The history of the Michigan and State theaters
While wandering around downtown Ann Arbor at night it is hard to miss the bright orange-and-teal neon glow of the State Theatre marquee. Right acro...
While wandering around downtown Ann Arbor at night it is hard to miss the bright orange-and-teal neon glow of the State Theatre marquee. Right across the street, the Michigan Theater sign is just as iconic — a warm array of incandescent bulbs surrounding a vertical 'MICHIGAN' 10-feet off the ground. Both of the brightly-lit theaters and their retro-style signs have become landmarks for those who live close by — but how did two major entertainment venues end up so close to each other? Both the Michigan Theater and State Theatre have historic roots in Ann Arbor — the Michigan Theater is the older of the two, at almost 100 years old it originally opened in 1928.