Although it doesn't look a day over 170, our grand old state has been in the union for 180 years.

Since 1837 we've been serving up unsalted beaches and rolling green hills.

So Reddit asked its readers what they love best about our state. Their answers were both heartwarming and funny.

"What are your favorite things about Michigan?" was asked on the Michigan subreddit page.

My list would be long, but I'll throw in a couple of things  -- like when the band comes out of the tunnel at a U of M game, a long hike on a 70 degree day through the Porcupine Mountains, pasties at a dive bar in the UP, and watching a freighter go through the Soo Locks...

 

Here are some of my favorite responses from the Reddit discussion.

Jared_Jff went to our history (and his family history) for his answer:

"Thank God for Michigan!' exclaimed Lincoln when the first seven regiments of Michigan Volunteers reached DC on the 1st of May, 1861. The Michigan Volunteers were the first to answer the call for men to fill out the Union Army. Our state had been asked to give no more than four regiments, over the course of the war MI would send more than 40 to join the cause.

 

This is more than a piece of our state's history to me though. My great-great-great grandfather came to the U.S. from Ireland in 1856. After three years at a packing plant in NYC, George moved with his wife and four children to a small town in the MI thumb. Two years later, even though they were not yet citizens, two of George's sons marched into DC with the 1st MI Volunteers. One would give his life for an end to slavery.

Amen, Jared. My relatives marched with the 25th Michigan Regiment when they handed Lincoln the port of Savannah, GA as a Christmas gift in 1864.

Kasperblack kept it real:

Vernors is dope.

Yes, it is.

As did Fizzyotter:

We are not Ohio.

eyesliketurtles chimed in with this gem:

It's pretty sweet that my hand is a built in map of my state.

dm1030 laid down some truth:

Tropical and Arctic temps depending on the time of year, sometimes occurring in the same month or even week!

Sometimes within hours...

And I radically concur with Polaris54:

...there is nothing like a trip up north for absolutely no reason.

bernieboy from Ann Arbor went with a listicle:

Pros of Michigan:

  • Detroit
  • Mackinac
  • The UP
  • Our colleges and universities
  • 4 (soon to be 5) pro teams
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes
  • "going up north" in general
  • Everyone knows someone who owns a cabin or cottage
  • Grand Rapids
  • 4/5 Great Lakes
  • More registered boaters than any other state
  • More miles of freshwater coastline than any other political division in the world
  • Kalamazoo
  • DIA / Henry Ford Museum
  • Traverse City
  • Hundreds of miles of bike and hiking trails
  • Everywhere is affordable
  • DTW is the most comfortable airport ever
  • Marquette
  • Great food
  • Diversity
  • Vernors
  • Ann Arbor
  • Isle Royale
  • Cedar Point is a couple hours away
  • Holland, Frankenmuth, and other cute tourist towns
  • Beautiful seasons
  • No hurricanes
  • No earthquakes
  • Only the occasional tornado
  • Beer everywhere
  • Beaches without sharks
  • Lakes without gators
  • Pictured Rocks
  • Proud history and exciting future

Cons:

  • Everyone will move here in 100 years for our water
  • Some of our leaders in Lansing
  • Our roads
  • Proximity to Ohio

But there's always one sarcastic person in the bunch. Here's ahainen:

The road quality is amazing.

Check out the ever growing love letter here.

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