Stu’s Top Five Little Known Facts About Flint
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I was born in Flint in 1959 at St. Joseph hospital. I grew up in the Flint area like many of you. My Dad worked for Chevrolet, I saw first-run movies at the Capitol Theatre, concerts at the "old" IMA, shopped for groceries at Hamady Brothers, clothes at Smith-Bridgeman and drank beer before I was old enough at the Mikatam. Growing up in and around Flint was a unique yet shared experience. When asked to write my Top 5 list of Little Known/Unusual facts about Flint I quite frankly didn't know where to start. Flint is one quirky/unusual city. That's not a bad thing. So here we go with a handful of things you might not know or may have forgotten about Flint, Michigan.
Trading Fur for Coneys?
Flint is considered to be the oldest continually inhabited area in Michigan. Jacob Smith, a fur trader on good terms with local Ojibway tribes established a trading post in the early 1800's. Angelos served their first coney about the same time.
Meet the Flintstones
Fred Flintstone is NOT the city's namesake. Everybody knows Fred and Wilma lived in Bedrock.
Birthplace of American Top 40
Casey Kasem got his radio career started in Flint at WAAM. He's probably kicking himself for ever leaving.
Skinny Jeans Only
It is actually a crime in Flint to wear saggy pants. Yet to my knowledge, no plumber has served any time for this heinous infraction.
Rolling Hills
You can make yourself dizzy by rolling down the hill at Kearsley Park. Me and my siblings entertained ourselves for hours this way as children. That probably explains a lot about me. Wearing a helmet was never a consideration. I wouldn't recommend trying that now. You never know what you might roll over/in.