— Like No Other Before Him —
Francis Michael possessed a grand vision, humanitarian
heart, and superior ability to turn vision into reality
Opened a new continent, joined it to an older one,
then moved thousands of refugees from one to the other
Restored opportunity, religious freedom,
peace, and prosperity to those he resettled
Spawned permanent American refugee resettlement
that exists today as an official United States program
Michel's Epic Exploration
In 1704, Frantz Michel became the first European to venture as far west as America's Appalachian Range when he explored and mapped western Maryland and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.