Shiawassee County Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution

The group composed of those who took place in the unveiling, included: L to R...Byron Hicks, principal speaker; Mrs. F.J. Storrer, regent of the Shiawassee Chapter, D.A.R.; Mrs. A.L. Nichols, Miss Georgia Colt, who unveiled the tablet; Mrs. C.O. Loring, William Cline, chairman of the Shiawassee County Road Commission; Mrs. R.D. Matthews, Mrs. W.J. Melchers and Charles Godfrey, supervisor of Shiawassee Township.

According to the Detroit Free Press: The history of how the place came to be Michigan's capitol for 24 hours is not exactly clear, but most histories give the following versions.

Detroit was the capitol of Michigan, but a movement was started to change it. Immediately many cities and villages began to pull strings. Shiawasseetown, then a thriving little village was among them.

However, it was apparent that no place could win the plum without the vote of the Detroit delegation . Political jockeying continued for weeks, until finally the legislature, to bring the matter to a head, actually voted to make Shiawasseetown the capitol. The following day, it was voted to Lansing.

There have been many legends in relation to the matter, since that time, and many stories of what actually happened have been told. But never had any formal notice been given the matter until 1908, when Charles Godfrey, of Bancroft, supervisor of Shiawassee township, making his first trip through the township as assessing officer, discovered that this plot of land (above photo) apparently belonged to no one in particular.

Investigation revealed that at one time it had been set aside for public uses. Later, a Detroit man attemped to gain possession of it as a squatter, but gave up the plan.

Godfrey brought the whole matter to the attention of the board of supervisors and they set the land aside as a public park. Following this action the members of the D.A.R. decided to mark it with a stone and tablet.

The spot which more than a century ago was the potetial site of the state capitol is properly marked by the D.A.R., the Road Commission and the Board of Supervisors.

This plot of land, now a park, is located at Shiatown, as it is called now.

Learn how Owosso missed being named the state capitol by one vote.