Capitol Park: Reinterment of Michigan's 1st Governor Stevens T. Mason (Detroit: construction, transportation)

[ForStarters]

The ceremony to reinter Michigan's first governnor, Stevens T. Mason, was today at 1:00 PM in Capitol Park. There were number of political dignitaries in attendance as well as local business people and historical society folks. Capitol Park is the site of Michigan's first state capitol and Mason, was elected Michigan's first governor at a very young age. Michigan's first constitution was drafted there when the area was basically rural land on the outskirts of Detroit. Today, Capitol Park has been totally overhauled and is lined with tall buildings at the center of downtown.

When construction crews began digging up the old park earlier this year, they discovered that Mason was still entoumbed under the concrete. A provincial statute honoring Mason's undivided loyalty to Michigan presides over the park. Mason stood up against the federal government and President Jackson to fight for Michigan's statehood when it was still a territory. He also played a major role fighting for Michigan in the Toledo War. Among other accomplishments at a young age, Mason brought economic development to the state including railroads and canals for transportation. Certainly, Michigan would not have been the state it is today without Stevens T. Mason- a great Michiganian and Detroiter.