During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, circus sideshows were popular forms of entertainment. Carnival barkers lured audiences into darkened tents with stories of tattooed men, sword swallowers, and human skeletons. Spectators thrilled to the daring deeds of strongmen, fire breathers, and glass eaters. And, of course, no sideshow was complete without a bearded lady. One of the era’s most popular bearded ladies hailed from Michigan and is, in fact, buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in the northern Michigan community of Leetsville. That woman is Grace Gilbert.
Gilbert was born in Ohio in 1876, the youngest of Giles and Arosina Gilbert’s four children. Within minutes of her birth, Gilbert’s parents knew that something was different about their new addition. At an age when most babies have smooth, clear skin, the infant’s body was covered with fine, silky hair that only became thicker as she aged. By the time Gilbert was 18 months old, a newspaper article was reporting that the hair on her head was a foot long, and that she had three- to four-inch-long whiskers on her face. The phenomenon, according to the reporter, was “the greatest living curiosity we have ever seen.”
As Gilbert reached adulthood, she realized that career opportunities (and, in all likelihood, marriage prospects) were limited for a woman with a full beard, so when she was 18, she began appearing in sideshows. In 1901, the same year that Gilbert moved with her family to Kalkaska County, she signed on with Ringling Brothers Circus, one of the nation’s largest big tops. She was a sought-after attraction, as her beard, at 18 inches, was significantly longer than those of other bearded ladies at the time. In 1903, Gilbert left Ringling and joined its competitor, the Barnum & Bailey Circus. She stayed with Barnum until 1905, then signed on with a few other circuses, which afforded her the opportunity to tour England and France.
According to people who lived in the Kalkaska area at the same time that Gilbert did, the bearded lady was forced to wear a veil around town so that her appearance wouldn’t startle pregnant women who might be walking along the street with her.
For the rest of the story, see Tonya Blust, Michigan’s Bearded Lady, Grace Gilbert, Michigan 101 Blog, February 12, 2014.
On Jan. 24, 1938, the Upper Peninsula was hit by a colossal winter storm. How deep were the snow drifts? Look at the telephone pole on the left!
Two people died in Ironwood after 32 inches of snow fell as a result of 30 hours of snow and gale-force winds. Students and workers were trapped at their schools and places of employment because of snowdrifts towering as high as 18 feet tall. Students in Ironwood slept on exercise mats in the gym for four days since buses could not operate in drifting snow.
A fire broke out at the Opera House and Masonic Temple in Marquette and traffic ceased in the city for three days.
Sources:
Michigan Every Day
Marquette’s Opera House & the 1938 Fire and Blizzard posted in My Marquette by Tyler R. Tichelaar.
Kenya Summer Moore Daly (née Moore; born January 24, 1971 in Detroit) is an American actress, model, producer, author, television personality, and entrepreneur. She co-starred in the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Atlanta from 2012 onwards and was a member of the cast of The Celebrity Apprentice 7 in 2015. Moore rose to prominence in 1993 after winning the Miss USA contest which led her to compete in that year’s Miss Universe pageant ultimately landing her among the top six. She subsequently appeared in films and television shows including Waiting To Exhale (1995) and Deliver Us From Eva (2003), The Steve Harvey Show (1998) and Girlfriends (2004).
Moore had a rough start to life, born to teenagers Patricia Moore and Ronald Grant, and was raised by her paternal grandmother Doris Grant (1931–2017) and aunt after her mother abandoned her at three days old. The reality TV show star revealed that her mother never named her. “Since birth, my mother made the decision at age 16 to pretend she never had me. She has never spoken to me,” Kenya wrote. “Even if present in the same room with other people and family, she pretends that I simply don’t exist. She pretends I’m invisible,” Kenya revealed on her Bravo blog. Moore graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1989. While still in high school, Moore experienced domestic violence from a much older boyfriend. In Moore’s words, “He tormented me physically, mentally and once even nearly killed me by putting me into the hospital, from attacking me with a finger nail file… stabbing me with a finger nail file.” Moore attended Wayne State University, where she majored in psychology and minored in communication.
Source : Kenya Summer Moore Daly wikipedia entry.
On January 24, 1982, Super Bowl XVI was held at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Ray Wersching kicked four field goals and Joe Montana’s controlled passing helped the San Francisco 49ers win their first NFL championship with a 26-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was held at the Pontiac Silverdome, 25 miles from downtown Detroit. It was the first time a Super Bowl was held in a cold-weather climate; the previous 15 games had been held in warm climates.
Source : Today in Michigan History courtesy of the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University.
Once a world-renowned sports physician treating America’s foremost Olympic women gymnasts, Larry Nassar now will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
President Simon’s resignation letter
Members of the Board of Trustees:
The last year and a half has been very difficult for the victims of Larry Nassar, for the university community, and for me personally. To the survivors, I can never say enough that I am so sorry that a trusted, renowned physician was really such an evil, evil person who inflicted such harm under the guise of medical treatment. I know that we all share the same resolve to do whatever it takes to avert such tragedies here and elsewhere.
As you and many in the Spartan family know, I planned to retire in December 2016, and we had begun a conversation about a smooth transition. Then the Indianapolis Star article appeared about USAG and one of the victims contacted MSU police to file a complaint. The MSU Police investigation commenced. Nassar’s employment was terminated shortly thereafter. Work began within the HealthTeam and other areas of the university to improve safety. Given the challenges, my transition was postponed. I appreciate the support you provided.
The survivors’ accounts are horrific. They are tragic, heartbreaking, and personally gut-wrenching. I take solace that many victims have indicated that the opportunity to confront Nassar is a step toward healing. I am proud of the exceptional work of the Special Victims Unit led by Lieutenant Andrea Munford with the steadfast leadership of Chief Dunlap. I am proud of my support of their work even though the results have been very painful to all who watched.
As Nassar’s legal journey to prison was drawing to a close, more and more negative attention was focused on Michigan State University, and on me. I am pleased that statements have been made by Mr. Fitzgerald and Board members about my integrity and the fact that there is no cover-up. I support wholeheartedly the Board’s decision to ask the Attorney General’s Office to review the events surrounding the Nassar matter. This is an important step toward providing more assurance to the university community and to the public. In the past, I have provided assurances to the Attorney General of my full cooperation, and I will continue to do so.
As tragedies are politicized, blame is inevitable. As president, it is only natural that I am the focus of this anger. I understand, and that is why I have limited my personal statements. Throughout my career, I have worked very hard to put Team MSU first. Throughout my career, I have consistently and persistently spoken and worked on behalf of Team MSU. I have tried to make it not about me. I urge those who have supported my work to understand that I cannot make it about me now. Therefore, I am tendering my resignation as president according to the terms of my employment agreement.
Anyone who knows me knows I am a principled person. I have spent my entire professional career, more than 40 years, at MSU. I love this place. I have watched it grow and prosper, and it has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve as its president since 2005, and over the last few years, to have the opportunity to work with all of you toward our shared goals for MSU. I will continue to do whatever I can to help MSU prosper in the future as a Spartan in whatever role I may play.
Respectfully,
Lou Anna K. Simon, President
John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor
On January 25, 1945, Grand Rapids became the first city in the world to add fluoride to its public water supply. The city, along with the U.S. Public Health Service, the Michigan Department of Health, and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, began a ten-year study to determine the effectiveness of fluoride in the prevention of tooth decay, The city was chosen as a test site because of its large population of school-age children; its closeness to Lake Michigan, which is mostly free of natural fluoride; and its proximity to Muskegon, which served as the control city. By 1955 the study had shown a sixty-five percent reduction in tooth decay and led to the adoption of fluoridation as a accepted public health measure.
Source : The Beginning of Water Fluoridation, Michigan Historical Markers Website.
Source: Michigan History, January/February 2011.
For more information, see Water flouoridation wikipedia entry
For another article, see Eric D. Lawrence, “Some say fluoride fights decay, others say it’s a hazard in water”, Detroit Free Press, June 26, 2011. “In a dramatic reversal of a public health initiative aimed at stopping tooth decay in 1951, city commissioners voted 6-0 last month to stop fluoridation. The action, which city officials say would save more than $40,000 per year, comes as debate over fluoride’s benefits versus its possible adverse effects — ranging from spotted teeth to suspicions that it increases the risk of bone cancer — has gained new attention.”
Community Water Fluoridation: One of CDC’s “10 Great Public Health Achievements of the 20th Century”
Surgeon General in Public Health Reports.
Celebrates the benefits of fluoridation of community water systems in reducing the incidence of tooth decay on the 70th anniversary of the first implementation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Also explains the reasons behind the first revision in fluoride recommendations since 1962.
Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers became the first Jewish player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Over a 13-season career, he hit 331 home runs and batted .313. He lost more than three seasons due to his service in World War II.
Sources :
The first Pro Bowl appearance by a Detroit Lions quarterback in more than 40 years couldn’t have gone much better.
Matthew Stafford played most of the first half of Sunday’s Pro Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium and was one of the game’s standout performers, completing 15 of 25 passes for 316 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The last Detroit quarterback to play in a Pro Bowl before Matthew Stafford was Greg Landry in 1971.
For the complete article, see Dave Birkett, “Lions’ Stafford shines in first Pro Bowl appearance”, Detroit Free Press, January 25, 2015.
The 1835 Constitution on display at the Michigan Historical Center on Statehood Day in 2013.
On January 26, 1835, Acting Territorial Governor Stevens T. Mason issued an enabling act authorizing the people of Michigan to form a constitution and state government. The Michigan Territorial Council, the unicameral governing body of the Michigan Territory called a constitutional convention in anticipation of statehood. The convention lasted until June 24, and the proposed constitution was adopted by the voters on October 5, 1835, by a 5-to-1 margin. A bill of rights was included in this constitution, though suffrage was granted only to white males over age 21. The constitution established a superintendent of public instruction, an office which still exists today, and the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, as well as the auditor general and the justices of the Supreme Court were to be appointed, not elected.