The magnificent Upper Peninsula of Michigan, what can I say. Clean air, clean water, a sky that seems to stretch on forever, ancient untouched forests, sandy beaches, California weather (at least in June, July and August), and my favorite thing of all, not many of those annoying things that cramp up most vacation spots that I like to call people. It had been some 15 years since I last explored the upper reaches of Michigan and above all I was hoping that not much had changed.
The Upper Peninsula is a very interesting place. Thousands of square miles of scattered villages deep in the ancient forests (85%is untouched wilderness). Dotted with Lakes and cut up with countless rivers and streams, it is an absolute jewel of America. 16,377 square miles in area, roughly twice the size of Massachusetts, it is home to only 311,361 inhabitants. Yes there are places in Georgia that can get sparse, Okefenokee, the base of the Appalachian trail, but not for this large of an expanse. It is just mile after mile of wilderness, no interstates save for I-75 that crosses on Mackinac bridge and goes straight to Canada, no Walmart’s, no fast food restaurants just peaceful and serene.
Speaking of Walmart’s, the closest Walmart is 71 miles away in Canada. The closest McDonald’s used to be 50 miles away, but since I was last here they’ve built a new one 25 miles from here. After that it’s 100 plus miles. My point is, the Upper Peninsula is remote for southern standards. The inhabitants call themselves Yoopers and end every sentence with Eh. They are highly patriotic and fiercely independent. There is even a movement that has been going on since it was combined with Michigan to separate itself as an independent state. You see bumper stickers regularly here that say things like “Yooperland 51st State”. Or my favorite bumper sticker that reads “end of the earth 2 miles, The U.P. 4 miles”. They call Those that live south or “below” Mackinac bridge trolls and they smoke fish a thousand ways. The incredibly brutal winters keep only the hardiest of people around and you can tell by a simple glance whose a native and whose seasonal. All the restaurants here are mom and pop establishments and all most all close for winter. It’s a wonderfully Americana environment in the summer, reminiscent of John Candy movies like “Summer Rental” and “The Great Outdoors”, but it’s winters are unforgiving and incredibly harsh. It is these conditions that have led to stagnant and even negative population growth and also to the joy of only having a McDonald’s, on average, every 150 miles.
The Yooper is a place unique to itself, unlike anywhere else in America. Ebb and flow are the life of the community here. As winter approaches the population plummets from the skyrocketing summer visitors. It empty’s out into a sparsely populated winter wasteland only to swell with snow birds and vacationers as the spring turns to summer. In all it’s beauty and splendor however things are not always wonderful here. The population is struggling to survive the harsh winters and isolation from the rapidly progressing areas in the rest of the U.S. and its showing in early 2020 census data. In recent years 14 of the 15 counties in the U.P. have reported population decline. Some have lost 1/8 of their population since the 2010 census. There are fears that 2020 data will show a decline below 300,000. The population hasn’t been that low in the Yooper since the 19th century. A collapse of fisheries due to the invasive zebra mussel, her remoteness and an inability to fully recover from the economic collapse of the 2000’s are causing many to flee for better weather and job opportunities. In this respect the Upper Peninsula is being left behind. Communities to far apart and declining in population are seeing some areas of the Yooper empty out permanently. We can only wait and see what the future holds for this unspoiled piece of America. I for one will support her by visiting and participating in her local economy any time I can.
