Erbach, passed to the Grand Duchy of Hesse. The building of the railway line and its completion through to Darmstadt in 1870 and then Eberbach in 1881 brought Michelstadt a sharp economic upswing. Out of what was once a small farming community grew a sizeable town with important industrial operations on the foundation of the centuries-old ironworking. A new economic era began. From the clothweavers’ and dyers’ guild grew a cloth factory; from foundries grew machine factories. Ivory carving was a starting point for businesses in the souvenir industry and plastics processing. In 1962, the town hosted the second Hessentag state festival. In 2007, a decision to merge the town with the neighbouring town of Erbach was thwarted by a civic vote. Governance The municipal elections held 2006 and 2016 yielded the following results: Mayor List of elected mayors of Michelstadt: 1997–2009: Reinhold Ruhr 2009–2021: Stephan Kelbert 2021–incumbent: Tobias Robischon Town partnerships Rumilly, Haute-Savoie, France Hulst, Zeelandic Flanders, Netherlands Coat of arms The town's arms might be described as per fess azure two mullets. Michelstadt was granted these arms in 1541 along with its new seal by Count Georg of Erbach. The diapering in the lower half of the escutcheon is unhistoric, and only appeared in the 17th century. Indeed, the escutcheon on the Town Hall, pictured in this article, does not show it. The mullets (six-pointed star shapes) come from the Counts' arms, but why the parting per fess (horizontal division across the middle) was chosen is a mystery. Except for diapering, the arms have not changed since the 16th century. Economy Notable companies Mühlhäuser, a manufacturer of railbound and trackless tunnel construction equipment. Arts and culture Theatre Kleinkunstbühne Patat (cabaret)Michelstädter Theatersommer, yearly open-air plays in the historic KellereihofTheaterkarren e.V. Odenwald, since 1998 regular events with changing groups and producers Museums Odenwald- und Spielzeug-Museum (Odenwald and toys)Museumsmühle Michelstadt – historic mill from 1420Landesrabbiner Dr. l. E. Lichtigfeld-Museum (State Rabbi Lichtigfeld)Privates Elfenbeinmuseum Ulrich Seidenberg (private ivory museum)Motorrad-Museum (motorcycles) Buildings Michelstadt's Old Town features many timber-frame houses. Particularly worthy of mention are the following buildings, some within the old town, others in the surrounding countryside: The historic Town Hall, the Diebsturm ("Thief's Tower") at the town wall, the Kellereihof (a Frankish, early mediaeval castle complex refurbished in an early Renaissance style) in the town wall ring, the late Gothic town church (late 13th century), the Einhards-Basilika, the palace of the Counts