The Upper Peninsula Dispute: Why Michigan Was Given the UP

Understanding Territorial Claims and Statehood

When discussing territorial disputes in the United States during the early 19th century, one prominent issue involves the Upper Peninsula (UP).

Wisconsin was part of the Old Northwest Territory when Michigan applied for admission to the Union as a state. However, there was a territorial dispute between the Territory of Michigan and the State of Ohio regarding the location of the border line between Ohio and Michigan. This dispute had such a significant impact that it resulted in the only war between two states being declared over the famous Toledo Strip.

To "solve" this conflict, the U.S. Congress decided to give the Upper Peninsula to Michigan as compensation for the northern border adjustment.

The Initial Misunderstanding and Complications

Initially, the people of the new State of Michigan thought they had been cheated, but this turned out to be a misunderstanding. Michigan was given the Upper Peninsula due to a map delineation error, not a deliberate action to divide Wisconsin.

The original northern border of Indiana and Ohio was supposed to be a latitudinal line from the southern end of Lake Michigan to the mouth of the Maumee River. However, this map was not accurate, leading to a sliver of territory split across the river. Ohio, having been admitted to the Union in 1803, convinced Congress to give them additional land in the northern sliver.

Michigan Territory initially only covered the eastern half of the lower peninsula. Indiana's eastern line separated Indiana from Illinois Territory, so Indiana owned the eastern Upper Peninsula, while Illinois received the western part.

In 1817, Indiana was admitted as a state, adding a 10-mile strip to its northern border, preventing the narrow sliver of land along the south end of Lake Michigan and the St. Joseph River from being split. This ensured that Indiana would have a shoreline on Lake Michigan, while the western portion of the lower peninsula was added to Michigan Territory.

Compensation for the Toledo Strip and the south bend of the St. Joseph River was thus provided by adding the entire Upper Peninsula to Michigan. It was not until 1846 that Michigan became a state, with its climate making it less suitable for agriculture compared to southern states like Illinois.

Meanwhile, Chicago was already recognized as an important city in Illinois, which had become a state in 1819. Wisconsin was carved out of Illinois and became a territory in 1848, two years after Michigan’s statehood. By then, several states had already been established west of the Mississippi River.

The Significance of the Upper Peninsula

The Upper Peninsula had significant natural resources that compensated for the land swap. In 1841, State Geologist Douglas Houghton released a report revealing huge deposits of pure copper on the Keweenaw Peninsula and the discovery of the Ontonagon Bolder, a 1.5-ton piece of solid copper. Houghton’s report also highlighted the presence of large deposits of high-grade iron in the Upper Peninsula.

This discovery sparked the first great mining boom in the region, leading to rapid industrial growth and economic development. The natural resources of the Upper Peninsula helped to bolster Michigan's economy and make the state compensation viable for the territorial dispute.

Conclusion

The territorial dispute over the Upper Peninsula highlights the complex history of state boundaries in the United States. While Michigan’s acquisition of the Upper Peninsula involved a map error, the region's rich natural resources played a crucial role in shaping both Michigan and Wisconsin's destinies.