We Michiganders all know the Mitten State is an amazing place. At the same time, outside of Michigan, the state is, well, kind of underrated. So let’s do something about that and let the world know why Michigan is the best hidden gem in the union.

12) Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.
Richard Bonser/Flickr
Michigan, surrounded by the Great Lakes, historically was a major throughway for trade. That meant, unfortunately, that quite a few ships sank to the watery depths. Luckily, we have this museum to pay homage to the lost crews.
11) Best beaches in the country.
erica frank/Flickr
The coasts think they've got the beach thing on lock, but seriously, the beaches in Michigan are truly a hidden gem.
10) When most of the rest of the country is drying out from a drought, Michigan will be well-covered.
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr
Many parts of the country have been dealing with drought conditions for years. If only they were surrounded by the Great Lakes.
9) Jackson, Mich. is the birthplace of the Republican Party.
Daniel X. O'Neil/Flickr
Regardless of your political affiliation, you have to admit the influence of the Republican Party has been monumental in our nation's history.
8) Motown, and all the sub-genres of American pop culture were established in Michigan.
karmacamilleeon/Flickr
Our nation has Michigan to thank for the Motown artists, who made it big in Detroit.
7) We're in the Eastern Time Zone.
Juan Monroy/Flickr
There are many advantages to living in Standard Eastern Time, including being the first group of people in the country to get a head start to the day.

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6) Michigan has the most lighthouses of any state.
Jeff S. PhotoArt at HDCanvas.ca/Flickr
These lakeside structures have such a rich history. Go ahead, check them out and be awestruck by both the architecture and water views.
5) Michigan has a sports team for every major professional league.
Dan Gaken/Flickr
You a sports fan? Michigan has you covered, as we've got a team to represent all the major professional leagues.
4) Michigan's got some of the very best pizza.
Yelp Inc/Flickr
New York and Chicago have their reputations in the pizza game, but Michigan's square deep dish is truly one of those hidden foodie gems.
3) The Mitten State is the birthplace of the Arsenal of Democracy.
hashtagstreetphotography.com/Flickr
Starting from World War II, Michigan's manufacturing industry jumped onto the defense bandwagon. The result: lots of jobs for Americans and a bustling middle class America.
2) Michigan was home to one of the very first modern-day shopping malls.
"Northland Center (West View)" by Nikolai Nolan - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Commons
As urban centers across the country began to experience sprawl, shopping malls like Northland Center in metro Detroit began popping up. In fact, Northland was one of the very first in the 1950s.
1) Michiganders have some of the highest state pride in the country.
Joyce Pederson/Flickr
Given our state's underrated nature, we've got a ton of pride.

Some good points, huh? Tell us though, what makes Michigan the best, if not most underrated state in the country?

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