Pontiac Road & Lions’ First Championship | December 15

On this day in 1819, Michigan’s first surveyed road, Pontiac Road, opened, with wooden planks connecting Detroit to Pontiac, charging tolls for carts and cattle. In 1935, 15,000 people gathered at University of Detroit Stadium for the NFL Championship, where the Detroit Lions defeated the New York Giants 26-7, securing their first championship. The win was a bright spot for Detroit during the Great Depression, with each player earning $7,207, equivalent to about $162,000 today.