As we enter 2017, it’s great to look forward to what’s in store for the future of our state. But there’s something to be said for a bit of reminiscing, and it’s certainly healthy to retain a sense of respect and admiration for the past. If you lived through the 1980s in the Great Lakes State, here are 23 photos from the decade that will temporarily transport you back to a different time.
1. Waterfront lounge chairs line the stunning beach of Lake Michigan at Saugatuck’s Lake Shore Resort in July of 1987.
2. This photograph from 1985 shows the interior of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Affleck House in Bloomfield Hills, one of many homes the iconic architect designed here in Michigan.
5. University of Michigan students hang out on the steps of their house at South Fifth Street in Ann Arbor in 1981. Are there any U of M alumni out there?
6. A stunning sunset view of the Detroit-Windsor Ambassador Bridge, taken in July of 1988. Can you imagine just how many vehicles have crossed the bridge since this photo was captured?
7. Fishermen hold up their walleye haul from the Detroit River in June of 1987. What’s your all-time favorite fishing memory from your time in Michigan?
9. A vintage view of Detroit taken in January of 1984. How has the riverfront and city skyline changed in the decades since this photograph was captured?
12. One thing certainly hasn’t changed in Michigan over the years: we get more than our fair share of snow. This photo was taken in Ingham in January 1985.
13. Detroit’s Parke-Davis and Company Pharmaceutical Plant, pictured here in March 1985, was once at the forefront of its field. In the 1970s, the building was converted into retail and residential space and is now known as the River Place Complex.
17. This 1983 photograph shows Baraga’s Herman and Anna Hanka Farm, which can still be toured and stands as a reminder of Michigan’s agricultural history.
19. Young artists perform at Michigan’s beloved Interlochen Arts Academy, 1986. To this day, the academy draws in hundreds of talented Michiganders each year.
21. There she is: our beloved Mighty Mac. No matter how many times you see the Mackinac Bridge, it never fails to delight. This picture was taken at the Straits of Mackinac in 1985.
While the 1980s are often remembered solely for interesting hair choices, unique fashion options, and iconic music, we Michiganders know that life in the Great Lakes State during the 80s was something truly special. Share your favorite bits of 80s nostalgia in the comments below.
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