The Real McCoy

The Real McCoy (HM1Y8K)

Location: Ypsilanti, MI 48198 Washtenaw County
Buy Michigan State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 42° 14.769', W 83° 36.596'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 607 views
Inscription
Among the many contributions to the Industrial Revolution few are more important than the lubricating cup, invented by Elijah McCoy. He was born in Canada, educated in Scotland and made Ypsilanti his home. As a fireman on the Michigan Central Railroad, it became clear to him that too much time was wasted on the process of oiling the engines. His invention, patented in 1872 was a cup attached to the machinery which enabled it to run efficiently without interuption.

McCoy had over forty patents during his lifetime. His inventions were so popular with industrialists, that when inquiring about a device, they always wanted to be sure that it was the "real McCoy."

Elijah McCoys parents had earlier escaped to Canada on the Underground Railroad. The family moved to Ypsilanti in the early 1850s. His father was a skilled cigar maker who had purchased his own freedom. Using his trade as a cover, he hid many runaway slaves in the false bottom of his wagon as he traveled to Detroit with his cargo of cigars.

In Michigan: In 1863, Company K, the first Michigan Colored Regiment was formed. By the end of the Civil War, more than 1,600 men had fought in the black units from Michigan.

American Events: In 1896, during President William McKinley's term of office, the Hawaiian Islands became American
possessions through an annexation treaty.

Donated by The Depot Town Association - 1998
Details
HM NumberHM1Y8K
Tags
Year Placed1998
Placed ByDepot Town Association
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Wednesday, May 10th, 2017 at 9:02am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 284679 N 4680404
Decimal Degrees42.24615000, -83.60993333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 42° 14.769', W 83° 36.596'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds42° 14' 46.14" N, 83° 36' 35.76" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)734
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 29 E Cross St, Ypsilanti MI 48198, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. This marker needs at least one picture.
  9. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  10. Is the marker in the median?