[lilbear]

I think it'd make my stories about traveling to visit family year after year in the U.P. as a kid sound weird cuz then I'd have to say, "The new Wisconsin" or something.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by JoshB

I'm not sure if there is an existing thread on this but I'll ask anyways. How would you guys feel if Wisconsin Annexed the U.P? I'm not sure how I would feel gaining more land on my side. This would open up a whole new market for Wisconsin.

So how would you feel?

Whole new market for what? The UP is open for Wisconsin companies who want to operate there. If there was anything of value industry-wise in the U.P., it would have been exploited already (greed sees no state lines). It seems like it would be a HUGE undertaking with neither side really gaining anything from it.

I don't think we'll see any land swaps between any of the 48 states any time soon, unless the Southern states' water shortage blossoms into an all-out water war between Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/us/22water.html

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by JoshB

I'm not sure if there is an existing thread on this but I'll ask anyways. How would you guys feel if Wisconsin Annexed the U.P? I'm not sure how I would feel gaining more land on my side. This would open up a whole new market for Wisconsin.

So how would you feel?

I feel the U.P. should decide this one. I'm not really sure the L.P. (or "Downer p[SIZE=3]eninsula" as my daughter called it when she was 5 (uppper-downer made sense to her at 5)[/SIZE]) takes very good care of the U.P.

I say let them vote on it. Of course, Wisconsin would have to agree. Or maybe they should be the 51st state and just break off from the L.P. I think the choice should be theirs.

I'm sure we'll still be allowed to visit no matter what they do.

[JoshB]

I think that the UP should be it's own state. Like Ivorytickler mentioned.

Regarding a whole industry I mean by tourism etc. I think Wisconsin could some how use the landscape of the UP for new style license plates.

[crazyme4878]

Originally Posted by katie565

I would feel crushed! I love the U.P. It's an absolute jewel, and I'd be willing to bet most Michiganders would agree with me in saying it should never be annexed to another state. I am lucky enough to go up there twice a year (once in the fall for the amazing colors and to hunt for waterfalls and once in the summer, as I have a cabin not far from the bridge on the Mackinaw side), and while it's definitely different than it's southern counterpart it's an integral part of the state, its culture and its values.

Originally Posted by Ivorytickler

I feel the U.P. should decide this one. I'm not really sure the L.P. (or "Downer p[SIZE=3]eninsula" as my daughter called it when she was 5 (uppper-downer made sense to her at 5)[/SIZE]) takes very good care of the U.P.

I say let them vote on it. Of course, Wisconsin would have to agree. Or maybe they should be the 51st state and just break off from the L.P. I think the choice should be theirs.

I'm sure we'll still be allowed to visit no matter what they do.

Hasn't there always been a small, obscure branch of Yoopers that have long strived to make the UP the 51st state? Pretty sure. Sorry Katie565, but the Lower Michiganders might not want to annex it, but there are probably enough Yoopers willing!

Besides, northern WI, northern MN and northern MI all have similar cultures.

And who said they thought there would be Vikings and Bear fans sprinkled in the UP??!!! I'm sure there are a couple, but you are either Packers or Lions here!!!

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by crazyme4878

Besides, northern WI, northern MN and northern MI all have similar cultures.

You may be on to something there. How about we just carve a new state out of the northernmost tier of each of those states! It would have all of the American Lake Superior shoreline so we'll just call our new state Superior!

[Debrajean]

Sorry, we have to keep our cloud.

[baystater]

Originally Posted by magellan

I don't think we'll see any land swaps between any of the 48 states any time soon, unless the Southern states' water shortage blossoms into an all-out water war between Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/22/us/22water.html

This is where think will get interesting as we go toward the future. Right now alot of people are hot on going south to start new more prosperous lives. But as I as see it longterm Georgia, Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, So Cal, Nevada, Alabama, Tenn., and the Carolinas are going to have problems with there supply of fresh water. And yeah I know we can build desalination plants and as a nation we can try to conserve. But I think it will be a whole lot cheaper for a lot of folk if they just move North. In fact I believe they will start to return in about a decade or so. Michigan as a whole I believe is just going through some economic changes right now and it will be a little while till it's full steam ahead again. But when it comes back with new industry/services I believe Michigan will take off like a rocket.

As for the U.P. being given to annexed or becoming the 51st state. Well I only own a vacation home up there and not desperately attached to any of the culture. But I tell you this Massachusetts native is extremely impressed with the beauty and Majesty of the U.P. And no matter who owns it, that there land is God's country (and I'm an agnostic.)

[suydam]

Originally Posted by djmilf

How would you feel if Michigan annexed the part of Wisconsin that was in the Great Lakes basin?

Milwaukee would be pissed!

Actually I like things the way they are.

The Apostle Islands are totally different than anything else in Superior country. They benefit from being part of Wisconsin.

The same can be said for Minnesota's north shore.

It's nice that essentially 3 states have a stake in Lake Superior.

The real oddity is why Isle Royale is part of Michigan.
I stood atop one of the fire towers in the Greenridge Trail and could easily see Thunder Bay Ontario and Grand Portage Minnesota. I could not, across the vastness of the lake, see Copper Harbor.

There is a legend that in the land deal with the French, someone thought there were 2 large islands north of Copper Harbor and gave Michigan "The first island north". Turns out there's just 1 island and all of a sudden Isle Royale is part of MIchigan. I'm not sure if that's true, but it's amusing.

[crazyme4878]

Originally Posted by jeeg

You may be on to something there. How about we just carve a new state out of the northernmost tier of each of those states! It would have all of the American Lake Superior shoreline so we'll just call our new state Superior!

Maybe we could get everyone in the Canadian part of the watershed in on it, and then we can have a new country called Superior!!