Founded in 1824, the first big push was to make Ann Arbor the state capitol, and in fact, State Street was named in anticipation of that designation. Bestowing that title to Lansing instead, might have been the luckiest twist in the history of the city. Partly as compensation, and partly due to the promise of 40 acres of prime real estate in the heart of the city, the University Of Michigan Board Of Regents elected to build its main campus in Ann Arbor in 1837.

By the end of the Nineteenth century, the city was dubbed the “Athens on the Huron”, renowned as a cultural and educational mecca - a distinction it still holds today. Ann Arbor is synonymous with the progressive and highly reputable Uof M, one of the world’s leading research and educational institutions.