Lesser-Known Facts About Michigan

The United States is filled with remarkable places that make the country a very unique place to live, and each state has special facts to go with it, too. Even if you've lived in a state for your entire life, chances are, you don't know everything about that place, because each state is filled with its own rich history and fun facts. Now, we're unveiling some of those facts about the state in honor of its great past, present and future.

First, some fun facts about the United States. The bald eagle is a famed symbol of the U.S., and according to USA.gov, "the bald eagle was designated as the national emblem by the U.S. Congress in 1782. Since then, it can be found on official documents, the presidential flag, the Great Seal, military insignia and coins and bills." When it comes to the American flag, the colors have a strong meaning. According to USA.gov, red stands for valor and bravery; white stands for purity and innocence; and blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice.

Now, let's get to some crazy and fun facts about the state, because you can never know too much about this great place in the U.S.

In a Reader's Digest piece about the most "astonishing facts" about each state, the publication looks at each state and finds something very random about each place. For Michigan, they note that the "Great Lake State offers the highest recycling refund in the country—10 cents per bottle or can. Unfortunately, a Seinfeld episode alerted out-of-staters to Michigan’s generosity, sparking a scheme that costs the state millions every year."

In a separate feature, Reader's Digest looks at the most bizarre facts from every state, including ours. For us, the state was "the first English-speaking locale to abolish capital punishment," according to the outlet. "With just a few state-mandated executions in its history books, the government made the practice completely illegal in 1963," they add.