This is Bob Myers from the Historical Society of Michigan with a Michigan history moment. There's chicken in Frankenmuth fudge on Mackinac island, pasties in the Upper Peninsula. But muskrat? Yes, muskrat, the swamp dwelling rodent has long been a popular item on the menu in some Michigan locales. Native peoples and early European settlers ate muskrat, but it was apparent the War of 1812 that made it a common food item. In 1813, United States troops moved against the British at present day Monroe, Michigan. The army were requisitioned food and supplies from the area's ethnic French population. After the Battle of the river raisin in late January 1813, the British and their allies destroyed much of the settlement. The war left little for the civilians to eat. Famished people ate anything they could and the plentiful muskrats helped them survive the emergency. Local lore has it that the famous Catholic priest Father Gabriel Richard granted permission for the people to eat muskrat during Lent. The concept of aquatic animals as fish dated back to the 17th century. When Francois de Laval, the first bishop of Quebec, inquired of theologians at the Sorbonne about eating beaver meat during Lent. They replied that beavers could indeed be considered fish, especially their hindquarters. The wartime famine eventually abated, but not the public's taste for Muskrat. By 1890, Monroe was nicknamed Muskrat City. In 1897, people in southeastern Michigan successfully petitioned the state legislature to expand the hunting season for muskrat. People dubbed it the Muskrat Legislature. The Monroe representative responded by treating his fellow legislators to a muskrat dinner at the Hudson House in Lansing. In 1902, the Monroe yacht Club hosted the first of several annual muskrat dinners. Other non profit groups followed suit. Politicians knew to attend these affairs lest they show themselves as too snooty to partake of the common food. Area restaurants put muskrat on the menu. In 1987, the Michigan Health Department banned muskrat from the restaurants. People were furious. A campaign ensued calling on Monroe residents to rally round our muskrat. In 1988, the Michigan legislature passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 501 stating that county health departments should not ban wild game fundraising dinners sponsored by charitable organizations. In 1988, the Smithsonian Institution featured Monroe Cooks at its 21st annual American Folklife Festival. There, on the National Mall in Washington, they proudly demonstrated the best ways to prepare the Michigan delicacy. This Michigan history moment was brought to you by michiganhistorymagazine.org.