Land Grab Rip-Off

Rattling-around the interweb I somehow happened to stumble-across this historic real estate injustice.

That's right.  Wisconsin was robbed of the upper peninsula.  

Gasp!

In the 18th century our country adopted the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 to establish a process whereby new states might be admitted to the Union.  You know, all that stuff that ultimately fed Manifest Destiny that would attach large landmasses which became territories which would then lead to the formation of states.

Unfortunately, the boundaries for the lands that would eventually become Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin were poorly and incomplete defined.

The territory of Michigan went to war with the state of Ohio for a small piece of land known as the Toledo Strip. There was a cessation of hostilities only after Old Hickory intervened and the Federal Government stepped-in granting Michigan the Upper Peninsula and Ohio what is now the City of Toledo on the shore of Lake Erie.

500 square miles of land in exchange for 16,500 square miles of peninsula.  That's 28% of Michigan's entire landmass.  Not fair!  Wisconsin represents a far-larger land mass sharing a larger common border with the upper peninsula.  The UP isn't even physically connected to the state of Michigan.  Besides, Yoopers (those who live on the Upper Peninsula) share a closer cultural connection with Wisconsinites than they do with Michigan to the east.  Yoopers have even felt strongly-enough about this that if they cannot be part of Wisconsin maybe they should become the 51st state to seek admission to the union.

In closing, if you feel as much grievance as I do over this arbitrary and totally inexcusable  land grab you should go here and Sign the Petition.  Get on board and help Wisconsin Reclaim Upper Michigan. 

We got ripped-off.....

Change.org