Central Michigan

	Central Michigan
	Mid-Michigan
	Lower Peninsula of Michigan
Country	United States
State	Michigan
	The Central Michigan and Mid Michigan describe the same general region of Michigan.

This article is about the geographic region. For the university, see Central Michigan University. For the university's athletic program, see Central Michigan Chippewas.

Central Michigan, often called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Central Michigan corresponds roughly to the palm. The region consists mainly of farmland and some cities of moderate size.

[edit] Definitions

For the most part Central Michigan and Mid Michigan are synonymous with each other, representing generally the same geographic area of Michigan. The definition most likely includes most or all of the areas referred to as the Flint/Tri-Cities and Southern Michigan.

Some definitions of Central Michigan and Mid Michigan can vary significantly, depending on one's point of reference. Important cities in Central Michigan include Lansing (the capital of Michigan), Jackson, East Lansing, Okemos, Mt. Pleasant, Grand Ledge, Alma, Ithaca, and Clare. Local media, most notably television and radio stations, refer to Flint, Saginaw, Midland, and Bay City areas as "Mid Michigan"; for this area see Flint/Tri-Cities.

Most of the area is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing^[1]

[edit] Economy

Central Michigan's economy is primarily agricultural, and some automobile manufacturing. Major crops include corn, sugar beets, and soy beans. Until 2004, Mid-Michigan (specifically Lansing) was also known for being the location of the main Oldsmobile plant for General Motors. General Motors operates the Flint Truck Assembly factory in Flint and Powertrain plants in Flint, Bay City, and Saginaw. The Michigan Sugar Company, which is a cooperative owned by 1,250 farmers, operates factories in Bay City, Caro, Croswell, and Sebewaing. The Dow Chemical Company's world headquarters is based in Midland. The world headquarters of Nexteer Automotive is located in Saginaw. S.C. Johnson and Son has a manufacturing facility in Bay City making Ziploc products.

[edit] Geography

Central Michigan can include just the "Central Michigan" region on this map or also "Southern Michigan"

See also List of Michigan state parks and geography of Michigan.

Central or Mid Michigan is used to describe the area of the Flint/Tri-Cities known as the Saginaw Valley.
Central or Mid Michigan can also include parts or all of Southern Michigan.
The region includes many rivers including the Grand River, Red Cedar River, Saginaw River, and Flint River.
The region is home to rolling hills and generally flat landscapes

[edit] Colleges and universities

Major educational institutions in Central Michigan:

Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant
Michigan State University in East Lansing
Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing
Lansing Community College in Lansing
Mid-Michigan Community College in Harrison and Mt. Pleasant
Albion College in Albion
Alma College in Alma
Hillsdale College in Hillsdale
Olivet College in Olivet
Saginaw Valley State University in University Center
Spring Arbor University in Spring Arbor.
Jackson Community College in Jackson (partnered with Siena Heights University)
Thomas M. Cooley Law School (the nation's largest) is headquartered in Lansing.
University of Michigan Flint
Baker College (Scattered all through out different areas of Michigan)

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Airports

Scheduled airline service is offered from Lansing Capital Region International Airport.^[2]
Scheduled airline service is also available from MBS International Airport^[3] near Midland, Michigan and Flint Bishop International Airport.^[4]
Other portions are proximate to Gerald R. Ford International Airport, east of Grand Rapids, Michigan,^[5] and Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport near Kalamazoo, Michigan.^[6]

[edit] Major Highways

I-69
I-75
I-94
I-96
I-496 (R.E. Olds Freeway)
US 10
US 12 also known as Michigan Avenue and Chicago Road
US 23
US 127 comes from the south, through Lansing, and ends its 758-mile (1,220 km) journey at Grayling.^[7] It directly connects northern Michigan (and the Mackinac Bridge via I-75) to Lansing, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee (all the way down to Chatanooga)^[8] US 127 is the direct link between the state capital in Lansing and the Ingham County seat in Mason.
M-43 is a highway in southwestern and central Michigan from South Haven to Webberville.
M-46— a cross peninsular road, running across the entire mitten including the thumb—from Port Sanilac on the Lake Huron shore; through Saginaw near Saginaw Bay; and then on to Muskegon on the Lake Michigan shore.^[9] This east-west surface route nearly bisects the Lower Peninsula of Michigan latitudinally.
M-13
M-15
M-21
M-46
M-57
M-66
M-87
M-99
M-100