When you hear Michigan's youngest town was born with Gen Z, you might think that's a bit sus. It doesn't have much drip, and just hits different from what you'd expect. Really, it feels kind of Mid.

But the whole thing might also be cap, because while its highkey claiming to be the youngest city, it's really giving old-school Michigan village. This is the Tea on Michigan's Youngest City... but not really... Brown City.

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Brown City, Michigan was actually founded in 1879, and for the most part has stayed relatively small throughout its existence. The 2010 census put the Twin-County city at just over 1300 people, straddling both Lapeer and Sanilac Counties.

The town was officially incorporated as a village in 1887 after growing exponentially due to the railroad going through, and finally in 1907, it was granted the status of "City."

But that's still WELL over a century ago, so how could this city be a Gen Z city?

Well, It has to do with how the city is classified. Before 1998, Brown City was considered a 4th Class City, which meant their government was bound by a number of rules set by the Fourth Class City Act of 1895. That included a weak mayor-council form of government in which the mayor could only appoint certain city officers with the council's consent, and the city clerk was an elected position.

They also had to publish all of their annual financial reports in the local newspaper.

But after the Home Rules Act of 1909, most cities in Michigan changed to a Home Rules form of government where the city was free to amend, changed, and adapt their local charters without an act of the state legislature.

Brown City was the FINAL 4th Class City in the State of Michigan to hold out, and FINALLY, in 1998, the city approved a charter of its own that made it a Home Rules City... thus, making Brown City the Youngest City in the State of Michigan.

So technically, when Titanic and Armageddon were ruling the box office, Will Smith was Gettin' Jiggy with it on the pop charts, and we were all mentally picking out the color we wanted for an iMac, The Home Rules City of Brown City was being born right in front of our eyes.

And that's No Cap.

Abandoned Property Near Brown City

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Gallery Credit: Jacob Harrison