A MICHIGANREALTY.ORG PROJECT

MITTENSCOPE

Seeing Michigan
Through Data.

A deeper connection to the place we call home.
Communities, waterways, infrastructure and movement—brought together on one Michigan map.

In development. The full application is not yet public.

MICHIGAN / 44.3148° N · 85.6024° W
The Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan, drawn from the project's Census county boundaries.
UPPER PENINSULA
LOWER PENINSULA
MITTENSCOPE / DEVELOPMENT VIEW Recorded view of aircraft tracking and an information panel in MittenScope.Michigan in motion · Captured activity
ONE STATE. MORE PERSPECTIVE.
83counties.
Countless connections.
From the big picture to your community.
GEOGRAPHY FROM THE DEVELOPMENT APP

ON THE MAPProject dataset snapshot

TAKING SHAPE
IN THE DEVELOPMENT APP

83Michigan counties
1,985Municipal & Census areas
5Featured lake layers
Explore the coverage

01 / A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

Every place has a story.
See how it connects.

Start with a place you know.
Discover the context around it.

Actual development screenshots.
These images are not a live map.

COMMUNITIES / ADRIAN, MICHIGANDEV BUILD
MittenScope showing Adrian's municipal boundary and its matching shape in an information panel.
Select a place. See its shape, county context and available local news.
REAL GEOGRAPHYPLACE-BASED INFORMATIONSOURCE CONTEXTA MICHIGAN FOCUS

02 / BUILT AROUND COMMUNITY

Public information.
A shared perspective.

Useful information about Michigan should be easier to find, understand and connect.

Today, that information lives across agency websites, maps and separate databases. We're building MittenScope to bring the pieces together—so more people can explore the places that matter to them.

FREE AT ITS CORE

Our goal is to keep 99% of MittenScope freely accessible—helping people make better-informed decisions and supporting Michigan’s growth. Paid access will be limited to optional AI features, which will also unlock the Google-powered photorealistic 3D experience.

Help us build it
01

For the curious

Discover the communities, waterways and infrastructure around the places you know.

02

For the community

Make local information more approachable, with geography and source context in view.

03

For the people who maintain the data

Help public datasets reach new audiences while giving their sources clear credit.

03 / A CLEAR VIEW OF OUR PROGRESS

Built in Michigan.
Growing layer by layer.

Working features and future plans,
clearly distinguished.

WORKING IN THE LOCAL APP

The foundation is here.

  • CommunitiesUP & LP, 83 counties, cities, villages, townships and Census-designated places.
  • Water & landmarksFive featured lakes, lake information and 127 Michigan lighthouses.
  • Movement & railAircraft, vessels, selected transit routes, trains, rail tracks and stations.
  • InfrastructureAirports, bridges, dams, power stations, and water & wastewater facilities.
  • SatellitesSatellite positions and orbital context above the map.
  • Explore & inspectAddress search, geographic outlines, place information panels and available local news.

NEXT / DATA PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED

Better detail starts with data.

Parcel boundaries are the next major foundation. We're exploring authoritative sources and reliable ways to keep them current.

Parcel boundariesProperty informationFuture listings & sales

These capabilities are planned.

Coverage varies by source. Municipal areas include Census-designated places, not every locally named community. News availability and live-feed freshness vary. Boundary reference: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025.

04 / LET'S BUILD THE BIG PICTURE

Your local data.
More community value.

County GIS teams, public agencies, associations and local organizations: we'd love to learn what you maintain and how we can help people discover it.

We're particularly interested in parcel polygons, consistent identifiers, source documentation and dependable update access.

Become a data partner

An invitation to collaborate.

A FEW THINGS TO KNOW

Good questions.
Clear answers.

Can I use MittenScope right now?

The full application is being developed locally and is not publicly available yet. The images on this website show the development app. You can request a demonstration or discuss a data partnership.

Is there an interactive demo on this website?

Not yet. We're starting with a clear introduction and actual product screenshots. A smaller hands-on experience may follow as development progresses.

Where does the information come from?

Sources vary by layer, including Census boundaries, public agencies and available transportation feeds. We retain source context in the application. Coverage, dates and availability differ between datasets.

Does it include parcels or property listings?

Those layers are planned, not available today. We are researching parcel sources and discussing potential data access. No statewide parcel or listing coverage is being promised.

How can my county or organization help?

Tell us about your geographic datasets, coverage, update methods and reuse requirements. A conversation with the people maintaining the data is a valuable starting point.

THE NEXT CONNECTION STARTS HERE

Let's see what's possible.
Together.

See the project in development, share a dataset,
or help shape a more connected view of Michigan.