The M. A. C. RECORD. MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. V O L. 14. L A N S I N G, M I C H I G A N, T U E S D A Y, A P R IL 20, 1909. N o. 28. LANSING CELEBRATES SEMI CENTENNIAL. Last T h u r s d ay was the fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the city of Lansing, whose history and development has been cotem- porary with that of the Michigan Agricultural College. In this connection it is interesting to note that three names have been applied to.the locality now comprised within the city ; first, Biddle City," which was the name given to the paper city laid out within the pres ent limits by the Ford Brothers in 1S36; second, Michigan Center, which was the commonly applied name after the capital was located here and up to the time of its incorpo ration, and third, Lansing. Lansing was never an incorporated village, and up to 1859 was u l Kl(-'r township government. T he first house was built at the corner of Wall and Center streets in October, 1S36, by Mr. W. Burch- ard, a young lawyer, who built the dam now known as the north end darn. He was drowned soon after while repairing this dam during a spring freshet. F ew other people settled here until 1844, when several families began to congregate along the river and in 1847, when the State capital was finally located here, a rapid growth began. T he location of the capital was largely chance. On account of the exposed situation and for other rea sons it was thought wise to transfer the capital from Detroit to some point more central. T h is caused a general scramble among the already established towns of Jackson, Ma son, Wacousta, Howell and others, with the result that neither could land a majority of the votes in the legislature and some one moved that the site of the new cap ital be 011 school section N o. 16 of Ingham county which was carried and which, though stoutly opposed at times, still remains. several subsequent finally enjoyed a Following the location of the cap ital, Lansing rapid g r o w t h, though, like Gaul, it was divided into three parts, lower, mid dle and upper town. It was in the midst of an unbroken forest with no communication, except by stage. with the the outside w o r l d, and roads were bottomless. All mer chandise had to be hauled either from Jackson or Detroit, the nearest railroad points, and all produce mar keted there. Finally a plank road was constructed to Detroit, the last plank being laid just west of H o w ell on November 7, 1852. It was that almost over this thoroughfare all merchandise was hauled until nearly the close of the civil w ar when a branch of the Michigan Central Railroad was constructed from Owosso. T he location of the capital prob ably had much to do with the loca tion of this college, which was es tablished and dedicated ten years after the capital was located and two years before Lansing became a city. W i th the adoption of the consti- (Oontlnued on page 2.) A N N U AL INTERSCHOLASTIC MEET M AY 15. T he annual M. A. C. interschol- astic meet which has become a feature in Michigan high school athletics in the last few years will be held this year on May 15. Invi tations have been extended to three hundred schools and already indica tions point to a larger attendance and more entries than ever before. T he track has been put in first class condition and the stralght-away ex tended to 150 yards which makes one of the best tracks in the state. A lar