Today, we commemorate pivotal moments in Michigan's history: the establishment of the first European outpost by Robert Cavalier de la Salle in 1679, the opening of the current Belle Isle Bridge in Detroit in 1923, and the debut of the Mackinac Bridge in 1957—the largest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere, maintained through tolls and fees.
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November 1st marks the anniversary of the first European outpost in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. In 1679, Robert Cavalier de la Salle built a fort at the mouth of the St. Joseph River, establishing a European presence on the lower peninsula.
In 1923, the current bridge to Belle Isle in Detroit was opened, replacing a wooden bridge that burned in 1915.
On this day in 1957 the Mackinac Bridge opened to traffic for the very first time. With a length totaling 5 miles, it is the largest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere, and fifth longest suspension bridge in the world. Constructed with 42,000 miles of wire in the main cables and over a million steel bolts. Maintenance on the mighty Mac is paid for entirely with tolls and fees.