The state of Wisconsin, with its unmistakable shape, is ubiquitous on campus. It can be found on bumpers, on water bottles and on t-shirts. Look at a map of the Midwest, however, and the state’s unique figure is obscured by a strange little appendix, the sparsely inhabited land known as the Upper Peninsula.
As an out-of-stater, I’ll admit that I’m hardly a connoisseur when it comes to the geography of the Great Lakes states. Ask even the most knowledgeable Wisconsinites, however, and even they won’t be able to answer this simple question: “Why is the Upper Peninsula considered part of Michigan?”
The answer lies in an 180-year-old treaty from the end of the Toledo War. Ohio and Michigan (which was still a territory at the time) had a territorial dispute over the Toledo strip region, leading to a “war” that resulted in a grand total of one injury and zero deaths. Michigan ceded its claim to the area, and in exchange was awarded the Upper Peninsula in 1836.
Very few people today could tell you when the Toledo War was fought, or even between whom. Yet its effects still reverberate every time someone opens a map of the region.
As a proud (albeit green) resident of the state of Wisconsin, I can’t help but question why this antiquated geographical boundary still exists. No other state is divided in two, and aside from a 200-year-old treaty in a virtually inconsequential war, there’s no real reason the Upper Peninsula doesn’t belong to America’s Dairyland.
The current geographical layout doesn’t benefit the people of the Peninsula either. Residents who attend the University of Michigan, or want to go to Detroit for a Lions game, have to traverse Lake Michigan in order to do so, and then have to travel almost 300 miles. These loyalties to Michigan institutions come from the naturally-bred state pride that’s found in every state but is nevertheless difficult to uphold.
The Upper Peninsula would also be aided by an influx of tourism if it became part of Wisconsin. Northern Wisconsin, known for its vast forests and natural beauty, would also suddenly contain the Upper Peninsula and its lakeshore areas, bringing in more tourism. This would come from the fact that it’s easier to cross into the Upper Peninsula by car, rather than paying for a ferry.
As a matter of fact, some citizens of the Upper Peninsula have already made it clear they want out. There’s been a secession movement active since the 1830’s (around the time of the Toledo War) and has been brought up as a serious idea as recently as 2012. Though being annexed by Wisconsin probably wouldn’t completely satisfy their demands, it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
To those used to living in the region, Michigan’s possession of the Upper Peninsula seems illogical. For the sake of the people of Wisconsin and the Peninsula itself, as well as casual observers unfamiliar with the Toledo War, it’s time to right this wrong.
Sebastian is a freshman majoring in environmental studies and journalism. Have you ever traveled to the Upper Peninsula? Do you think the land should belong to Wisconsin? Do you disagree with Sebastian? Let us know what you think. Please send all comments and questions to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
