued to grow right up until the American Revolution, but what was Michigan before any of this?

What Was Michigan Before it Became a State?

For a brief period, the Michigan Territory included Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and part of the Dakotas.

It wasn't until January 26, 1837, that Michigan became the 26th state in the Union. It was long before 1837 that Michigan's original roots were planted.

The Oldest Michigan Town is Over 100 Years Older Than America

108 years before there was an America, Michigan's oldest town was founded in 1668.

That town was Sault Ste. Marie. Yes, Sault Ste. Marie is Michigan's oldest city, but also among the oldest cities in the United States.

Sault Ste. Marie is located at the northeastern edge of the Upper Peninsula, separated by the St. Marys River from the much larger city of Sault Ste.

French settler Jacques Marquette founded Michigan's first permanent European settlement in 1668. Michigan's name came from the Indian word for Michigama which meant big lake or great water.