Generally Central, or "Mid", Michigan is defined by governmental organizations as an area North of Jackson,[2] and South of Clare.

These areas, such as Clare, Gladwin, and Arenac County are along the border of the two regions and can be considered parts of both, depending on your frame of reference.

[6] Central Michigan has several cities of regional and geographic importance: Central Michigan has a rich and varied culture, including European farmers who settled in rural areas to work the land and ethnic minorities populating the area's urban centers to make a living in the automobile industry.

Later in the 1800s Lewis Cass would negotiate the Treaty of Saginaw, in which Ojibwe land was handed over to form much of present-day Mid-Michigan.

The opening of the Erie Canal brought vast numbers of settlers to the region, as population started growing northward from Ohio.

The convenient access to transportation provided by the Saginaw River and its numerous tributaries fueled a massive expansion in population and economic activity.

As the trees were being cut down in the region, logs were floated down the rivers to sawmills located in Saginaw, destined to be loaded onto ships and later railroad cars.

The United States had recaptured the city in 1813, but these events led to the dire need to have the center of government relocated away from hostile British territory.

[7] Unable to publicly reach a consensus because of constant political wrangling, the Michigan House of Representatives privately chose the Township of Lansing out of frustration.

Two months later, Governor William L. Greenly signed into law the act of the legislature officially making Lansing Township the state capital.

In 1908, Durant founded General Motors, filing incorporation papers in New Jersey, with headquarters in Flint.

[10] Dow originally sold only bleach and potassium bromide, and has since expanded to be the third largest chemical producer in the world.

Initially, this took the form of "white flight" that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities.

This decline was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis and the U.S. auto industry's subsequent loss of market share to imports.

The result meant white families moved to the suburbs, with leaving large hispanic and African-American populations in the urban centers.

[16] Founded in 1855 in East Lansing as the nation's first land-grant institution, Michigan State University has been a pioneer in research and the cultural center of Mid-Michigan.

The university has made significant contributions in agriculture and pioneered the studies of packaging, hospitality business, plant biology, supply chain management, music therapy, and communication sciences.

The Michigan Sugar Company, which is a cooperative owned by 1,250 farmers, operates factories in Bay City, Caro, Croswell, and Sebewaing.

Lansing based Quality Dairy Company is a major producer of milk and ice cream in the region.

Citizens Republic Bancorp was formerly headquartered in Flint, and has since been acquired by FirstMerit Corporation, which has been sold to Ohio's Huntington Bank.

McLaren Health Care Corporation is a major employer in the region, as a non-profit operating nine hospitals in the state.

Central Michigan, specifically the Greater Lansing area, is home to many statewide and national insurance companies.

Renewable energies, specifically wind farms are also a rising form of electricity generation in this region.

[20] The I-69 International Trade Corridor is a strategic commercial gateway between the Midwestern United States and Ontario, Canada, with multi-modal transportation infrastructure that offers a wide range of distribution options.

[31] Passenger rail is provided by Amtrak and has stations in East Lansing, Durand, Flint, Lapeer, and Port Huron on its Blue Water line.

Major trunkline routes throughout the Mid-Michigan area: More comprehensive lists are available at individual cities, villages, etc.