11 Unmistakable Joys of a Small-Town Michigan Childhood

A childhood in 'Small-Town' Michigan is unique. Sure, there are commonalities drawn from a youth spent anywhere, but spending your formative years learning from people who use a hand as a map offers a one-of-a-kind experience. A small-town Michigan childhood meant you either grew up next to a lake or a farm, or in a community built around the auto industry or some large employer.

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I grew up in Brooklyn, where you quickly learned that once you said you were from "Brooklyn," you would immediately follow it with, "No, the one in Michigan."

The Usual Cast of Small-Town Characters

The names of the towns may vary, but the players rarely change. Every town had a "Rich Auto Exec," the "Contractor With a Gigantic House That Was NEVER Finished," the "PTA President with a Perfect Yard," and that "Huge Family on a Dirt Road You Don't Want to Tick Off."

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Every ‘small-town’ has the same claim: everyone knows your business. If they don’t, they’ll make it up. Old men gather early in the morning at the same table in the same diner and talk about everything and nothing.

Secret Speed Traps & Diner Gossip

Live in any small town long enough, and you’ll know where to slow down to avoid the well-hidden speed trap patrol car. The gas station attendants, grocery store clerks, and coffee shop crew “know you — and your car — by name. The similarities between growing up anywhere are endless, but there are a few things that are uniquely Michigan.