1. On December 1, 1824, the Michigan territorial legislature passed a resolution to establish a University of Michigan in Detroit. This would eventually lead to the creation of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, which is now one of the top public universities in the country.

2. The first Michigan State Capitol building, located in Detroit, was completed on December 1, 1847. The building would serve as the seat of government for the state until the current Michigan State Capitol was completed in Lansing in 1879.

3. On December 1, 1955, a historic snowstorm struck Michigan, dumping up to 26 inches of snow in some areas. The storm caused widespread damage and left thousands without power, but also led to new snow removal techniques and improved winter weather forecasting.

4. Detroit's iconic Renaissance Center, a complex of seven interconnected skyscrapers, officially opened on December 1, 1977. The complex was originally built as part of an urban renewal project in the 1970s and has since become a symbol of Detroit's resilience and revitalization.

5. On December 1, 1995, an environmental disaster began when the freighter S/S Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior during a severe storm. All 29 crew members died in the tragedy, which has since been memorialized in song and literature. The cause of the sinking remains a subject of debate and investigation.