Lansing, Michigan, United States

History | Origins | Notable events | Geography | Neighborhoods | Districts | Immigration and resettlement | Government | Economy : Top Employers | Healthcare | Urban renewal | Economy : Retail | Education | Schools | Parades | Culture : Music | Farmers' markets | Libraries | Culture : Museums : Theatre | Potter Park Zoo | Other area destinations | Newspapers and magazines | Media : Television : Radio | Sport

🇺🇸 Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. It is the sixth largest city in Michigan. The population of its metropolitan statistical area is the third largest in the state after metropolitan Detroit and Grand Rapids. It was named the new state capital of Michigan in 1847, ten years after Michigan became a state.

The Lansing metropolitan area, colloquially referred to as "Mid-Michigan", is an important centre for educational, cultural, governmental, commercial, and industrial functions. Neighboring East Lansing is home to Michigan State University, a public research university with an enrolment of more than 50,000. The area features two medical schools, one veterinary school, two nursing schools, and two law schools. It is the site of the Michigan State Capitol, the state Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, a federal court, the Library of Michigan and Historical Center, and headquarters of four national insurance companies.

Lansing is the only U.S. state capital (among the 47 located in counties) that is not also a county seat. The seat of government of Ingham County is Mason, but the county maintains some offices in Lansing.

History The first recorded person of European descent to travel through the area that is now Lansing was British fur trader Hugh Heward and his French-Canadian team on April 24, 1790, while canoeing the Grand River. The land that was to become Lansing was surveyed as "Township 4 North Range 2 West" in February 1827 in what was then dense forest. It was the last of the county's townships to be surveyed, and the land was not offered for sale until October 1830. There would be no roads to this area for decades to come.

Founding myth Historians have lamented the persistence of a myth about Lansing's founding.

The incorrect story of Lansing's beginnings states that in the winter of 1835 and early 1836, two brothers from New York plotted the area now known as REO Town just south of downtown Lansing and named it "Biddle City". This land lay in a floodplain and was underwater during the majority of the year. Nevertheless, the brothers went back to Lansing, New York, to sell plots for the town that did not exist. They told the New Yorkers this new "city" had an area of 65 blocks, a church and a public and academic square. 16 men bought plots in the nonexistent city, and upon reaching the area later that year found they were the victims of the scam. Many in the group, disappointed and now without funds to move on again, opted to stay and ended up settling around what is now metropolitan Lansing.

The story has persisted due to a 1904 newspaper article, which cited a memoir told by Daniel W. Buck, a respected Lansing mayor and son of one of the early pioneers. His story was cited in Michigan pioneer papers and retold in newspaper articles multiple times in the decades that followed. His characterization of the city as being born from a "land scam" was incorrect, though his story had some elements of truth as well.

Origins The brothers were William and Jerry Ford. Although they were originally from New York, they were well-respected businessmen who hailed from Jackson and were instrumental during its earliest years.

In 1836, they bought 290 acres in the north-west corner of Ingham County. They platted the land and hoped to build a community they named Biddle City, located south of the convergence of the Grand River and the Red Cedar River, in Lansing's present-day REO Town neighborhood. Biddle City's plat map included plans for a public square, church square and academy square. They sold 21 parcels of it — mostly to other Michiganders, not New Yorkers — and buyers understood that it was not yet a real city. Unfortunately, Biddle City never took off. The financial Panic of 1837 forced the brothers to heavily mortgage the property, and the city never materialized.

Biddle City was not Lansing's original name, nor a precursor to it, as the plat was located outside of Lansing's original city limits.

Originally, all that existed was Lansing Township, named in 1842 by an early settler, Joseph E. North Sr., after Lansing in Tompkins County, NY, where he was from.

The settlement of fewer than 20 people that would become the City of Lansing remained quiet until the winter of 1847. The state constitution required the capital be moved from Detroit to a more central and safer location in the state's interior in 1847; many were concerned about Detroit's proximity to British-controlled Canada, which had captured Detroit in the War of 1812. The United States had recaptured the city in 1813, but these events led to the dire need to have the centre of government relocated further away from hostile British territory. There was also concern with Detroit's strong influence over Michigan politics, being the state's largest city as well as the capital city.

During the multi-day session to determine a new location for the state capital, many cities, including Ann Arbor, Marshall, and Jackson, lobbied hard to win this designation. Unable to publicly reach a consensus because of constant political wrangling, the Michigan House of Representatives privately chose the Township of Lansing out of frustration. When announced, many present openly laughed that such an insignificant settlement was now Michigan's capital. Two months later, Governor William L. Greenly signed into law the act of the legislature making Lansing Township the state capital.

With the announcement that Lansing Township had been made the capital, the small settlement quickly transformed into the seat of state government. Within months after it became the capital city, further individual settlements began to develop around it, along three key points along the Grand River in the township: • "Lower Village/Town", where present-day Old Town stands, was the oldest of the three villages. It was home to the first house built in Lansing in 1843 by pioneer James Seymour and his family. Lower Town began to develop in 1847 with the completion of the Franklin Avenue (now Grand River Avenue) covered bridge over the Grand River. • "Upper Village/Town", where present-day REO Town stands at the confluence of the Grand River and the Red Cedar River. It began to take off in 1847 when the Main Street Bridge was constructed over the Grand River. This village's focal point was the Benton House, a 4-story hotel, which opened in 1848. It was the first brick building in Lansing and was later razed in 1900. • "Middle Village/Town", where downtown Lansing now stands, was the last of the three villages to develop in 1848 with the completion of the Michigan Avenue bridge across the Grand River and the completion of the temporary capitol building which sat where Cooley Law School stands today on Capitol Avenue between Allegan and Washtenaw Streets, and finally the relocation of the post office to the village in 1851. This area would grow to become larger than the other two villages up and down river.

The collection of original settlements ("Upper Town", "Lower Town" and "Middle Town") had for some years been collectively referred to as the "Village of Michigan". On February 16, 1842, Alaiedon township was split into the townships of Lansing, Delhi and Meridian (originally suggested as "Genoa") based on a petition submitted in December 1841 by Henry North, Roswell Everett and Zalmon Holmes. Henry North proposed the name "Lansing" for the township at the request of his father, who wanted it named after their old town of Lansing, New York.

On February 15, 1859, the settlement, having grown to nearly 3,000 and encompassing about seven square miles (18 km²) in area, was incorporated as a city, carving off a section of seven square miles from Lansing Township. The boundaries of the original city were Douglas Avenue to the north, Wood and Regent streets to the east, Mount Hope Avenue to the south, and Jenison Avenue to the west. These boundaries would remain until 1916. Lansing began to grow steadily over the next two decades with the completion of the railroads through the city, a plank road, and the completion of the current capitol building in 1878.

Most of what is known as Lansing today is the result of the city becoming an industrial powerhouse which began with the founding of Olds Motor Vehicle Company in August 1897. The company went through many changes, including a buyout, between its founding to 1905 when founder Ransom E. Olds started his new REO Motor Car Company, which would last in Lansing for another 70 years. Olds would be joined by the less successful Clarkmobile around 1903. Over the next decades, the city would be transformed into a major American industrial centre for the manufacturing of automobiles and parts, among other industries. The city also continued to grow in area. By 1956, the city had grown to 15 square miles (39 km²), and doubled in size over the next decade to its current size of roughly 33 square miles (85 km²).

Today, the city's economy is diversified among government service, healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, banking, and education.

Notable events Anti-slavery movement In the late 1840s to early 1850s, the citizens of Lansing were unified against slavery, and the city became a secondary stop on the Underground Railroad, as one of the last steps of an escape route that led through Battle Creek, Schoolcraft and Cassopolis. From Lansing, the route led to Durand, and then to either Port Huron or Detroit.

Major fires The Kerns Hotel fire on December 11, 1934, was the deadliest in the city's history. Perhaps thirty-four people died in the fire, although the hotel register was also destroyed making an exact count impossible.

On February 8, 1951, the Elliott-Larsen Building was intentionally set on fire by a state office employee. The following morning, the seventh floor collapsed down to the next level, which destroyed a large number of state historical records.

Elephant incident On September 26, 1963, a 12-year-old, 3,000-pound female dancing elephant named Rajje (alternately reported as Raji and Little Rajjee, among other variations) rebelled against her trainer during a performance in a shopping-center circus near what was then Logan Street and Holmes Road in Lansing, and escaped into the streets, aggravated by the frenzied pursuit of nearly 4,000 local residents. The incident ended with the shooting of the elephant by Lansing police. Provoked by the growing crowd, Rajje's rampage took her through the men's wear, sporting goods and gift departments of a local Arlan's discount store before leading police on a two-mile chase in which she knocked down and injured a 67-year-old man, tried to move a car, and caused thousands of dollars in damage before being killed.

Life Magazine quoted Rajje's trainer, William Pratt, as shouting at the scene, "Damn these people […] They wouldn't leave her alone".

The incident was widely reported, including a photospread in Life. While the Lansing State Journal coverage stressed the danger of the incident, the Detroit Free Press noted that witnesses cried out "Murderers! Murderers!" as police fired eight shots.

Author Nelson Algren cites the injustice and sad end of the pursuit of "Raji, the Pixie-Eared Elephant" in continuity with the ambush of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in his introduction to a 1968 biography of the outlaws. Then teenage Lansing residents who had goaded the elephant later on recalled the incident with sober regret in a local newspaper retrospective in 2011.

Geography Lansing is the centerpiece of a region of Michigan known as Mid-Michigan.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 36.68 square miles (95.00 km²), of which 36.05 square miles (93.37 km²) is land and 0.63 square miles (1.63 km²) is water. This figure includes two 425 Agreements with Alaiedon Township and Meridian Township, and the four 425 Agreements with Delta Township since 2000.

Since the 2010 census, the city has entered into two additional 425 Agreements. The first agreement consisted of the temporary transfer of 1,888.2 acres of Lansing Capital Region International Airport to the city from DeWitt Township in 2011. The second agreement consisted of the temporary transfer of 41 acres (17 ha) in Alaiedon Township for the expansion of the headquarters of Jackson National Life Insurance Company in 2013 bringing the area either fully or conditionally under control of the city to 39.69 square miles (102.80 km²).

Under Michigan law, 425 Agreements are only temporary land sharing agreements and do not count as official annexations. The Census Bureau, however, for statistical purposes does count these as annexations. Not counting the temporary 425 Agreements, Lansing administers 34.1 square miles (88 km²) total.

Lansing is located in the south-central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where the Grand River meets the Red Cedar River. The city occupies most of what had formerly been part of Lansing Charter Township. It has also annexed adjacent tracts of land in Delta Charter Township and Windsor Township in Eaton County to the west, Delhi Charter Township in Ingham County to the south, and in DeWitt Charter Township in Clinton County to the north. The city also controls three non-contiguous tracts of land through 425 Agreements (conditional land transfer agreements) with Meridian Charter Township, Delta Charter Township, and Alaiedon Township in Ingham County to the southeast.

Lansing elevations range between 890 feet (271 m) above sea level on the far south side of Lansing along Northrup Street near the Cedar Street intersection, to 833 feet (254 m) to 805.5 feet (246 m) above sea level along the Grand River.

The Grand River, the largest river in Michigan, flows through downtown Lansing, and the Red Cedar River, a tributary of the Grand, flows through the campus of Michigan State University to its confluence with the Grand in Lansing. Sycamore Creek, a tributary of the Red Cedar, flows northward through the south-eastern part of the city. There are two lakes in the area, Park Lake and Lake Lansing, both north-east of the city. Lake Lansing is approximately 500 acres (2.0 km²) in size and is a summer favorite for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. Michigan State University Sailing Club and the Lansing Sailing Club are located on Lake Lansing, where sailing regattas are hosted throughout the summer.

The City of Lansing operates a total of 3.55 square miles (9.2 km²) of parkland, of which 2.80 square miles (7.3 km²) is parkland, 0.43 square miles (1.1 km²) are golflands, and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km²) are cemetery lands. However, this figure includes the Waverly Hills Golf Course and adjacent Michigan Avenue Park, whose 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) are located within neighboring Lansing Township, but operated by the City of Lansing, and does not include the 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) of the combined Hawk Island County Park and adjacent Soldan Dog Park operated by Ingham County within the city of Lansing. All together then, 3.55 square miles (9.2 km²) of the city (or approximately 10%) is publicly administered open space.

Neighborhoods The city's downtown is dominated by state government buildings, especially the State Capitol; but downtown has also experienced recent growth in new restaurants, retail stores and residential developments. Downtown Lansing had a historic city market that was one of the oldest continuously operating farmers' markets in the United States, until it closed in 2019. Downriver and north of downtown is historic Old Town Lansing with many architecturally significant buildings dating to the mid-19th century. Directly south of downtown on the other side of I-496 along Washington Avenue lies "REO Town", the birthplace of the automobile in the United States, is where Ransom Eli Olds built factories along Washington Avenue. Ransom Eli Olds' home, which once overlooked the factories along Washington Avenue, was displaced by I-496.

Lansing is generally divided into four sections: the Eastside, Westside, Northwestside, and Southside. Each section contains a diverse array of neighborhoods. The Eastside, located east of the Grand River and north of the Red Cedar River, is the most ethnically diverse side of Lansing, with foreign-born citizens making up more of its population than any other side in the city. The Eastside's commercial districts are located mainly along Michigan Avenue, and to a lesser extent along Kalamazoo Street. It is anchored by Frandor Shopping Center on the very eastern edge of the eastside.

The Westside, roughly located north, west, and south of the Grand River as it curves through the city, is sometimes regarded as the city's most socio-economically diverse section. This side also contains Lansing's downtown area, though this neighborhood is often included as an area all its own. Outside downtown, this side is largely a collection of residential neighborhoods and is served by only one other commercial area along Saginaw Street. However, it also includes a small part of the Old Town Commercial Association.

The Northwestside, generally located north of the Grand River, with the city limits defining its north and western borders, is physically the smallest side of the city. This part of the city includes moderate-density residential areas and some green areas. North of Grand River Avenue, the main street of the side, lie warehouses and light industrial areas served by a major rail line that runs through Lansing. The most notable landmark of this side is Lansing's airport: Capital Region International Airport.

The Southside, usually described as the neighborhoods located south of the Grand and Red Cedar rivers and the I-496 freeway, is physically the largest and most populous side of the city. The area is largely residential in nature (south of Mount Hope Road near the northern edge) and is served by numerous commercial strips along Cedar Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Waverly Road, which run north–south. The large Edgewood District is located in the southernmost part of the Southside and is sometimes referred to as South Lansing. Though it is the largest area of the city by both physical size and population, it has often been regarded by Southside citizens as Lansing's most overlooked and forgotten area, as most of Lansing's attention in recent decades has been put into the revitalization of the city's historic core located mostly on small parts of both the East and Westside.

The middle of the Southside—South-Central Lansing—contains the Old Everett Area. This location once contained the Everett School District and was annexed into the city in 1948.

Unincorporated areas adjacent to Lansing include parts of Lansing Charter Township, such as the unincorporated community of Edgemont Park, as well as parts of Delta Charter Township, such as the unincorporated community of Waverly. Though they are not part of the City of Lansing, these unincorporated communities often use Lansing mailing addresses.

Districts • Cherry Hill • Churchill Downs • Colonial Village • Eastside • Edgewood • Genesee • Gier Park • Hosmer • Lansing-Eaton • Moores Park • Museum District • Old Everett • Old Town • REO Town • Stadium District • Walnut • Washington Square • Westside.

Immigration and resettlement The Brookings Institution has ranked Greater Lansing among the top 10 "medium-sized metropolitan areas" in the United States for refugee resettlement, with 5,369 refugees resettled from 1983 to 2004. St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services handle the adult and unaccompanied minor resettlement processes, respectively, while other organizations, such as the Refugee Development Center, focus on providing educational and social support services to refugees in the Lansing area. Nearby Michigan State University provides a source of volunteers for many of these programs.

As of 2005, the Lansing area has about 2,000 Arab Americans, mostly second-generation Christian Lebanese Americans as well as some Palestinian Americans.

The city is also home to a large number of temporary foreign residents enrolled as international students at Lansing Community College and nearby Michigan State University, with the city's visitors bureau specifically promoting Mandarin-language video tours of Lansing, touting the "more than 6,000" Chinese students enrolled at MSU. The Lansing School District offers language immersion programs for its students in both Spanish and Chinese.

Government Lansing is administered under a mayor–council government, more specifically a strong mayor form in which the mayor is the city's chief executive officer. The mayor is obligated to appoint department heads (subject to council approval), and draft and administer a city budget among other responsibilities. The mayor may also veto legislation from council, though the veto can be overridden by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the council. The mayor and city clerk are elected at-large every four years.

Economy The Lansing metropolitan area's major industries are government, education, insurance, healthcare, and automobile manufacturing. Being the state capital, many state government workers reside in the area.

Michigan State University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College are significant employers in the region.

General Motors has offices and a hi-tech manufacturing facility in Lansing and several manufacturing facilities immediately outside the city, as well, in nearby Lansing and Delta townships. The Lansing area is headquarters to four major national insurance companies: Auto-Owners Insurance Company, Jackson National Life, the Accident Fund, and Michigan Millers Insurance Company. Other insurers based in Lansing include Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

Locally owned and operated convenience store chain Quality Dairy is a significant presence in the Lansing market.

The recent decline of the auto industry in the region has increased the region's awareness of the importance of a strategy to foster the high-technology sector.

Early availability of high-speed Internet in 1996, as well as the MSU, Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College student body population, fostered an intellectual environment for information technology companies to incubate. Lansing has a number of technology companies in the fields of information technology and biotechnology.

Economy: Top Employers Source: Lansing Economic Area Partnership

1 State of Michigan; 2 Michigan State University; 3 Sparrow Health System; 4 General Motors; 5 Lansing Community College; 6 McLaren Greater Lansing; 7 Auto-Owners Insurance; 8 Peckham; 9 Jackson National Life; 10 Dart Container; 11 Meijer; 12 Dean Transportation; 13 Delta Dental; 14 MSU Federal Credit Union; 15 Michigan Farm Bureau.

Healthcare Sparrow Hospital is a 740-bed hospital affiliated with Michigan State University and its College of Human Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine. It offers a Level I Trauma Center and its own helicopter service.

McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital enjoys a special affiliation in radiation oncology with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University; McLaren–Greater Lansing is part of the Great Lakes Cancer Institute (GLCI).

Urban renewal Several urban renewal projects by private developers are adding higher end apartments and condominiums to the Lansing market. The Arbaugh, a former department store across from Cooley Law School, was converted into apartments in 2005. Motor Wheel Lofts, a former industrial site, was converted into loft-style living spaces in mid-2006. A combination retail and residential complex immediately south of Cooley Law School Stadium (formerly Oldsmobile Park) called "The Stadium District", was completed in 2007. The Stadium District was redeveloped using a grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority through the Cool Cities Initiative.

In May 2006 the historically significant Mutual Building located on Capitol Avenue was purchased by The Christman Company to be renovated back to its original grandeur and used as the company's headquarters. Additional downtown developments include the renovation of the historic Hollister Building and the expansion of the former Abrams Aerial Building. As of August 2008, an 18-story condominium high-rise called Capitol Club Tower was in the design phase with the adjacent parking structure having been approved by city council and purchased by the developer. The city market, in existence since 1909, was approved to be sold for a multi-building mixed-use development called MarketPlace, right next to the current market on the adjacent riverfront. The MarketPlace project was redeveloped along with BallPark North, another mixed-use development that will be immediately north of Oldsmobile Stadium. A new city market was built north of the Lansing Center, but closed in 2019. Across the river, the Accident Fund Insurance Company renovated the former (art deco) Ottawa Street Powerplant into their new headquarters. In addition to the renovation, Accident Fund Insurance Company built a modern addition to the north of the historic portion that is connected by an atrium for more office space, as well as a parking structure. In 2009, the restaurant Troppo began construction on a new 2-story building that will have an open-air patio on the roof facing the Capitol building. Developer Eyde Co. announced plans on April 6, 2010, to renovate the historical and prominent Knapp's building in downtown Lansing for first floor retail, office space and apartments/condos on the top floor (5th) in a $22–24 million project.

Economy: Retail The Lansing area has two major malls: Lansing Mall and Meridian Mall. Other major retail centres include Eastwood Towne Center and Frandor Shopping Center.

Education Michigan State University, a member of the Big Ten Conference, is known as "the pioneer land grant college", located in neighboring East Lansing. MSU has one of the largest land campuses in the United States and is home to several nationally and internationally recognised academic and research-oriented programs. Michigan State offers over 200 programs of study and is home to fourteen different degree-granting schools and colleges including two medical schools, a veterinary school, a law school, and numerous PhD programs. It is the only university in the nation with three medical schools. MSU is consistently one of the top three programs in the United States for study abroad programs. The MSU College of Education is also consistently rated as the top education program in the nation. Michigan State University is the oldest agricultural college in the United States. The MSU School of Criminal Justice is the oldest continuous degree granting criminal justice program in the nation. In 2008, the Department of Energy announced MSU won the contest for a $550 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams that will attract top researchers from around the world to conduct experiments in nuclear science, astrophysics and applications of isotopes to other fields.

The Thomas M. Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the nation and is located in downtown Lansing. Cooley is fully accredited by the American Bar Association. A majority of Cooley students are from out-of-state.

Lansing Community College offers more than 500 areas of study to over 18,000 students at its main facilities in Lansing, and another 5,000 students at twenty-nine extension centres and a site in Otsu, Japan. LCC's new, state-of-the-art University Center enables students to take courses with the goal of eventually earning an undergraduate or graduate degree from other Michigan institutions. The University Center stands on the former site of "Old Central", Lansing's first public high school, which was established in 1875 as Lansing High School. (In the 1920s it was renamed as Central High School, and in 1957 became the first building on the LCC campus.)

Other institutions of higher education include Western Michigan University (branch campus in Delta Township), Davenport University in Downtown Lansing, Central Michigan University (branch campus), and Great Lakes Christian College (campus in Delta Township).

Schools Within Ingham County, most of Lansing is in Lansing School District. Some portions are in East Lansing School District, Holt Public Schools, Mason Public Schools, Okemos Public Schools, and Waverly Community Schools.

Within Clinton County, school districts which include parts of Lansing are Lansing School District and DeWitt Public Schools.

In Eaton County, school districts serving parts of Lansing include Lansing School District, Holt Public Schools, and Grand Ledge Public Schools.

Public schools • Lansing School District ◦ Lansing Eastern High School ◦ Lansing Everett High School ◦ J. W. Sexton High School • Grand Ledge Public Schools • Ingham Intermediate School District ◦ Ingham Academy High School • Waverly School District.

Charter schools • Mid-Michigan Public School Academy • El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz Academy (named after Malcolm X) (closed) • Sankofa Shule (closed).

Private schools • Capitol City Baptist School • Emanuel Lutheran School • Lansing Catholic High School • Lansing Christian Schools • New Covenant Christian School • Our Savior Lutheran School.

Parades The African American Parade occurs in Lansing's Westside as part of the annual Juneteenth Celebration

Each year in August, the Michigan Pride festival includes an LGBT pride parade from Riverfront Park to the capitol.

The annual Silver Bells in the City Electric Light Parade proceeds through the streets of downtown Lansing every November, the Friday before Thanksgiving. It is followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree in front of the State Capitol and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol.

Culture: Music The Lansing Symphony Orchestra has been entertaining generations of Lansing-area residents since 1929. The current music director is Timothy Muffett.

The Lansing JazzFest and the Old Town BluesFest host leading musicians, and are two of the larger music festivals held each year in the state.

Old Town's Festival of the Moon and Sun is a two-day festival of food and live music.

Old Town Oktoberfest is a two-day event drawing hundreds to the Old Town neighborhood for live polka music, authentic German food and world-renowned German-style beer.

It was announced in May 2007 that the city would host "Blues on the Square", a series of summertime blues concerts featuring national acts Thursday nights along Washington Square in downtown Lansing. In 2008 the event regularly drew crowds over 500.

The Common Ground Festival is a musical event held over a week every July at the Adado Riverfront Park in downtown Lansing pulling in crowds over 90,000 for the week. It began in 2000 and replaced the Michigan Festival that was held in nearby East Lansing. It has a wide range of musical acts. In 2008 acts included Staind, Drowning Pool, Sammy Hagar, The Hard Lessons, Snoop Dogg, REO Speedwagon, Kellie Pickler, Seether and Trace Adkins. 2012 acts included The Flaming Lips, Man Man, Motion City Soundtrack, Joshua Davis, mewithoutyou, with local ensembles The Lansing Unionized Vaudeville Spectacle and Vandalay on the bill.

Every year City Pulse names the "Top Original Act" in the Top of the Town Awards. The 2010 winner was Eastside neighborhood native indie rock band Loune. The 2011 winner was pop punk act Frank and Earnest.

On June 23, 2018, REO Town hosted the Three Stacks Music Festival featuring Against Me!, Murder by Death, Pup, mewithoutyou, Screaming Females, Camp Cove, Petal, Oceanator, City Mouse, Worn Spirit, Stefanie Haapala, Ness Lake, and Secret Forte.

Other notable Lansing musicians include Tell Yo Mama, Root Doctor, Jen Sygit, James Gardin, The Further Adventures of Fat Boy and the Jive Turkeys, MSU Professors of Jazz, Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers, Jahshua Smith, BLAT! Pack, Deacon Earl and Frontier Ruckus.

Farmers' markets Lansing has several farmers' markets throughout the city in the summer months. These markets include the Allen Street Farmer's Market on the city's eastside, the Westside Farmers' Market, the Old Town Farmer's Market, and the South Lansing Farmer's Market.

Libraries The Library of Michigan and Historical Center is a state library and research center. The library is one of the top five genealogical research facilities in the United States. The Capital Area District Library has 13 branches within Ingham County, some of these include the Main Library downtown, the Foster Library on the east side, and the South Lansing Library on the south side.

Culture: Museums Lansing is home to a number of small, specialized museums: • The Impression 5 Science Center is a children's science centre located in a historic wagon works factory on the Grand River. • The Michigan Library and Historical Center contains one of the 10 largest genealogy collections in the nation, has a museum dedicated to Michigan's history among other attractions. • The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame is a museum dedicated to the historical accomplishments and achievements of Michigan women. The house is located directly south of downtown in the 1903-built Cooley-Haze House. The museum is surrounded by Cooley Gardens. • The R. E. Olds Transportation Museum is dedicated to the education of Lansing's role in the development of transportation, particularly the automobile. • The Turner-Dodge House is a museum dedicated to Lansing's early pioneers. The museum sits in the Classical Revival-styled Turner-Dodge Mansion, built in 1858 for James and Marion Turner, and later by their daughter and her husband. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Culture: Theatre • The Riverwalk Theatre, (formerly the Okemos Barn Theatre), the Lansing Civic Players, and the now defunct BoarsHead Theater are or were all located in downtown. • Peppermint Creek Theatre Company is a well established "new" theater company. • Happendance, Michigan's longest-running professional modern dance company, has been based in Greater Lansing since 1976. • The Greater Lansing Ballet Company is a ballet and dance company. • The Creole Gallery brings in various musicians and hosts the Icarus Falling Theater group.

Potter Park Zoo The historic Potter Park Zoo, located along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, is a 102-acre park that has more than 160 species of animals. The park holds numerous programs and events for children and families to enjoy. With annual attendance increasing every year since 2006 (110,167 in 2006, 137,237 in 2008, and 167,000 in 2009) there are $667,100 in capital improvements planned for 2009 including a giant walk-in aviary and a new female tiger. In 2009 the zoo began a $1.4 million renovation to its rhinoceros exhibit. This is in addition to $1.3 million spent on capital improvements in 2008. In 2011 the Black Rhino exhibit opened; and three tiger cubs were born. In 2016 a 3-acre moose exhibit opened in the park.

Other area destinations In October 2009 the Wharton Center for Performing Arts completed a 24,000 square feet (2,230 m²), $18.5 million expansion and renovation, having already spent over $1.3 million in 2008. Many Broadway shows come to The Wharton Center before traveling to theaters in larger places such as Chicago. The Kresge Art Museum, the MSU Museum, and the Abrams Planetarium are highly acclaimed cultural destinations located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. In June 2007 MSU announced the plans to build a new art museum after a $26 million gift from Eli and Edythe Broad. Internationally known Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid of London won the design competition for the East Lansing museum that was completed in November 2012.

Newspapers and magazines • Lansing State Journal • City Pulse • The New Citizens Press • Capital Gains Media • Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine • The Greater Lansing Business Monthly • Greater Lansing Woman Magazine • The Hub • MIRS News-Michigan Information & Research Service • The State News • Gongwer News Service • The Michigan Bulletin • Patient In Charge Magazine.

Media: Television Cable slots listed reflect the Comcast cable system in Lansing. • WLNS 6 (CBS) (Cable 9) • WILX 10 (NBC) (Cable 4) • WKAR 23 (PBS) (Cable 13) / DT2 (World) (Cable 20) / DT3 (Create) (Cable 18) / DT4 (PBS Kids) (Cable 293) • WSYM 47 (Fox) (Cable 7) • WLAJ 53 (ABC) (Cable 3) / DT2 (The CW) (Cable 5).

Media: Radio Note: If the station has no city listed before the format, it is licensed to Lansing. • 88.1 WLGH – (Leroy Township, contemporary Christian) "Smile FM" • 88.5 WJOM – (Eagle, contemporary Christian) "Smile FM" • 88.9 WDBM – (East Lansing, college/Michigan State University) "The Impact" • 89.7 WLNZ – (public radio/Lansing Community College) • 90.5 WKAR – (East Lansing, public radio/Michigan State University); ◦ Note: WKAR has an effective radiated power of 86,000 watts • 91.3 WOES – (Ovid, polka/Ovid-Elsie High School) • 92.1 WQTX – (St. Johns, Classic Hip Hop/R&B) "The Hits That Power the Party…Stacks 92.1" • 92.9 WLMI – (Grand Ledge, Classic Hits radio) "Lansing's Greatest Hits" • 93.7 WBCT-FM – (Grand Rapids, country) "B93"; ◦ Note: WBCT has an effective radiated power 320,000 watts • 94.1 WWDK – (Jackson, Classic Country) "94.1 Duke FM" • 94.9 WMMQ – (East Lansing, classic rock) • 96.5 WQHH – (DeWitt, urban) "Power 96.5" • 97.5 WJIM – (CHR) "97-5 Now-FM" • 99.1 WFMK – (East Lansing, adult contemporary) • 99.9 W260BX - (religious/southern gospel) "Family Life Radio"; ◦ Rebroadcasts WUNN 1110 AM. • 100.7 WITL-FM – (country) "Whittle" • 101.7 WHZZ – (adult hits) "Mike-FM" • 105.7 WSRW – (Grand Rapids, adult contemporary) "Star 105.7" • 106.1 WJXQ – (Charlotte, active rock) "Q106" • 107.3 WTNR – (Greenville/Grand Rapids, Country) • 730 AM WVFN – (East Lansing, sports talk) "The Game" • 870 AM WKAR – (East Lansing, NPR news/talk) • 1110 AM WUNN – (Mason, religious/southern gospel) "Family Life Radio" • 1180 AM WXLA – Dimondale, (adult standards) "Timeless Classics 1180" • 1240 AM WJIM – (news/talk) "Lansing's Big Talker" • 1320 AM WILS – (news/talk) "More Compelling Talk Radio" • 1390 AM WLCM – (Charlotte, religious) • 1580 AM WWSJ – (St. Johns, urban contemporary gospel) "Joy 1580" • 162.400 WXK81 – NOAA Weather Radio (Onondaga, weather); Radio stations from Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, and Flint can also be heard in the Lansing area.

Sport The Lansing Lugnuts are a High-A Central league, Minor League Baseball team, currently affiliated with the Oakland A's. The team plays its home games at Jackson Field, which was built at a cost of $12.7 million and opened in 1996 in downtown Lansing. It was partially renovated in 2006. Jackson Field has a seating capacity of 11,215 fans, and was built to accommodate additional expansion. Previously known as Oldsmobile Park, the facility was renamed Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium in April 2010, in reference to the park's new sponsor. It was renamed again to Jackson Field after a change in sponsorship to Jackson National Life.

Michigan State University, located in East Lansing, is the largest university in the State of Michigan. MSU sponsors both men's and women's sports, usually competing as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans have won National Titles in Men's Basketball, Football, Men's Boxing, Men's Cross Country, Men's Gymnastics, Men's Ice Hockey, Men's Soccer, and Men's Wrestling.

Lansing Community College also sponsors many sports, competing as members of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association. The Stars have won NJCAA titles in the following sports: Women's Softball, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Marathon and Men's Marathon.

The Lansing area is also known for its many golf courses, with two courses owned by Michigan State University, four municipal courses, and many additional public and private courses in the area. The former Walnut Hills Country Club in nearby East Lansing formerly hosted the LPGA's Oldsmobile Classic from 1992 to 2000. The Michigan PGA recently relocated from the Detroit area to Bath, Michigan, which is on the northern edge of Lansing.

In the 1980s and 1990s Lansing was a major player in semi-pro football. The Lansing Crusaders won MFL/MCFL championships in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1990. The team finished second in 1984, 1986, and 1991.

Lansing, Michigan, United States 
<b>Lansing, Michigan, United States</b>
Image: Davidshane0

Lansing was ranked #350 by the Nomad List which evaluates and ranks remote work hubs by cost, internet, fun and safety. Lansing has a population of over 118,210 people. Lansing also forms the centre of the wider Michigan state which has a population of over 10,077,331 people. Lansing is ranked #472 for startups with a score of 0.411.

To set up a UBI Lab for Lansing see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork

Twin Towns, Sister Cities Lansing has links with:

🇰🇷 Asan, South Korea 🇮🇹 Cosenza, Italy 🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 🇲🇽 Guadalajara, Mexico 🇬🇭 Nsawam, Ghana 🇯🇵 Ōtsu, Japan 🇮🇹 Pianezza, Italy 🇷🇺 Saint Petersburg, Russia, until 2013 🇯🇵 Sakaide, Japan 🇲🇽 Saltillo, Mexico 🇨🇳 Sanming, China
Text Atribution: Wikipedia Text under CC-BY-SA license | Nomad | StartupBlink

North of: 42.734

🇺🇸 Nashua 42.766

🇲🇪 Nikšić 42.767

🇮🇹 Grosseto 42.767

🇨🇳 Longjing 42.767

🇺🇸 Holland 42.783

🇯🇵 Chitose 42.817

🇺🇸 Schenectady 42.818

🇪🇸 Pamplona 42.818

🇷🇺 Nakhodka 42.834

🇪🇸 Vitoria 42.842

South of: 42.734

🇺🇸 Hamburg 42.733

🇺🇸 East Lansing 42.733

🇺🇸 Troy 42.732

🇺🇸 Racine 42.721

🇺🇸 Lawrence 42.709

🇫🇷 Perpignan 42.699

🇧🇬 Sofia 42.697

🇪🇸 Miranda de Ebro 42.683

🇺🇸 Janesville 42.683

🇧🇬 Sliven 42.681

West of: -84.554

🇺🇸 Mableton -84.567

🇺🇸 Greenville -84.617

🇺🇸 Douglasville -84.717

🇺🇸 Douglassville -84.742

🇺🇸 Danville -84.767

🇳🇮 San Carlos -84.776

🇳🇮 Siuna -84.778

🇺🇸 Newnan -84.815

🇺🇸 Charlotte -84.833

🇨🇷 Puntarenas -84.834

Antipodal to Lansing is: 95.446,-42.734

Locations Near: Lansing -84.5538,42.7339

🇺🇸 East Lansing -84.483,42.733 d: 5.8  

🇺🇸 Charlotte -84.833,42.55 d: 30.7  

🇺🇸 Marshall -84.95,42.267 d: 61.3  

🇺🇸 Saint Charles -84.143,43.3 d: 71.2  

🇺🇸 Battle Creek -85.191,42.319 d: 69.7  

🇺🇸 Greenville -85.25,43.167 d: 74.3  

🇺🇸 Clinton -83.971,42.072 d: 87.8  

🇺🇸 Flint -83.686,43.011 d: 77.1  

🇺🇸 Saginaw -83.95,43.417 d: 90.4  

🇺🇸 Midland -84.218,43.616 d: 101.8  

Antipodal to: Lansing 95.446,-42.734

🇦🇺 Bunbury 115.637,-33.327 d: 17968.4  

🇦🇺 Mandurah 115.721,-32.529 d: 17908.1  

🇦🇺 Rockingham 115.717,-32.267 d: 17890.2  

🇦🇺 City of Cockburn 115.833,-32.167 d: 17874.7  

🇦🇺 Vincent 115.834,-31.936 d: 17858.4  

🇦🇺 Perth 115.857,-31.953 d: 17857.9  

🇦🇺 Wanneroo 115.803,-31.747 d: 17847.1  

🇦🇺 Guildford 115.973,-31.9 d: 17845.7  

🇦🇺 Midland 116.01,-31.888 d: 17842.1  

🇦🇺 Albany 117.867,-35.017 d: 17901.4  

Bing Map

Option 1