Michigan’s History, originally uploaded by sgsteffens_83.

This photo by Sarah Steffens is just the thing to look at over a steaming cup of coffee on a windy, wintry Michigan morning.

According to the Michigan Historical Center’s MI License Plates pages, Michigan cities started issuing license plates in 1903. Two years later (no doubt with visions of DMV lines stretching to infinity) the Legislature passed Public Act 196 requiring statewide vehicle registration. A sample of the trivia contained in the MHC’s pages:

After June 28, 1907 (P.A. 304), two (2) homemade license plates were required (1 front and 1 rear). “Homemade” license plates went commercial as Sears Roebuck and other mail order companies produced license plate kits. “Billy, did you make the licence plates??”

Of course now the license plate process has pages and pages dedicated to it and your plate can support Michigan Universities and special causes. And of course, you can use your license plate as a roving mini-blog.

Also be sure to check out G. William Whitworth’s Michigan License Plate page.