A favorite destination for many summertime vacationers is the Upper Peninsula. From its beautiful view of Lake Superior, challenging hiking and cross-country ski trails, numerous historic lighthouses, delicious pastries, what's not to love? Surprisingly, it’s not actually part of Wisconsin.

In the 18th century, the drawing of maps wasn't always the most efficient. When the U.S. government created the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, it provided a method for territories to be admitted as states in the union. Part of this ordinance declared the border between the state of Ohio and the Michigan Territory. Because of the confusing Mitchell mapping, Ohio changed the map to continue the revenue and trade access to Lake Eerie.

Once Michigan applied for statehood in 1833, they used an accurate map to their claim of a 468 square mile region, known as the Toledo Strip that was coveted by both Ohio and Michigan, hence starting the Toledo War.

Actually, the Toledo War was anything but an actual war. It consisted of many lawsuits, claims, disputes and arrests. A sheriff was stabbed over an argument about someone who wanted to vote in Ohio, but lived in the Toledo strip.

After a few years of this “so-called” war, President Andrew Jackson recognized Michigan as a state, but they had to give up the Toledo Strip. After a few years of low economic advancements and a possible financial crisis, Michigan accepted the offer.

Fortunately for Michigan, they were gifted what is known today as the Upper Peninsula. In the years of the gold rush in California, it was discovered that this undesired area was plentiful of resources including copper and iron ore. This area is considered to have created more wealth than the California Gold Rush and put Michigan in the history books as a top supplier of iron ore and copper in the 19th century.

Sadly, many mines have closed, but are a great activity to tour on your vacation to the upper peninsula.

There is essentially no connection or history of the Upper Peninsula being part of Wisconsin, besides the fact that its southwestern side is connected to this state. To be fair, Wisconsin was also at one time part of the Michigan Territory, and it’s likely that if history was different and people weren’t so greedy, maybe this area could have been part of Wisconsin.

Lucky for everyone, except maybe Ohio who did not gain much of an economic advantage from the Toledo Strip, the upper peninsula has been a surprising gem for both the economy and eyes of the public.

Yoopers, meaning U.P.ers or people who live in the upper peninsula, embrace their rustic, frigid, and simply breathtaking lifestyle. Although Yoopers will most likely not petition to join Wisconsin and vice versa, we can still embrace their beauty and history, especially through easy driver accessibility.