1. On October 13, 1976, the Michigan State Police established triple dispatching procedures, which allowed officers to dispatch multiple units to the same emergency. This greatly improved response times and efficiency in emergency situations.

2. In 1990, on October 13th, the Detroit Pistons played their first game at the Palace of Auburn Hills, a brand new state-of-the-art arena. The Pistons would go on to win two NBA championships while playing at the Palace.

3. One of the deadliest storms in Great Lakes history occurred on October 13, 1913. Known as the “White Hurricane,” this storm caused numerous shipwrecks and claimed over 250 lives.

4. On October 13, 1994, the Detroit Zoo opened the Arctic Ring of Life, an award-winning, immersive exhibit that recreated the Arctic environment and showcased polar bears, seals, and other Arctic animals.

5. Michigan-born inventor Thomas Edison made an important breakthrough on October 13, 1879, when he successfully tested the first commercially practical light bulb. Edison went on to patent the invention on January 27, 1880.