Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. It is mostly in
Ingham County
Ingham County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The county seat is Mason. Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only ...
, although portions of the city extend west into
Eaton County
Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 109,175. The county seat is Charlotte. The county was organized in 1837 and was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under ...
and north into
Clinton County Clinton County may refer to:
*Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States:
**Clinton County, New York
**Clinton County, Ohio
*Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, s ...
. The
2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making it the
sixth largest city in Michigan. The population of its
metropolitan statistical area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
(
MSA) was 541,297 at the 2020 census, the third largest in the state after metropolitan
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
and
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
. It was named the new state capital of Michigan in 1847, ten years after Michigan became a state.
The
Lansing metropolitan area
Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...
, colloquially referred to as "Mid-Michigan", is an important center for educational, cultural, governmental, commercial, and industrial functions. Neighboring
East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
is home to
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, a public research university with an enrollment of more than 50,000. The area features two
medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
s, one veterinary school, two
nursing school
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ca ...
s, and two
law school
A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction.
Law degrees Argentina
In Argentina, ...
s. It is the site of the
Michigan State Capitol
The Michigan State Capitol is the building that houses the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the portion of the state capital of Lansing which lies in Ingham County. The present structure, at the interse ...
, the state
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
, the
Court of Appeals
A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...
, a
federal court, the
Library of Michigan
The Library of Michigan is a state-run library and historical center located in Lansing, Michigan that was created to provide one perpetual state institution to collect and preserve Michigan publications, conduct reference and research, and suppo ...
and Historical Center, and headquarters of four national
insurance
Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge ...
companies.
Lansing is the only U.S. state capital (among the 47 located in counties) that is not also a
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
. The seat of government of Ingham County is
Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
, but the county maintains some offices in Lansing.
History
The first recorded person of European descent to travel through the area that is now Lansing was British
fur trader
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of a world fur market in the early modern period, furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the mos ...
Hugh Heward and his
French-Canadian
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fr ...
team on April 24, 1790, while canoeing the
Grand River. The land that was to become Lansing was surveyed as "Township 4 North Range 2 West" in February 1827 in what was then dense forest. It was the last of the county's townships to be surveyed, and the land was not offered for sale until October 1830. There would be no roads to this area for decades to come.
![Grand River overlooking Lansing River Trail Bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Grand_River_overlooking_Lansing_River_Trail_Bridge.jpg)
In the winter of 1835 and early 1836, two brothers from
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
plotted the area now known as
REO Town
REO Town is a district in Lansing, Michigan, United States, located south of downtown. The neighborhood is bordered by West Malcolm X Street to the north; South Cedar Street BL I-96 to the east; West Mount Hope Avenue to the south; and Townsend S ...
just south of
downtown Lansing
Downtown Lansing is the central business district of Lansing, Michigan, United States. Located in the west-central part of the city along the banks of the Grand River, downtown Lansing is primarily home to Michigan's state government and three ...
and named it "Biddle City". This land lay in a
floodplain
A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...
and was underwater during the majority of the year. Nevertheless, the brothers went back to
Lansing, New York
Lansing () is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 11,691 at the 2020 census. The town is named after John Lansing. People from Lansing were early settlers of Lansing, Michigan, and named it after their hometo ...
, to sell plots for the town that did not exist. They told the New Yorkers this new "city" had an area of 65 blocks, a church and a public and academic square. 16 men bought plots in the nonexistent city, and upon reaching the area later that year found they had been scammed. Many in the group, too disappointed to stay, ended up settling around what is now metropolitan Lansing.
The settlement of fewer than 20 people would remain dormant until the winter of 1847 when the state constitution required the capital be moved from
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
to a more central and safer location in the state's interior; many were concerned about Detroit's proximity to
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
-controlled
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, which had captured Detroit in the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. The United States had recaptured the city in 1813, but these events led to the dire need to have the center of government relocate away from hostile
British territory
The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remnants of the former Bri ...
. There was also concern with Detroit's strong influence over Michigan politics, being the state's largest city as well as the capital city.
During the multi-day session to determine a new location for the state capital, many cities, including
Ann Arbor
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...
,
Marshall
Marshall may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria
Canada
* Marshall, Saskatchewan
* The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia
Liberia
* Marshall, Liberia
Marshall Islands
* Marshall Islands, an i ...
, and
Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
, lobbied hard to win this designation.
Unable to publicly reach a consensus because of constant political wrangling, the
Michigan House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 ...
privately chose the Township of Lansing out of frustration. When announced, many present openly laughed that such an insignificant settlement was now Michigan's capital. Two months later, Governor
William L. Greenly
William L. Greenly (September 18, 1813November 29, 1883) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan, serving as the sixth governor of Michigan.
Early life in New York
Greenly was born in Hamilton, New York. He graduated from Union College ...
signed into law the act of the legislature making
Lansing Township the state capital.
With the announcement that Lansing Township had been made the capital, the small village quickly transformed into the seat of state government. Within months after it became the capital city, individual settlements began to develop along three key points along the
Grand River in the township:
* "Lower Village/Town", where present-day Old Town stands, was the oldest of the three villages. It was home to the first house built in Lansing in 1843 by pioneer James Seymour and his family. Lower Town began to develop in 1847 with the completion of the Franklin Avenue (now
Grand River Avenue
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...
) covered bridge over the Grand River.
* "Upper Village/Town", where present-day REO Town stands at the confluence of the Grand River and the
Red Cedar River. It began to take off in 1847 when the Main Street Bridge was constructed over the Grand River. This village's focal point was the Benton House, a 4-story hotel, which opened in 1848. It was the first brick building in Lansing and was later razed in 1900.
* "Middle Village/Town", where downtown Lansing now stands, was the last of the three villages to develop in 1848 with the completion of the Michigan Avenue bridge across the Grand River and the completion of the temporary capitol building which sat where Cooley Law School stands today on Capitol Avenue between Allegan and Washtenaw Streets, and finally the relocation of the post office to the village in 1851. This area would grow to become larger than the other two villages up and down river.
The collection of original settlements ("Upper Town", "Lower Town" and "Middle Town") had for some years been collectively referred to as the "Village of Michigan". On February 16, 1842, Alaiedon township was split into the townships of Lansing, Delhi and Meridian (originally suggested as "Genoa") based on a petition submitted in December 1841 by Henry North, Roswell Everett and Zalmon Holmes. Henry North proposed the name "Lansing" for the township at the request of his father, who wanted it named after their old town of
Lansing, New York
Lansing () is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 11,691 at the 2020 census. The town is named after John Lansing. People from Lansing were early settlers of Lansing, Michigan, and named it after their hometo ...
.
On February 15, 1859, the settlement, having grown to nearly 3,000 and encompassing about in area, was incorporated as a city, carving off a section of seven square miles from Lansing Township. The boundaries of the original city were Douglas Avenue to the north, Wood and Regent streets to the east, Mount Hope Avenue to the south, and Jenison Avenue to the west. These boundaries would remain until 1916. Lansing began to grow steadily over the next two decades with the completion of the railroads through the city, a
plank road
A plank road is a road composed of wooden planks or puncheon logs. Plank roads were commonly found in the Canadian province of Ontario as well as the Northeast and Midwest of the United States in the first half of the 19th century. They were oft ...
, and the completion of the current capitol building in 1878.
Most of what is known as Lansing today is the result of the city becoming an industrial powerhouse which began with the founding of
Olds Motor Vehicle Company
Oldsmobile or formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it prod ...
in August 1897. The company went through many changes, including a buyout, between its founding to 1905 when founder
Ransom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO Motor Car Company, REO brands were named. He claimed to have built h ...
started his new
REO Motor Car Company
The REO Motor Car Company was a company based in Lansing, Michigan, which produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 to 1975. At one point, the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms.
Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founded ...
, which would last in Lansing for another 70 years. Olds would be joined by the less successful
Clarkmobile
Clarkmobile was an automobile first built in 1902 by Frank Clark of Clark & Company in Lansing, Michigan. The first model became available in 1903. A newspaper article referred to the automobile as the 'Unbreakable Clarkmobile' and showed it sur ...
around 1903. Over the next decades, the city would be transformed into a major American industrial center for the manufacturing of automobiles and
parts
Part, parts or PART may refer to:
People
*Armi Pärt (born 1991), Estonian handballer
* Arvo Pärt (born 1935), Estonian classical composer
*Brian Part (born 1962), American child actor
*Dealtry Charles Part (1882–1961), sheriff (1926–1927) a ...
, among other industries. The city also continued to grow in area. By 1956, the city had grown to , and doubled in size over the next decade to its current size of roughly .
Today, the city's economy is diversified among government service, healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, banking, and education.
Notable events
Anti-slavery movement
In the late 1840s to early 1850s, the citizens of Lansing were unified against slavery, and the city became a secondary stop on the
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
, as one of the last steps of an escape route that led through Battle Creek, Schoolcraft and Cassopolis. From Lansing, the route led to Durand, and then to either Port Huron or Detroit.
Major fires
The
Kerns Hotel fire
The Kerns Hotel fire of December 11, 1934, in Lansing, Michigan, United States, killed 34 people, including seven Michigan state legislators, and according to the Lansing Fire Department, was the worst fire disaster in the history of Lansing. The ...
on December 11, 1934, was the deadliest in the city's history. Perhaps thirty-four people died in the fire, although the hotel register was also destroyed making an exact count impossible.
On February 8, 1951, the
Elliott-Larsen Building
The Elliott-Larsen Building is a state government office in downtown Lansing, Michigan, named after Democratic State Representative Daisy Elliott and Republican State Representative Melvin Larsen, primary sponsors of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Ri ...
was intentionally set on fire by a state office employee. The following morning, the seventh floor collapsed down to the next level, which destroyed a large number of state historical records.
Elephant incident
On September 26, 1963, a 12-year-old, 3,000-pound female dancing elephant named
Rajje (alternately reported as Raji and Little Rajjee, among other variations) rebelled against her trainer during a performance in a shopping-center circus near what was then Logan Street and Holmes Road in Lansing, and escaped into the streets, aggravated by the frenzied pursuit of nearly 4,000 local residents. The incident ended with the shooting of the elephant by Lansing police.
Provoked by the growing crowd, Rajje's rampage took her through the men's wear, sporting goods and gift departments of a local
Arlan's
Arlan's was an American discount store chain.
Arlan's was founded in 1945 by William, Herbert, and Lester Palestine in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
In 1963, executives tried to start talks with King's of Newton, Massachusetts, regarding a merger. ...
discount store before leading police on a two-mile chase in which she knocked down and injured a 67-year-old man, tried to move a car, and caused thousands of dollars in damage before being killed.
''
Life Magazine
''Life'' was an American magazine published weekly from 1883 to 1972, as an intermittent "special" until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 until 2000. During its golden age from 1936 to 1972, ''Life'' was a wide-ranging weekly general-interest ma ...
'' quoted Rajje's trainer, William Pratt, as shouting at the scene, "Damn these people
..They wouldn't leave her alone."
The incident was widely reported, including a photospread in ''Life''.
While the ''
Lansing State Journal
The ''Lansing State Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Lansing, Michigan, owned by Gannett.
Overview
The ''Lansing State Journal'' is the sole daily newspaper published in Greater Lansing. The newspaper had an average Monday through ...
'' coverage stressed the danger of the incident,
the ''
Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
'' noted that witnesses cried out "Murderers! Murderers!" as police fired eight shots.
Author
Nelson Algren
Nelson Algren (born Nelson Ahlgren Abraham; March 28, 1909 – May 9, 1981) was an American writer. His 1949 novel ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' won the National Book Award and was adapted as the 1955 film of the same name.
Algren articulated ...
cites the injustice and sad end of the pursuit of "Raji, the Pixie-Eared Elephant" in continuity with the ambush of
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The c ...
in his introduction to a 1968 biography of the outlaws. Then teenage Lansing residents who had goaded the elephant later on recalled the incident with sober regret in a local newspaper retrospective in 2011.
Geography
Lansing is the centerpiece of a region of Michigan known as
Mid-Michigan
Central Michigan, also called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the middle area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Mid Michigan corre ...
.
![North Lansing dam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/North_Lansing_dam.jpg)
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. This figure includes two 425 Agreements with
Alaiedon Township and Meridian Township, and the four 425 Agreements with Delta Township since 2000.
Since the 2010 census, the city has entered into two additional 425 Agreements. The first agreement consisted of the temporary transfer of 1,888.2
acres
The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square ya ...
of Lansing Capital Region International Airport to the city from
DeWitt Township in 2011.
The second agreement consisted of the temporary transfer of in Alaiedon Township for the expansion of the headquarters of Jackson National Life Insurance Company in 2013 bringing the area either fully or conditionally under control of the city to .
[
Under Michigan law, ]425 Agreement The legislature of the State of Michigan enacted Public Act 425 of 1984 which is also known by the title ''Intergovernmental Conditional Transfer Of Property By Contract Act''. It became effective March 29, 1985, and was subsequently amended in 1998 ...
s are only temporary land sharing agreements and do not count as official annexations. The Census Bureau, however, for statistical purposes does count these as annexations. Not counting the temporary 425 Agreements, Lansing administers total.
Lansing is located in the south-central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the ...
, where the Grand River meets the Red Cedar River. The city occupies most of what had formerly been part of Lansing Charter Township. It has also annexed adjacent tracts of land in Delta Charter Township and Windsor Township in Eaton County to the west, Delhi Charter Township in Ingham County to the south, and in DeWitt Charter Township in Clinton County Clinton County may refer to:
*Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States:
**Clinton County, New York
**Clinton County, Ohio
*Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, s ...
to the north. The city also controls three non-contiguous tracts of land through 425 Agreements (conditional land transfer agreements) with Meridian Charter Township, Delta Charter Township, and Alaiedon Township in Ingham County to the southeast.
Lansing elevations range between above sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...
on the far south side of Lansing along Northrup Street near the Cedar Street intersection, to to above sea level along the Grand River.
The Grand River, the largest river in Michigan, flows through downtown Lansing, and the Red Cedar River, a tributary of the Grand, flows through the campus of Michigan State University to its confluence with the Grand in Lansing. Sycamore Creek, a tributary of the Red Cedar, flows northward through the southeastern part of the city. There are two lakes in the area, Park Lake and Lake Lansing
Lake Lansing is a lake in Haslett, Michigan just a few miles northeast of the state's capital city of Lansing.
Overview
Lake Lansing was originally known as Pine Lake, and was a highly popular recreation site in the early 1900s. The name was ch ...
, both northeast of the city. Lake Lansing is approximately in size and is a summer favorite for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. Michigan State University Sailing Club and the Lansing Sailing Club are located on Lake Lansing, where sailing regattas are hosted throughout the summer.
The City of Lansing operates a total of of parkland, of which is parkland, are golflands, and are cemetery lands. However, this figure includes the Waverly Hills Golf Course
A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
and adjacent Michigan Avenue Park, whose are located within neighboring Lansing Township, but operated by the City of Lansing, and does not include the of the combined Hawk Island County Park and adjacent Soldan Dog Park operated by Ingham County within the city of Lansing. All together then, of the city (or approximately 10%) is publicly administered open space.
Climate
Lansing has a Midwestern humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Dfb/Dfa'') that is influenced by the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
, and is part of USDA Hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...
5b. Winters are cold with moderate to heavy snowfall, while summers are very warm and humid. The monthly daily average temperature in July is , while the same figure for January is ; the annual mean is . On average, temperatures reach or exceed on 8.8 days of the year and drop to or below on 10.5 nights. Precipitation is generally greatest during summer but still frequent and significant in winter. Snowfall, which normally occurs from November to April, averages per season, significantly less than areas to the west such as Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
as Lansing is relatively immune to lake-effect snow
Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water. The lower layer of air, heated up by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises up through ...
s; seasonal snowfall has historically ranged from in 1863−64 to in 1880−81. The highest and lowest officially recorded temperatures were on July 6, 2012,[ and on February 2, 1868, with the last or colder reading occurred on February 27, 1994; the record low maximum is on January 22, 1883, while, conversely, the record high minimum is on August 1, 2006, and July 18, 1942.][ Freezing temperatures in June are exceedingly rare and have not occurred in July or August since the 19th century; on average, they arrive on October 4 and depart on May 7, allowing a growing season of 149 days. The average window for measurable snow (≥) is November 4 through April 6.
]
Neighborhoods
The city's downtown is dominated by state government buildings, especially the State Capitol; but downtown has also experienced recent growth in new restaurants, retail stores and residential developments. Downtown Lansing had a historic city market that was one of the oldest continuously operating farmers' markets in the United States, until it closed in 2019. Downriver and north of downtown is historic Old Town Lansing with many architecturally significant buildings dating to the mid-19th century. Directly south of downtown on the other side of I-496 along Washington Avenue lies "REO Town
REO Town is a district in Lansing, Michigan, United States, located south of downtown. The neighborhood is bordered by West Malcolm X Street to the north; South Cedar Street BL I-96 to the east; West Mount Hope Avenue to the south; and Townsend S ...
", the birthplace of the automobile in the United States, is where Ransom Eli Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1887 and his first gasoline-power ...
built factories along Washington Avenue. Ransom Eli Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO brands were named. He claimed to have built his first steam car as early as 1887 and his first gasoline-power ...
' home, which once overlooked the factories along Washington Avenue, was displaced by I-496.
Lansing is generally divided into four sections: the Eastside, Westside, Northwestside, and Southside. Each section contains a diverse array of neighborhoods. The Eastside, located east of the Grand River and north of the Red Cedar River, is the most ethnically diverse side of Lansing, with foreign-born citizens making up more of its population than any other side in the city. The Eastside's commercial districts are located mainly along Michigan Avenue, and to a lesser extent along Kalamazoo Street. It is anchored by Frandor Shopping Center
A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof.
The first known collec ...
on the very eastern edge of the eastside.
The Westside, roughly located north, west, and south of the Grand River as it curves through the city, is sometimes regarded as the city's most socio-economically diverse section. This side also contains Lansing's downtown area, though this neighborhood is often included as an area all its own. Outside downtown, this side is largely a collection of residential neighborhoods and is served by only one other commercial area along Saginaw Street. However, it also includes a small part of the Old Town Commercial Association.
The Northwestside, generally located north of the Grand River, with the city limits
City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limi ...
defining its north and western borders, is physically the smallest side of the city. This part of the city includes moderate-density residential areas and some green areas. North of Grand River Avenue, the main street of the side, lie warehouses and light industrial areas served by a major rail line that runs through Lansing. The most notable landmark of this side is Lansing's airport: Capital Region International Airport
Capital Region International Airport , formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, is a public, Class C airport located northwest of downtown Lansing in a portion of DeWitt Township, Michigan that has been annexed to the City of Lansing via Pub ...
.
The Southside, usually described as the neighborhoods located south of the Grand and Red Cedar rivers and the I-496 freeway, is physically the largest and most populous side of the city. The area is largely residential in nature (south of Mount Hope Road near the northern edge) and is served by numerous commercial strips along Cedar Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Pennsylvania Avenue, and Waverly Road, which run north–south. The large Edgewood District is located in the southernmost part of the Southside and is sometimes referred to as South Lansing. Though it is the largest area of the city by both physical size and population, it has often been regarded by Southside citizens as Lansing's most overlooked and forgotten area, as most of Lansing's attention in recent decades has been put into the revitalization of the city's historic core located mostly on small parts of both the East and Westside.
The middle of the Southside—South-Central Lansing—contains the Old Everett Area. This location once contained the Everett School District and was annexed into the city in 1948.
Unincorporated areas adjacent to Lansing include parts of Lansing Charter Township
Lansing Charter Township is a charter township of Ingham County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,143 at the 2020 census.
The township consists of six non-contiguous sections bordered mostly by the cities of East Lansing and ...
, such as the unincorporated community of Edgemont Park, as well as parts of Delta Charter Township
Delta Charter Township, officially known as the Charter Township of Delta and commonly known as simply Delta Township, is a charter township of Eaton County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 32,408 mak ...
, such as the unincorporated community of Waverly. Though they are not part of the City of Lansing, these unincorporated communities often use Lansing mailing addresses.
Districts
* Cherry Hill
* Churchill Downs
* Colonial Village
Colonial Village is an area in northwest Washington, D.C., built in 1931 with 80 residences. The homes are reproductions of colonial buildings, such as the Moore House, where General Charles Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.''Historical Dic ...
* Eastside
* Edgewood
* Genesee
Genesee, derived from the Seneca word for "pleasant valley", may refer to:
Geographic features Canada
*Genesee, Alberta, an unincorporated community
United States
*Genesee, California
*Genesee, Colorado
*Genesee County, Michigan
*Genesee Co ...
* Gier Park
* Hosmer
Lansing-Eaton
* Moores Park
* Museum District
* Old Everett
* Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
* REO Town
REO Town is a district in Lansing, Michigan, United States, located south of downtown. The neighborhood is bordered by West Malcolm X Street to the north; South Cedar Street BL I-96 to the east; West Mount Hope Avenue to the south; and Townsend S ...
* Stadium District
* Walnut
* Washington Square
* Westside
Demographics
2020 census
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 114,297 people, 48,450 households, and 26,234 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,174.9 per square mile (1,226.3/km2). There were 54,181 housing units at an average density of 1,505.0 per square mile (581.3/km2). The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 61.2% White (55.5% non-Hispanic White), 23.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.3% from other races, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.5% of the population. Foreign-born residents made up 8.3% of the population.
The median age in the city was 32.2 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 119,128 people, 49,505 households, and 28,366 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 3,399.0 per square mile (1,312.3/km2). There were 53,159 housing units at an average density of 1,516.8/sq mi (585.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 65.28% White (61.4% non-Hispanic White), 21.91% African American, 0.80% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.54% from other races, and 4.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.0% of the population. The city's foreign-born population stood at 5.9%.
As of 2000, the city's population rose by 32,293 (27%) to 151,421 during the day due to the influx of workers.
There were 49,505 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...
for a household in the city was $34,833, and the median income for a family was $41,283. Males had a median income of $32,648 versus $27,051 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $17,924. About 13.2% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Immigration and refugee resettlement
The Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution, often stylized as simply Brookings, is an American research group founded in 1916. Located on Think Tank Row in Washington, D.C., the organization conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in ec ...
has ranked Greater Lansing among the top 10 "medium-sized metropolitan areas" in the United States for refugee resettlement
Third country resettlement or refugee resettlement is, according to the UNHCR, one of three Refugee#Durable solutions, durable solutions (voluntary return, voluntary repatriation and local integration being the other two) for refugees who fled thei ...
, with 5,369 refugees resettled from 1983 to 2004. St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services handle the adult and unaccompanied minor resettlement processes, respectively, while other organizations, such as the Refugee Development Center, focus on providing educational and social support services to refugees in the Lansing area. Nearby Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
provides a source of volunteers for many of these programs.
, the Lansing area has about 2,000 Arab Americans
Arab Americans ( ar, عَرَبٌ أَمْرِيكِا or ) are Americans of Arab ancestry. Arab Americans trace ancestry to any of the various waves of immigrants of the countries comprising the Arab World.
According to the Arab American Inst ...
, mostly second-generation Christian Lebanese Americans
Lebanese Americans ( ar, أمريكيون لبنانيون) are Americans of Lebanese descent. This includes both those who are native to the United States of America, as well as immigrants from Lebanon.
Lebanese Americans comprise 0.79% of the ...
as well as some Palestinian Americans
Palestinian Americans ( ar, فلسطينيو أمريكا) are Americans who are of full or partial Palestinian descent. It is unclear when the first Palestinian immigrants arrived in the United States, but it is believed that they arrived dur ...
.
The city is also home to a large number of temporary foreign residents enrolled as international students at Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...
and nearby Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, with the city's visitors bureau specifically promoting Mandarin-language video tours of Lansing, touting the "more than 6,000" Chinese students enrolled at MSU. The Lansing School District
The Lansing Public School District is the urban public school district covering 52 square miles including most of the city of Lansing, Michigan, part of the city of East Lansing, and parts of the townships of Delta, DeWitt, Lansing, and Wat ...
offers language immersion programs for its students in both Spanish and Chinese.
Government
Lansing is administered under a mayor–council government
The mayor–council government system is a system of local government that has a mayor who is directly elected by the voters serve as chief executive, and a separately elected legislative city council. It is one of the two most common forms of loc ...
, more specifically a strong mayor
Strong may refer to:
Education
* The Strong, an educational institution in Rochester, New York, United States
* Strong Hall (Lawrence, Kansas), an administrative hall of the University of Kansas
* Strong School, New Haven, Connecticut, United St ...
form in which the mayor is the city's chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
. The mayor is obligated to appoint department heads (subject to council approval), and draft and administer a city budget among other responsibilities. The mayor may also veto
A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
legislation from council, though the veto can be overridden by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the council. The mayor and city clerk are elected at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
every four years.
The city council is the legislative body of the city and consists of eight members. Four members are elected from four single-member districts
A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vot ...
using the first-past-the-post
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast their ...
method in the city's wards
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
, and four members are elected at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
using the block voting
Block voting or bloc voting refers to electoral systems in which multiple candidates are elected at once and a group (voting bloc) of voters can force the system to elect only their preferred candidates. Block voting may be used at large (in a si ...
method. Members of the council serve staggered four-year terms. Half the council is up for election every two years, including two ward seats and two at-large seats. At its first meeting of the year, the council chooses from amongst its members a president and vice president. The president is the council's presiding officer, and also chooses the chairs of council committees. In the absence of the president and vice president, the city clerk chairs the council.
The city largely supports the Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
. It has not had a Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
mayor in office since 1993 when then-Democratic state representative David Hollister
David Hollister (born April 3, 1942) served as the mayor of Lansing, Michigan from 1993 to 2003, until he resigned to be the director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth under Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's administra ...
defeated incumbent Mayor Jim Crawford, who had formerly served as a Republican member on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. However, all city elections are held on an officially nonpartisan
Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party.
While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
basis.
Since given the ability to do so by the state in 1964, the city has levied an income tax of 1 percent on residents. 0.5 percent on non-residents, and 1.0 percent on corporations
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...
.
State and federal representation
Lansing is currently split between three congressional districts. Most of the city lies within the boundaries of Michigan's 8th congressional district
Michigan's 8th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Southern Michigan and Southeast Michigan, including almost all of the state capital, Lansing.
From 2003 to 2013, it consisted of all of Clinton, Ingham, and Li ...
, which is represented by Democratic congresswoman Elissa Slotkin
Elissa Blair Slotkin (born July 10, 1976) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2023. She represented the from 2019 to 2023, before redistricting. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as a Ce ...
, who was elected in the 2018 midterm election. The small portion of the city that extends into Eaton County
Eaton County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 109,175. The county seat is Charlotte. The county was organized in 1837 and was named for John Eaton, who was Secretary of War under ...
is located in the 7th district, which has been represented by Republican congressman Tim Walberg
Timothy Lee Walberg (born April 12, 1951) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented the from 2007 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2023.
Early life, educa ...
since 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2011. The small portion of the city that extends into Clinton County Clinton County may refer to:
*Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States:
**Clinton County, New York
**Clinton County, Ohio
*Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, s ...
is located in the Michigan's 4th congressional district, 4th district, which has been represented by Republican congressman John Moolenaar since 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2015.
At the U.S. state, state level, most of Lansing is located in the 23rd district of the Michigan Senate, which has been represented by Democratic state senator Curtis Hertel Jr. since 2015. The small portions of the city that extend into Eaton County and Clinton County is located in the 24th district of the Michigan Senate, are currently represented by Republican state senator Tom Barrett (Michigan politician), Tom Barrett. The city lies in the 67th, 68th, 71st, and 93rd districts of the Michigan State House of Representatives, represented by state representatives Kara Hope (D-67), Sarah Anthony (D-68), Angela Witwer (D-71), and Graham Filler (R-93).
Though Lansing is not the designated county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
, some Ingham County offices are located in downtown Lansing, including a branch office of the county clerk, the county personnel office, and some courtrooms.
Economy
The Lansing metropolitan area's major industries are Forms of government, government, education, insurance
Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge ...
, healthcare, and automobile manufacturing. Being the state capital, many state government workers reside in the area.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...
are significant employers in the region.
General Motors Corporation, General Motors has offices and a hi-tech Factory, manufacturing facility in Lansing and several manufacturing facilities immediately outside the city, as well, in nearby Lansing and Delta townships. The Lansing area is headquarters to four major national insurance companies: Auto-Owners Insurance Company, Jackson National Life, the Accident Fund, and Michigan Millers Insurance Company. Other insurers based in Lansing include Michigan Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.
Locally owned and operated convenience store chain Quality Dairy Company, Quality Dairy is a significant presence in the Lansing market.
The recent decline of the Automaker, auto industry in the region has increased the region's awareness of the importance of a strategy to foster the High tech, high-technology sector.
Early availability of Broadband Internet access, high-speed Internet in 1996, as well as the MSU, Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College student body population, fostered an intellectual environment for information technology companies to incubate. Lansing has a number of technology companies in the fields of information technology and biotechnology.
Healthcare
Sparrow Hospital is a 740-bed hospital affiliated with Michigan State University and its Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, College of Human Medicine and Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine. It offers a Level I Trauma Center and its own helicopter service.
McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital enjoys a special affiliation in radiation oncology with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University; McLaren–Greater Lansing is part of the Great Lakes Cancer Institute (GLCI).
Urban renewal and downtown redevelopment
Several urban renewal projects by private developers are adding higher end apartments and condominiums to the Lansing market. The Arbaugh, a former department store across from Cooley Law School, was converted into apartments in 2005. Motor Wheel Lofts, a former industrial site, was converted into loft-style living spaces in mid-2006. A combination retail and residential complex immediately south of Cooley Law School Stadium (formerly ''Oldsmobile Park'') called "The Stadium District", was completed in 2007. The Stadium District was redeveloped using a grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority through the Cool Cities Initiative.
In May 2006 the historically significant Mutual Building located on Capitol Avenue was purchased by The Christman Company to be renovated back to its original grandeur and used as the company's headquarters. Additional downtown developments include the renovation of the historic Hollister Building and the expansion of the former Abrams Aerial Building. As of August 2008, an 18-story condominium high-rise called Capitol Club Tower was in the design phase with the adjacent parking structure having been approved by city council and purchased by the developer. The city market, in existence since 1909, was approved to be sold for a multi-building mixed-use development called MarketPlace, right next to the current market on the adjacent riverfront. The MarketPlace project was redeveloped along with BallPark North, another mixed-use development that will be immediately north of Oldsmobile Stadium. A new city market was built north of the Lansing Center, but closed in 2019. Across the river, the Accident Fund Insurance Company renovated the former (art deco) Ottawa Street Powerplant into their new headquarters. In addition to the renovation, Accident Fund Insurance Company built a modern addition to the north of the historic portion that is connected by an atrium for more office space, as well as a parking structure. In 2009, the restaurant Troppo began construction on a new 2-story building that will have an open-air patio on the roof facing the Capitol building. Developer Eyde Co. announced plans on April 6, 2010, to renovate the historical and prominent Knapp's building in downtown Lansing for first floor retail, office space and apartments/condos on the top floor (5th) in a $22–24 million project.
Retail
The Lansing area has two major malls: Lansing Mall and Meridian Mall. Other major retail centers include Eastwood Towne Center and Frandor Shopping Center.
Education
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, a member of the Big Ten Conference, is known as "the pioneer land grant college", located in neighboring East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
. MSU has one of the largest land campuses in the United States and is home to several nationally and internationally recognized academic and research-oriented programs. Michigan State offers over 200 programs of study and is home to fourteen different degree-granting schools and colleges including two medical schools, a veterinary school, a Michigan State University College of Law, law school, and numerous PhD programs. It is the only university in the nation with three medical schools. MSU is consistently one of the top three programs in the United States for study abroad programs. The MSU College of Education is also consistently rated as the top education program in the nation. Michigan State University is the oldest agricultural college in the United States. The MSU School of Criminal Justice is the oldest continuous degree granting criminal justice program in the nation. In 2008, the Department of Energy announced MSU won the contest for a $550 million Facility for Rare Isotope Beams that will attract top researchers from around the world to conduct experiments in nuclear science, astrophysics and applications of isotopes to other fields.
The Thomas M. Cooley Law School is the largest law school in the nation and is located in downtown Lansing. Cooley is fully accredited by the American Bar Association. A majority of Cooley students are from out-of-state.
Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...
offers more than 500 areas of study to over 18,000 students at its main facilities in Lansing, and another 5,000 students at twenty-nine extension centers and a site in Ōtsu, Shiga, Otsu, Japan. LCC's new, state-of-the-art University Center enables students to take courses with the goal of eventually earning an undergraduate or graduate degree from other Michigan institutions. The University Center stands on the former site of "Old Central", Lansing's first public high school, which was established in 1875 as Lansing High School. (In the 1920s it was renamed as Central High School, and in 1957 became the first building on the LCC campus.)
Other institutions of higher education include Western Michigan University (branch campus in Delta Township), Davenport University in Downtown Lansing, Central Michigan University (branch campus), and Great Lakes Christian College (campus in Delta Township).
Schools
;Public schools
* Lansing School District
The Lansing Public School District is the urban public school district covering 52 square miles including most of the city of Lansing, Michigan, part of the city of East Lansing, and parts of the townships of Delta, DeWitt, Lansing, and Wat ...
**Eastern High School (Michigan), Lansing Eastern High School
**Everett High School (Michigan), Lansing Everett High School
**J. W. Sexton High School
*Grand Ledge Public Schools
* Ingham Intermediate School District
** Ingham Academy High School (Michigan), Ingham Academy High School
*Mid-Michigan Public School Academy
*Shabazz Public School Academy (named after Malcolm X)
*Waverly School District
;Private schools
*Capitol City Baptist School
*Emanuel Lutheran School
*Lansing Catholic High School
*Lansing Christian Schools
*New Covenant Christian School (Lansing, Michigan), New Covenant Christian School
*Our Savior Lutheran School
Cultural celebrations
Parades
The African American Parade occurs in Lansing's Westside as part of the annual Juneteenth Celebration
Each year in August, the Michigan Pride festival includes a LGBT pride parade from Riverfront Park to the capitol.
The annual Silver Bells in the City Electric Light Parade proceeds through the streets of downtown Lansing every November, the Friday before Thanksgiving. It is followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree in front of the State Capitol and a firework show (weather permitting) over the State Capitol.
Music
The Lansing Symphony Orchestra has been entertaining generations of Lansing-area residents since 1929. The current music director is Timothy Muffett.
The Lansing JazzFest and the Old Town BluesFest host leading musicians, and are two of the larger music festivals held each year in the state.
Old Town's Festival of the Moon and Sun is a two-day festival of food and live music.
Old Town Oktoberfest is a two-day event drawing hundreds to the Old Town neighborhood for live polka music, authentic German food and world-renowned German-style beer.
It was announced in May 2007 that the city would host "Blues on the Square", a series of summertime blues concerts featuring national acts Thursday nights along Washington Square in downtown Lansing. In 2008 the event regularly drew crowds over 500.
The Common Ground Music Festival, Common Ground Festival is a musical event held over a week every July at the Adado Riverfront Park in downtown Lansing pulling in crowds over 90,000 for the week. It began in 2000 and replaced the Michigan Festival that was held in nearby East Lansing. It has a wide range of musical acts. In 2008 acts included Staind, Drowning Pool, Sammy Hagar, The Hard Lessons, Snoop Dogg, REO Speedwagon, Kellie Pickler, Seether and Trace Adkins. 2012 acts included The Flaming Lips, Man Man, Motion City Soundtrack, Joshua Davis (fiddler), Joshua Davis, mewithoutyou, with local ensemble
The Lansing Unionized Vaudeville Spectacle
an
Vandalay
on the bill.
Every year ''City Pulse'' names the "Top Original Act" in the Top of the Town Awards. The 2010 winner was Eastside neighborhood native indie rock band Loune. The 2011 winner was pop punk act Frank and Earnest.
On June 23, 2018, REO Town
REO Town is a district in Lansing, Michigan, United States, located south of downtown. The neighborhood is bordered by West Malcolm X Street to the north; South Cedar Street BL I-96 to the east; West Mount Hope Avenue to the south; and Townsend S ...
hosted th
Three Stacks Music Festival
featuring Against Me!, Murder by Death, Pup, mewithoutyou, Screaming Females, Camp Cove, Petal, Oceanator, City Mouse, Worn Spirit, Stefanie Haapala, Ness Lake, and Secret Forte.
Other notable Lansing musicians includ
Tell Yo Mama
Root Doctor
Jen Sygit
James Gardin
The Further Adventures of Fat Boy and the Jive Turkeys
MSU Professors of Jazz
Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers
Jahshua Smith
BLAT! Pack
Deacon Earl
and Frontier Ruckus.
Points of interest
Farmers' markets
Lansing has several farmers' markets throughout the city in the summer months. These markets include the Allen Street Farmer's Market on the city's eastside, the Westside Farmers' Market, the Old Town Farmer's Market, and the South Lansing Farmer's Market.
Libraries
The Library of Michigan
The Library of Michigan is a state-run library and historical center located in Lansing, Michigan that was created to provide one perpetual state institution to collect and preserve Michigan publications, conduct reference and research, and suppo ...
and Historical Center is a state library and research center. The library is one of the top five genealogical research facilities in the United States. The Capital Area District Library has 13 branches within Ingham County, some of these include the Main Library downtown, the Foster Library on the east side, and the South Lansing Library on the south side.
Museums
Lansing is home to a number of small, specialized museums:
*The Impression 5 Science Center is a children's science center located in a historic wagon works factory on the Grand River.
* The Library of Michigan, Michigan Library and Historical Center contains one of the 10 largest genealogy collections in the nation, has a museum dedicated to Michigan's history among other attractions.
*The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame is a museum dedicated to the historical accomplishments and achievements of Michigan women. The house is located directly south of downtown in the 1903-built Cooley-Haze House. The museum is surrounded by Cooley Gardens.
* The R. E. Olds Transportation Museum is dedicated to the education of Lansing's role in the development of transportation, particularly the automobile.
* The Turner-Dodge House is a museum dedicated to Lansing's early pioneers. The museum sits in the Classical Revival-styled Turner-Dodge Mansion, built in 1858 for James and Marion Turner, and later by their daughter and her husband. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Theatre
* The Riverwalk Theatre, (formerly the Okemos Barn Theatre), the Lansing Civic Players, and the now defunct BoarsHead Theater are or were all located in downtown.
* Peppermint Creek Theatre Company is a well established "new" theater company.
*Happendance, Michigan's longest-running professional modern dance company, has been based in Greater Lansing since 1976.
*The Greater Lansing Ballet company, Ballet Company is a ballet and dance company.
* The Creole Gallery brings in various musicians and hosts the Icarus Falling Theater group.
Potter Park Zoo
The historic Potter Park Zoo, located along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, is a 102-acre park that has more than 160 species of animals. The park holds numerous programs and events for children and families to enjoy. With annual attendance increasing every year since 2006 (110,167 in 2006, 137,237 in 2008, and 167,000 in 2009) there are $667,100 in capital improvements planned for 2009 including a giant walk-in aviary and a new female tiger. In 2009 the zoo began a $1.4 million renovation to its rhinoceros exhibit. This is in addition to $1.3 million spent on capital improvements in 2008. In 2011 the Black Rhino exhibit opened; and three tiger cubs were born. In 2016 a 3-acre moose exhibit opened in the park.
Other area destinations
In October 2009 the Wharton Center for Performing Arts completed a , $18.5 million expansion and renovation, having already spent over $1.3 million in 2008. Many Broadway shows come to The Wharton Center before traveling to theaters in larger places such as Chicago. The Kresge Art Museum, the MSU Museum, and the Abrams Planetarium are highly acclaimed cultural destinations located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. In June 2007 MSU announced the plans to build a new Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, art museum after a $26 million gift from Eli and Edythe Broad. Internationally known Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid of London won the design competition for the East Lansing museum that was completed in November 2012.
Media
Newspapers and magazines
* ''Lansing State Journal
The ''Lansing State Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Lansing, Michigan, owned by Gannett.
Overview
The ''Lansing State Journal'' is the sole daily newspaper published in Greater Lansing. The newspaper had an average Monday through ...
''
* ''City Pulse''
* ''The New Citizens Press''
* ''Capital Gains Media''
* ''Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine''
* ''The Greater Lansing Business Monthly''
* ''Greater Lansing Woman Magazine''
* ''The Hub''
* ''MIRS News-Michigan Information & Research Service''
* ''The State News''
* ''Gongwer News Service''
* ''The Michigan Bulletin''
* ''Patient In Charge Magazine''
Television
Cable slots listed reflect the Comcast cable system in Lansing.
* WLNS-TV, WLNS 6 (CBS) (Cable 9)
* WILX-TV, WILX 10 (NBC) (Cable 4)
* WKAR-TV, WKAR 23 (PBS) (Cable 13) / DT2 (World (TV channel), World) (Cable 20) / DT3 (Create (TV network), Create) (Cable 18) / DT4 (PBS Kids) (Cable 293)
* WSYM-TV, WSYM 47 (Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox) (Cable 7)
* WLAJ 53 (American Broadcasting Company, ABC) (Cable 3) / WLAJ-DT2, DT2 (The CW) (Cable 5)
WILX maintains WSYM's News programming. Both affiliates broadcast their newscasts at the News 10 studios in Lansing. Often the same reporters are used on both broadcasts.
Radio
Note: If the station has no city listed before the format, it is licensed to Lansing.
* 88.1 WLGH – (Leroy Township, Ingham County, Michigan, Leroy Township, contemporary Christian) "Smile FM Michigan Radio Network, Smile FM"
* 88.5 WLGH, WJOM – (Eagle, contemporary Christian) "Smile FM Michigan Radio Network, Smile FM"
* 88.9 WDBM – (East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, college/Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
) "The Impact"
* 89.7 WLNZ – (public radio/Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...
)
* 90.5 WKAR-FM, WKAR – (East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, public radio/Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
)
** Note: WKAR has an effective radiated power of 86,000 watts
* 91.3 WOES – (Ovid, Michigan, Ovid, polka/Ovid-Elsie High School)
* 92.1 WQTX – (St. Johns, Michigan, St. Johns, sports talk) "The Team"
* 92.9 WLMI – (Grand Ledge, Michigan, Grand Ledge, Contemporary hit radio, CHR) "Lansing's New Hits"
* 93.7 WBCT-FM – (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, country) "B93"
** Note: WBCT has an effective radiated power 320,000 watts
* 94.1 WWDK – (Jackson
Jackson may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name
Places
Australia
* Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region
* Jackson North, Qu ...
, Classic Country) "94.1 Duke FM"
* 94.9 WMMQ – (East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, classic rock)
* 96.5 WQHH – (DeWitt, Michigan, DeWitt, Mainstream Urban, urban) "Power 96.5"
* 97.5 WJIM-FM, WJIM – (Contemporary hit radio, CHR) "97-5 Now-FM"
* 99.1 WFMK – (East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, adult contemporary)
* 99.9 W260BX - (religious/southern gospel) "Family Life Radio"
** Rebroadcasts WUNN 1110 AM.
* 100.7 WITL-FM – (country music, country) "Whittle"
* 101.7 WHZZ – (adult hits) "Mike-FM"
* 105.7 WSRW-FM, WSRW – (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, adult contemporary) "Star 105.7"
* 106.1 WJXQ – (Charlotte, Michigan, Charlotte, active rock) "Q106"
* 107.3 WTNR (FM), WTNR – (Greenville/Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, Country music, Country)
* 730 AM WVFN – (East Lansing, sports talk) "The Game"
* 870 AM WKAR (AM), WKAR – (East Lansing, National Public Radio, NPR news/talk)
* 1110 AM WUNN – (Mason
Mason may refer to:
Occupations
* Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces
* Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...
, religious/southern gospel) "Family Life Radio"
* 1180 AM WXLA – Dimondale, Michigan, Dimondale, (adult standards) "Timeless Classics 1180"
* 1240 AM WJIM (AM), WJIM – (news/talk) "Lansing's Big Talker"
* 1320 AM WILS – (news/talk) "More Compelling Talk Radio"
* 1390 AM WLCM – (Charlotte, Michigan, Charlotte, religious)
* 1580 AM WWSJ – (St. Johns, Michigan, St. Johns, urban contemporary gospel) "Joy 1580"
* 162.400 WXK81 – NOAA Weather Radio (Onondaga, Michigan, Onondaga, weather)
Radio stations from Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, and Flint can also be heard in the Lansing area.
Sports
The Lansing Lugnuts are a High-A Central league, Minor League Baseball team, currently affiliated with the Oakland A's. The team plays its home games at Cooley Law School Stadium, Jackson Field, which was built at a cost of $12.7 million and opened in 1996 in downtown Lansing. It was partially renovated in 2006. Jackson Field has a seating capacity of 11,215 fans, and was built to accommodate additional expansion. Previously known as ''Oldsmobile Park'', the facility was renamed ''Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium'' in April 2010, in reference to the park's new sponsor. It was renamed again to ''Jackson Field'' after a change in sponsorship to Jackson National Life.
Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
, located in East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
, is the largest university in the State of Michigan. MSU sponsors both men's and women's sports, usually competing as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans have won National Titles in Men's Basketball, Football, Men's Boxing, Men's Cross Country, Men's Gymnastics, Men's Ice hockey, Ice Hockey, Men's Soccer, and Men's Wrestling.
Lansing Community College
Lansing Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Lansing, Michigan. Founded in 1957, the college's main campus is located on an urban, site in downtown Lansing spanning seven city blocks approximately two block ...
also sponsors many sports, competing as members of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association. The Stars have won NJCAA titles in the following sports: Women's Softball, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Women's Marathon and Men's Marathon.
The Lansing area is also known for its many golf courses, with two courses owned by Michigan State University, four municipal courses, and many additional public and private courses in the area. The former Walnut Hills Country club, Country Club in nearby East Lansing formerly hosted the LPGA's Oldsmobile Classic from 1992 to 2000. The Michigan PGA recently relocated from the Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
area to Bath, Michigan, which is on the northern edge of Lansing.
In the 1980s and 1990s Lansing was a major player in semi-pro football. The Lansing Crusaders won MFL/MCFL championships in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1990. The team finished second in 1984, 1986, and 1991.
Other past sports teams include:
* Lansing – Michigan State League (baseball) – 1889 to 1890
* Lansing Senators – Michigan State League (baseball) – 1895 and 1902
** Southern Michigan League – 1907 to 1914
** Central League – 1921 to 1922
** renamed the Lansing Lancers – Michigan State League – 1940
** and then back as the Lansing Senators – Michigan State League – 1941
* Lansing Capitals – North American Basketball League – 1966–67 to 1967–68
* Lansing Lancers – International Hockey League (1945–2001), International Hockey League – 1974 to 1975
* Capital City Cardinals – Michigan Charity Football League – 1980
* Lansing Crusaders – Michigan Charity Football League – 1980 to 1988
** Michigan Football League – 1989 to 1994
* Capital City Cowboys – Michigan Football League – 1992
* Capital City Stealth - Michigan Minor League Football - 2010-2019
* Lansing Ice Nuts – International Independent Hockey League – 2003 to 2004
* Lansing United – USL PDL – 2014 to 2018
* Lansing Ignite – USL League One – 2018 to 2019
* Lansing Sting - American Basketball Association - 2013 to 2014
* Lansing Hot Rods - Continental Indoor Lacrosse League - 2013-
Transportation
Airports
Scheduled commercial airline service is offered from Capital Region International Airport
Capital Region International Airport , formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, is a public, Class C airport located northwest of downtown Lansing in a portion of DeWitt Township, Michigan that has been annexed to the City of Lansing via Pub ...
(formerly known as ''Capital City Airport''). Delta Air Lines maintains routes to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit and Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport, Minneapolis. United Airlines maintains routes to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago O'Hare. American Airlines offers non-stop flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C., and Chicago O'Hare. Apple Vacations provides seasonal flights to Cancún International Airport, Cancún, Mexico; Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana International Airport, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. UPS Airlines, UPS has a freight hub at Capital Region International Airport making up part of the 42 million pounds of annual cargo moving through the airport. In 2008 the airport received a port of entry designation – known as ''Port Lansing'' – and now has a permanent customs facility, thus changing its name to reflect the port of entry status. The same year a extension to the largest of the three runways – now – was completed to allow for larger aircraft to use the airport.
Major highways
* runs from Indianapolis north to Lansing and east to Flint, Michigan, Flint and Port Huron, Michigan, Port Huron, connecting to Canada.
* runs from Muskegon, Michigan, Muskegon, past Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids and Lansing, to Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
.
* loops through downtown Lansing, connecting with I-96 on either end.
* is a loop route running through Lansing and East Lansing
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...
.
* is a loop route running through Lansing.
* a loop route off I-496 serving the state capitol and other downtown facilities.
* is a north–south highway passing between the city and neighboring East Lansing, continuing northerly toward Clare, Michigan, Clare and Grayling, Michigan, Grayling and southerly toward Jackson, Michigan, and into Ohio.
* (Saginaw Street/Grand River Avenue
Grand may refer to:
People with the name
* Grand (surname)
* Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor
* Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist
* Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper
Places
* Grand, Oklahoma
* Grand, Vosges, village and commun ...
)
* (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)
Railways
* Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service at a stop in nearby East Lansing (Amtrak station), East Lansing, on the ''Michigan Services, Blue Water'' line from Chicago to Port Huron, Michigan, Port Huron.
* Three freight railroads serve Lansing including Canadian National Railway, CSX Transportation, and the Jackson & Lansing Railroad.
Public transportation
* Capital Area Transportation Authority, Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) provides public transit bus service to the Lansing-East Lansing Metropolitan area on 33 routes. CATA boasts the second highest ridership in the state of Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
after Detroit with 53,000 daily rides in September 2008 and 11,306,339 rides in fiscal year 2008. CATA also provides paratransit services through Spec-Tran and the "Night Owl." Also, the "Entertainment Express" (CATA route 4) runs Thursday through Saturday from 7 pm to 2 am connecting downtown Lansing's and East Lansing's entertainment districts. CATA won APTA's America's Best Transit Award in the medium-size category (4–30 million rides) in 2007. CATA has two transportation centers (CTC), one in downtown Lansing and one on the campus of Michigan State University. In 2010,
study
was conducted to consider ways of enhancing the Lansing-to-East Lansing route (currently known as Route 1), with options including enhanced bus service, single-car trolley service and light rail service. (Heavy rail was eliminated as an option early in the process, with enhanced bus service eventually winning out.)
* Greyhound Lines provides Intercity bus, inter-city bus service. CATA and Greyhound are both located in the CATA Transportation Center (CTC) in downtown Lansing.
* Several taxicab companies serve the area. In 2001, Big Daddy Taxi opened using large vans to address the safety concerns of drunk driving and offered $3 rides for students of Michigan State University. In 2008 the Green Cab Company opened using Toyota Prius hybrid cars to provide "green" cabs to Lansing.
* The Michigan Flyer provides bus service between Lansing and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Detroit Metro Airport 12 times daily, with a stop in Ann Arbor
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...
along the way.
Bicycling
* The , non-motorized Lansing River Trail runs along the Grand River and the Red Cedar River, running as far east as Michigan State University, and passes Potter Park Zoo, the Capitol Loop, and several other destinations of interest, and as far west as Moores Park. The trail is accessible at many points along it, some with car parking lots. The trails breadth is extended from time to time. Currently, the trailheads are: North – Dietrich Park; East – Kircher Park; South – Maguire Park; West – Moores Park. All segments are hard-surfaced. The River Trail connects to other pathways/trails in the Lansing-metro area: East – Michigan State University path system; South – Sycamore Trail. Since the trail follows a river, most street crossings use platforms under existing street bridges to provide an uncommon amount of grade separation, to the benefit of both trail users and automobile traffic. As of February 2015, the River Trail is under construction to add paths as far as Holt.
Utilities
Water supply, power and steam are municipally owned utilities which are provided by Lansing Board of Water & Light. In 2008 the Lansing BWL constructed Michigan's largest solar array towards the goal of increasing renewable energy in the energy grid.
Natural gas is provided by Consumers Energy.
Notable people
* Joel Bakan, Law of Canada, Canadian law professor and documentary filmmaker
* Ray Stannard Baker, journalist and author
* L. Anna Ballard, first female medical physician in Lansing, Michigan
* Sabu (wrestler), Terry Brunk, ex-WWE, ECW (WWE), ECW, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, TNA/WCW professional wrestler known as "Sabu"
* Timothy Busfield, actor and director, ''thirtysomething (TV series), thirtysomething'', ''Field of Dreams'', ''The West Wing''
* Ricky Berry, NBA player for Sacramento Kings
* Lingg Brewer, politician and educator
* Charles G. Callard, co-founder of Callard Madden & Associates and a pioneer developer of corporate valuation models
* Candi Carpenter, country singer & songwriter
* Jim Cash, screenwriter of ''Top Gun'' and other commercially successful films
* Carolyn Cassady, writer, wife of beat generation icon Neal Cassady
*Alva M. Cummins, lawyer and 1922 Democratic nominee for Governor of Michigan
* Doc Corbin Dart, singer of punk band The Crucifucks
* DJ Infamous, hip-hop DJ
* Tony Earl, former Governor of Wisconsin
* Ed Emshwiller, Visual arts, visual artist and founder of California Institute of the Arts, CalArts computer animation Lab
* Rashad Evans, Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC fighter
* David Fairchild, botanist
* Ed Farhat, professional wrestler known as "The Sheik"
* Jonathan Farwell, actor
* Bryn Forbes, National Basketball Association, NBA basketball player
* Chris Hansen, ''Dateline NBC'' correspondent
* Thom Hartmann, Talk radio, radio talk-show host and author
* Ahney Her, actress, ''Gran Torino (film), Gran Torino''
* Joel Higgins, actor, graduated from Michigan State
* Andy Hilbert, National Hockey League, NHL hockey player
* Keiffer Hubbell, figure skater
* Madison Hubbell, figure skater
* Steve Huffman, American entrepreneur and web developer, CEO and co-founder of Reddit and also co-founded the now defunct airfare search site Hipmunk.
* John Hughes (filmmaker), John Hughes, film writer and director, born in Lansing
* Carol Hutchins, softball National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Hall of Famer
* Magic Johnson, Michigan State University
Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...
and National Basketball Association, NBA basketball star, Basketball Hall of Fame, Hall of Famer, president of Los Angeles Lakers, co-owner of Los Angeles Dodgers
* Jacquelyn Kelley, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Michael Kimball, novelist
* Lisa Kron, theatre actress and playwright
* Matthew Lillard, actor
* Dean Look, football player and official
* Malcolm X, human rights activist
* Jef Mallett, creator and artist of the comic strip ''Frazz''
* Suzanne Malveaux, CNN television news reporter
* Teal Marchande, actress
* Todd Martin, tennis player
* Pop McKale, athlete and coach; University of Arizona arena bears his name
* Drew Miller, National Hockey League, NHL hockey player
* Kelly Miller (ice hockey b. 1963), Kelly Miller, National Hockey League, NHL player, ranks third all-time for the Washington Capitals in games played
* Kip Miller, National Hockey League, NHL player, 1990 recipient of Hobey Baker Memorial Award
* Ryan Miller, National Hockey League, NHL and Olympic hockey player
* Muhsin Muhammad, National Football League, NFL football player
* Needlz, hip-hop and rap producer
* Ransom E. Olds
Ransom Eli Olds (June 3, 1864 – August 26, 1950) was a pioneer of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automotive industry, after whom the Oldsmobile and REO Motor Car Company, REO brands were named. He claimed to have built h ...
, automobile manufacturer, founded Oldsmobile, Olds Motor Vehicle Company
* Larry Page, co-founder of Google.com
* DJ Perry, film writer, actor and director, born in Lansing
* Wally Pipp, former Baseball player and member of the New York Yankees first World Series championship team 1923
* Alice Pollitt, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Corey Potter, National Hockey League, NHL hockey player
* Merv Pregulman, National Football League, NFL player for Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
* Dan Price, co-founder and CEO of Gravity Payments
* Greg Raymer, 2004 World Series of Poker champion
* Carl Benton Reid, actor
* Burt Reynolds, Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe award-winning actor, film and television star, born and raised in Lansing
* Vic Saier, MLB player
* Steven Seagal, actor and martial artist, born in Lansing
* Frederic L. Smith, co-founder of General Motors, born in Lansing
* John Smoltz, MLB pitcher, 1996 Cy Young Award winner, Hall of Famer
* Jim "Soni" Sonefeld, drummer and percussionist for Hootie & the Blowfish
* Lori Nelson Spielman, Author of the bestseller ''Life List''
* Debbie Stabenow, U.S. senator
* Gary Starkweather, Inventor of the laser printer
* Marcus Taylor, professional basketball player
* George Teague, NFL player for Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins
* Denzel Valentine, professional basketball player
* Jay Vincent, professional basketball player
* Sam Vincent (basketball), Sam Vincent, professional basketball player
* Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan and former Minority Leader of the Michigan State Senate
* Howard Wolpe, Congressman who was a Lansing resident during his term in office.
* Lebbeus Woods, architect.
International relations
Sister cities
Lansing's sister cities are:
* Akuapim South Municipal District, Akuapim South District, Eastern Region, Ghana
* Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
* Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
* Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan
* Pianezza, Piedmont, Italy
* Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
* Sanming, Fujian, China
Lansing was a sister city of Kubyashi District in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The agreement began in 1992 and ended in practice when a change to the political structure of Saint Petersburg cancelled the district. The relations were officially severed by Lansing in 2013 as a protest of the laws against LGBT rights in Russia.
Friendship cities
Lansing's friendship cities are:[
* Cosenza, Calabria, Italy
* Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
* Sakaide, Kagawa, Sakaide, Kagawa, Japan]
Notes
References
Further reading
* Available on NewsBank, Record Number: 33658e6f3e435749c466e59bf44dd1b692752.
*
*
*
External links
City of Lansing official website
Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau
promotes affordable housing and community economic development activities in Lansing
''The Lansing Republican'', excerpts from 1859 editions
*
*
* OpenStreetMap:Lansing, Michigan
{{Authority control
Lansing, Michigan,
Cities in Clinton County, Michigan
Cities in Eaton County, Michigan
Cities in Ingham County, Michigan
Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area, *
Populated places established in 1835
1835 establishments in Michigan Territory