Ypsilanti Factoids – City of the Week
Congratulations to Ypsilanti,
You’re the WCSX City of the Week!
Ypsilanti Factoids:
- Ypsilanti was actually named after the Greek patriot General Demetrius Ypsilanti. General Ypsilanti was a key figure in the Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829, a struggle for freedom that many Americans likened to our own
- Ypsilanti was originally a trading post established in 1809 by three French explorers. The post was one of the earliest structures in the vast, sparsely populated Michigan territory. A permanent settlement was established on the east side of the Huron River in 1823 by Major Thomas Woodruff.
- Ypsilanti is located where an old Native American trail crossed the Huron River. Long before the coming of the white man, it was the camping and burial ground for several Native American tribes.
- In 1941, Ford Motor Company built a plant in Willow Run. When the U.S. entered World War II Willow Run was converted into a wartime production. At it’s peak, one B-24 bomber rolled off the Willow Run Assembly line every 55 minutes.
- Eastern Michigan University was founded in 1849 by the state of Michigan, and opened in 1853 as Michigan State Normal School. Michigan State Normal School was the first in Michigan and the first normal school created outside the original 13 colonies. A normal school is an institution created to train high school graduates to be teachers.
Sign Up For The 94.7 WCSX Classic Rock Insider Newsletter
Get the latest Classic Rock and local stories you need to know about, plus exclusive contests, games, and more!
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.