Michiganians, Michiganders, Michihoots…they’re all proud of their state. More so, I think, than other people are proud of theirs. When Michiganders want to get out of town most of the time they go “up north” or elsewhere in Michigan. We don’t often get to the other sides of the various ponds that surround us. And we dislike piercing the veil of the flat, dull regions of Indiana and Ohio to our South. Basically, except for Chicago, there aren’t many hotspots nearby around us. There’s plenty of natural beauty, but it too is darn far away (thru the Soo). Toronto is hours of flatland away. It all works to keep us on our home turf. And what turf it is! Such diversity!
I think a lot of Michiganians enjoy the retro maps of our fair state. They show the charming variety of heritage and climates in our state.
Within a couple hours of driving we can do worldclass outdoor activities of most any stripe. Our roads are spacious and open, our drivers courteous.
Michigan has an amazing stratification, to me. The Lower Lower Peninsula is as minimalled and as cellphoned as anywhere, if still quite spacious. The Upper Lower takes a full step back off the fast-life conveyor belt. The Upper Peninsula is another full step slower. Then the Keweenaw is even slower yet, basically still 1800’s I’d think, slower even than…Canada!
What’s nice is that our neighbor Canada has plenty of unAmerican style. It has a U.P.-like pace but friendlier yet, with less desperation and more heritage. And it’s only a day’s drive to two European-like cities up there: Ottawa (best in winter) and Montreal, if you really want a change of pace. Still, one wishes they were closer…
Compared to many places, our variety is hours closer-to-hand and easier to pass those hours.
Now, our state is a young one in terms of American-Civ. Our towns have a similar, youthful age—starting in late 1800’s and hitting a typical peak in, what, the 1930’s, with most going a bit downhill since the 50’s, many smaller towns being now largely gutted in today’s common American style, and all bigger ones now have a “ring of death” around them of big-box stores and total minimall vibe. Yeah, it’s not an unmixed situation. We have our problems to try to dig out from under.
Our youthfulness has a sad lack of depth but it does serve to hook us closer to older things—to nature and to Native American influences (excepting casinos). When we go boating we can’t often key into classic harbor settings, not like ocean harbor towns. Michiganders put their boats in at a dock and have their fun on the primeval water. Our youth also puts us more on equal footing. We don’t have the blueblood class nor do we have many ghettos. Our local wealthy folk drive pickups or graduate from voc-tech colleges as likely as not. We’re also highly mixed—we have tons of colleges/universities per capita and many of the still-standing businesses are recent and have foreign backing. There are a lot of international folk wandering around trying to figure this state out.
It’s a lively, can-do state. We have champs in all kinds of things. We’re big on giving things a try and on working hard then playing hard.
But I think our hinterlands haven’t been celebrated enough. That’s what UpNorth is about. Connecting the dots, filling in the gaps. There’s a whole big scene out there in Michigan other than the resorts and stadiums that get all the press. If the “rest of Michigan” got the attention it deserves, it could make a comeback. Let’s do it!
