List of city nicknames in Michigan

′ This partial list of city nicknames in Michigan compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in Michigan are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"[2] are also believed to have economic value.[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

Nicknames for Eau Claire and Traverse City are a reminder that cherries are an important crop in Michigan.

• Adrian – The Maple City[3]
• Alma – Scotland, USA[4]
• Ann Arbor
  • A² or A-squared[5][6][7]
  • Tree Town[8][9]
• Atlanta – Elk Capital of Michigan[10]
• Battle Creek
  • Breakfast Capital of the World[11]
  • Cereal Bowl of the World[12]
  • Cereal City[13]
• Beaver Island – America's Emerald Isle[14]
• Belding
  • Apple Capital[15]
  • Silk City[16]
• Berrien Springs – Christmas Pickle Capital of the World[17]
• Cadillac – Chestnut Town USA[18]
• Calumet – Coppertown USA[19][20]
• Champion – Horse Pulling Capital of the U.P.[21]
• Colon – Magic Capital of the World[22]
• Davison – City of Flags[23]
• Detroit
  • America's Comeback City[24]
  • Arsenal of Democracy[25][26]
  • City of Trees[27]
  • Hitsville, USA[24]
  • Hockeytown[24][26]
  • The Motor City[24][28]
  • Motown[24][28]
  • The D[29]
  • The Paris of the Midwest[27]
  • The Renaissance City[24][30]
• Drummond Island – Gem of the Huron[31]
• Dundee – Hub of the Highways[32]
• Eaton Rapids – The Island City[33]
• Eau Claire – Cherry Pit Spitting Capital of the World[17]
• Elsie – Michigan's Dairy Capital[34]
• Escanaba – Esky[35]
• Fairview – Wild Turkey Capital of Michigan[36]
• Flint
  • The Auto City[37]
  • The Birthplace of General Motors[38]
  • Buick City[39]
  • The Vehicle City[40]
• Frankenmuth – Michigan's Little Bavaria[41]
• Fremont – Baby Food Capital of the World[42]
• Gaylord – Michigan's Alpine Village[43]
• Glenn – The Pancake Town[44]
• Grand Haven – Coast Guard City, USA[45]
• Grand Rapids
  • Furniture City[46]
  • Beer City USA[47]
• Greenville – The Danish Festival City[48]
• Hamtramck
  • City Within the City[49]
  • The World Within Two Square Miles[50]
• Holland – Tulip City[51]
• Huntington Woods – City of Homes[52]
• Jackson – Birthplace of the Republican Party[53]
• Kalamazoo
  • Bedding Plant Capital of the World[54]
  • Celery City[15][54]
  • Kazoo (or K'Zoo)[55]
  • Mall City (first outdoor pedestrian mall in the US)[54]
  • The Paper City[54]
• Kalkaska – Trout Capital of Michigan[56]
• Kingsley – A Little Bit of Paradise[57]
• Lake City – Christmas Tree Capital[58]
• Linwood – Michigan's Walleye Capital[59]
• Marquette – Queen City of the North[60]
• Mayfield – Birthplace of the Adams Fly[61]
• Mesick – Mushroom Capital of the World[15]
• Mount Clemens – Bath City[62]
• Mount Pleasant – The Oil Capital of Michigan[63]
• Muskegon
  • The Beer Tent Capital of the World[64]
  • Port City[65]
  • The Riviera of the Midwest[65]
  • Lumber Queen of the World[65]
  • The Skee
  • Skeetown
• Naubinway – Top of the Lake[66]
• Negaunee – Irontown, USA[67]
• Newberry – Moose Capital of Michigan[68]
• Niles
  • The City of Four Flags[69]
  • Garden City[70]
• Northville – Switzerland of Wayne County[71]
• Oceana County – Asparagus Capital of the World[72]
• Omer – Michigan's Smallest City[73]
• Onaway – Sturgeon Capital of Michigan[74]
• Oscoda – Paddletown USA[75]
• Paradise – Wild Blueberry Capital of Michigan[76]
• Pellston – Icebox of the Nation[77]
• Pinconning – Cheese Capital of Michigan[78]
• Plainwell – The Island City[79]
• Port Huron – Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes[80]
• Portland – City of Two Rivers[81]
• Rogers City
  • The Nautical City[82]
  • Rocket City
• Romulus – Gateway to the World[83]
• Saint Johns – The Mint City[15]
• Saint Louis – Middle of the Mitten[84]
• Sault Ste. Marie
  • The Soo[85]
  • Michigan's Oldest City (founded 1668)[86]
• South Haven – Blueberry Capital of the World[15]
• Sturgis – Electric City[87]
• Taylor – Taylortucky[88][89]
• Traverse City – Cherry Capital of the World[15][90]
• Utica
  • Hothouse Rhubarb Capital of the World[91]
  • Mushroom Capital of Michigan[91]
• Vassar – Cork Pine City[92]
• Vicksburg – The Village with a Vision[93]
• Whitefish Point – Cranberry Capital of Michigan[94]
• Ypsilanti
  • Ypsi[95]
  • Ypsiltucky[96]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States
• List of cities, villages, and townships in Michigan

References

1. Muench, David (December 1993). "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts" (PDF). University of Wisconsin Extension. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City :) Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: The Century cyclopedia of names ... ed. by Benjamin E. Smith. Century Company. 1911.
4. Alma Highland Festival accessed April 8, 2010.
5. Kerry Rutherford's Bio and Blog August August 16, 2007
6. Michigan Lingo in 2006 Graduate Handbook for the Political Science Department of the University of Michigan
7. The city's official web site is www.a2gov.org
8. Replanting Tree Town Archived 2008-02-27 at the Wayback Machine page on Ann Arbor City Government website (accessed January 12, 2008)
9. http://www.a2gov.org/news/Documents/TTL_Nov_2007.pdf%5B%5D
10. Claims to Fame - Animals, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007
11. This moniker appears on the city seal, displayed on the Battle Creek city website
12. Claims to Fame - Food Archived 2017-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007
13. The One Dollar Miracles of Battle Creek by Jim Middleton
14. Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce accessed August 1, 2010.
15. Claims to Fame - Agriculture, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007
16. "Belding was once the third-largest silk producing city in the world" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-10. Retrieved 2009-06-20.
17. Claims to Fame - Favorites, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007
18. Ammeson, Jane. "Return of the chestnut". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-06-02.
19. "Uncovering the History of Coppertown USA". www.copper.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
20. "Coppertown USA Mining Museum & Gift Shop". Keweenaw Convention & Visitor’s Bureau. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
21. Champion page on infomi.com, accessed July 14, 2010
22. Village of Colon accessed May 11, 2010.
23. This moniker appears on the city seal, displayed on the Davison city website
24. U.S. City Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008
25. Solnit, Rebecca (2007-07-01). "Detroit arcadia: Exploring the post-American Landscape" (PDF). Harper's Magazine. 157 (9): 65–73. Retrieved 2007-07-30.
26. Saul Anuzis, All Eyes Look to Michigan: A Report From the Presidential Hustings, Human Events, November 6, 2007
27. The Greening of Detroit Archived 2008-02-10 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 8, 2007 "The Greening of Detroit seeks to return the city of Detroit to its former glory as 'The City of Trees' and 'The Paris of the Midwest' by reforesting the city through tree planting projects and by using environmental education to generate the resolve, the necessary support, and the essential abilities necessary to ensure a safe, sustainable ecosystem for healthy trees with the city of Detroit."
28. Claims to Fame - Business, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007
29. This moniker appears in the Entertainment Link on the local television station WDIV's Click On Detroit website
30. Detroit: Sights & Activities, Fodor's, accessed May 8, 2007 "Though the city nicknamed itself "Renaissance City" in the 1970s, it did little to deserve the title until recently."
31. Drummond Island Chamber of Commerce accessed Sept. 5, 2010
32. "Dundee - Hub of the Highways Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
33. Archived 2009-06-22 at the Wayback Machine, Eaton Rapids, MI
34. Elsie Michigan - Historic Town Archived 2011-11-10 at the Wayback Machine accessed August 12, 2012
35. "My Home Town - Esky, Michigan". gigland.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
36. Community Ties site Archived 2010-03-12 at the Wayback Machine accessed May 11, 2010.
37. E.g. Auto City Speedway, accessed December 9, 2015
38. About the University of Michigan-Flint Archived 2008-01-22 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 8, 2007 "Flint is a mid-size city with a population of approximately 125,000. Although the city is best known as the birthplace of General Motors..."
39. All Things Buick. A History of the Buick factories at Flint, Michigan accessed August 12, 2012
40. Flint: Vehicle City Archived 2009-01-20 at the Wayback Machine, Michigan History Online website, accessed August 19, 2009
41. Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau Archived 2009-02-07 at the Wayback Machine accessed May 30, 2011.
42. National Baby Food Festival accessed December 4, 2014.
43. Gaylord Convention & Tourism Bureau accessed May 30, 2011.
44. Glenn Community Center accessed August 13, 2013.
45. , accessed November 9, 2015 "Festival History"
46. More Than Furniture City Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 8, 2007 "After an 1876 international exhibition held in Philadelphia, Grand Rapids gained worldwide recognition as 'Furniture City.'"
47. Ellison, Garret (May 13, 2013). "Grand Rapids wins Beer City USA 2013 poll outright with 27,000 votes". MLive Media Group. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
48. Archived 2015-08-08 at the Wayback Machine, accessed November 9, 2015 "Danish Festival History"
49. modeldmedia accessed August 1, 2010.
50. Charles Sercombe (January 14, 2011), "Movers and Shakers . . . Christine Komisarz", The Review, Hamtramck, Michigan, archived from the original on March 15, 2012, retrieved July 24, 2011
51. Tulip Time Festival accessed May 30, 2011.
52. City of Huntington Woods accessed October 11, 2012
53. Birthplace of the Republican Party - "Under the Oaks", accessed May 8, 2007
54. The History of Kalamazoo MI, accessed May 8, 2007 "It's been called 'The Paper City', for its many paper and cardboard mills; 'The Celery City', after the crop once grown in the muck fields north, south, and east of town; and 'The Mall City', after construction of the first outdoor pedestrian shopping mall in the United States in 1959. The fertile soil on which Kalamazoo is built has led the area to most recently be called the 'Bedding Plant Capital of the World', as the county is home to the largest bedding plant cooperative in the U.S."
55. Sloganville, USA Awards For Best City Mottos & Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed March 15, 2010
56. "National Trout Festival". Experience Michigan. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
57. "Home - Village of Kingsley, Michigan". www.villageofkingsley.com. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
58. "Lake City Area History". Lake City Area Chamber of Commerce. 2015-12-07. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
59. Walleye Tournament Trail Archived 2011-12-23 at the Wayback Machine, accessed August 12, 2012
60. "Local author highlights Marquette Ghost Stories". Ishpeming, MI: WBUP-TV. October 6, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
61. "Mayfield, Michigan: Birthplace of the Adams Fly". Dan Kennaley FlyFishing. 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
62. City of Mt. Clemens Archived 2012-07-31 at Archive.today accessed April 8, 2010.
63. "Michigan Petroleum History Exhibit". American Oil & Gas Historical Society. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
64. Burns, Robert C. "Brewmaster to create ale, pub downtown" Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, Muskegon Chronicle, September 13, 2006 Accessed May 8, 2007 "Although Muskegon is known by some, very informally, as the 'Beer Tent Capital of the World,' the business plan cites 'an enormous unmet need in the microbrewery market in Muskegon.'"
65. History of Muskegon Archived 2008-05-16 at the Wayback Machine, accessed May 8, 2007 "A river meets the lake at a place that's been known as the Lumber Queen of the world, the Port City and the Riviera of the Midwest; our own Muskegon."
66. http://www.topofthelake.org/ Top of the Lake Communities Association, accessed July 3, 2013.
67. Negaunee Irontown Association, accessed August 12, 2012.
68. Official Newberry Michigan Area Chamber of Commerce, accessed May 8, 2007. "Snowmobile the Moose Capital of Michigan & Tahquamenon Country!"
69. City of Niles Motto listed on web site logo, accessed May 8, 2007.
70. Historical nickname commemorating the elaborate garden created and maintained by German immigrant gardener John Gipner, at the Michigan Central Railroad depot in Niles, per "Stations of Distinction Archived 2009-01-20 at the Wayback Machine", Michigan History Online website, accessed May 30, 2009
71. Michele Fecht (January 6, 2012). "Northville: An Ideal 1892 Suburban Village". Northville Patch. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
72. "National Asparagus Festival". asparagusfestival. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
73. "Michigan's Smallest City" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine accessed April 9, 2010.
74. Claims to Fame - Fish, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
75. Walton, Brett (2018-04-11). "Fear and Fury in Michigan Town Where Air Force Contaminated Water". Circle of Blue. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
76. Paradise, Michigan Chamber of Commerce accessed April 9, 2010.
77. "waymarking.com" accessed July 6, 2010.
78. Pinconning page on Roadside America.com, accessed April 9, 2010.
79. "City of Plainwell, Michigan - Home". www.plainwell.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
80. Newspapers, By Margaret Sheridan, Special to Tribune. "Port Huron: Gateway to Canada worth a stay". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
81. Portland Community site accessed April 3, 2012
82. http://www.rogerscity.com
83. http://www.romulusgov.com accessed on July 16, 2010.
84. City of St. Louis accessed March 22, 2010.
85. Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau accessed August 1, 2010.
86. City of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan accessed August 1, 2010.
87. Marshall, Dana. "5 Things Everyone From Sturgis Knows". 103.3 WKFR. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
88. Detroit Metro Times Archived January 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
89. "Downriver: Close to Detroit, Far from Kentucky August 2012; public radio affiliated with Wayne State University, Michigan". wdet.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
90. Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
91. "Retired teacher completes work on history book Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine," The Macomb Daily, June 12, 2010. Accessed Jan. 13, 2011.
92. City of Vassar Archived 2011-08-20 at the Wayback Machine accessed May 30, 2011.
93. Vicksburg, MI | Village Government and Information Archived 2012-07-22 at the Wayback Machine
94. Centennial Cranberry Farm accessed Sept. 5, 2010.
95. "Ypsilanti: What's in a Name?". www.ypsireal.com. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
96. "Ypsilanti: What's in a Name?". www.ypsireal.com. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-04-18.

External links

• a list of American and a few Canadian nicknames
• U.S. cities list