And last but certainly not least, I look at the great state of Michigan for this Compared series. 0:33 Yep, I left out Lake Erie. It's great, too. What else did I get wrong or leave out? Don't forget that checking out my sponsor helps out my channel! Thanks to Raycon for sponsoring this video. Go to buyraycon.com/mrbeat for 20% off sitewide!
Michigander here, It's worth noting that the UP has a ton of issues that go unseen. Poverty up there is really high. Utility prices are also really high. Houghton pays the highest electricity bills in the continental US. Also the time to drive from Detroit to ironwood goes way up in the winter.
Only reason Houghton electricity is so cheap is bc they wayyyyy lowered the industrial rates to incentivize industry building there, but that means residential rates are way higher
Okay, as a lifelong Michigander of nearly five decades, I have to say this is probably the best, most accurate video on my state I've ever seen! Sure, we don't use "L.P." but *always* say "U.P." (weird, eh?), but I'll give you mad props for an excellent and factual video on the Great Lakes State! And THANK YOU SO MUCH for repeatedly pronouncing Mackinac correctly!! We have some goofy-sounding places here, but hearing people say "Mack-in-NACK" is 127 times worse than nails on a chalkboard to any self-respecting Michigander! Again... Kudos!
Fun story: One my friends was camping in the UP with her family; her brother was leaving for to Grand Rapids (about 8 hour drive across the Mackinac Bridge), but put "no toll roads" in his GPS. It took him on a 16+ hour drive through two states to avoid a $4.00 bridge toll.
Wouldn't it have been 3 states though because in order to get from the UP to the Lower Peninsula without the Mackinac Bridge you would have to go through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.
@@drakejoshofficialyoutubech5569 And by the way, Michigan has no toll roads, has a great highway system that seems to be always under construction due to the freeze/melt process which destroys roads. Also, the tolls required to cross the Big Mac are 100% used for bridge maintenance and upkeep.
As a Yooper born and raised I can definitely say that our unique accent IS NOT because of only the Finn's. It's a weird mixture of French, Canadian, Cornish and yes Finnish along with Norwegians. It's like none other that I've encountered
@@riverraisin1 fact! I've actually heard some people say that Pasties are Finnish...which is mind blowing. Especially when they are technically called "Cornish Pasties"
Interesting. Some of my family came from the UP, and I always heard about references to the Swedes. Maybe they just got the name of the country mixed up!
@@dan13ljks0n there is a Swedish population as a matter of fact the town I was born and raised in, Calumet, there is a location called "Swede Town". Apparently back in the big immigration days that's where a lot of the swedish immigrants lived
@@dan13ljks0n First to be recruited to the UP for mining purposes were the English from the Cornwall region, as their mines were drying up in that country. They were followed by Italians, Eastern Europeans, Swedes, and Finns. The first three groups being experienced miners. The Scandinavians came for an opportunity to work and own land, something they would never attain in their own country. A large percentage of Finns and Swedes immigrated to the UP to work in the forests in winter and farm their own land in the summer.
I went to college in the UP specifically for the winter. My third year we got 362 inches of snow. For anyone who moved there, you would have to find some winter hobby, whether it was skiing, snowshoeing, broomball, snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc. The snow literally made my college experience worth it haha.
I'm a yooper and it made me super excited seeing this upload knowing we actually got recognized, because people seem to forget about the UP and it's separate culture and just think of it as more of Michigan or sometimes Wisconsin.
To be honest, my geography is so poor, I'd never noticed UP/LP before. Only considered the LP. Took befriending a Chicagoan to realize the land masses.
I immigrated to the US back in the late 50's and ended up in Marquette and then Escanaba. I'm grateful to still have all my fingers and toes, given how intensely cold it was up on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. We had no polar fleece, no thinsulate, no North Face or Patagonia to kill the chill. As a six year old I thought the UP winters were brutally beautiful. I was often late for school making snow angels along the way. The crisp air was so clean. No pollution. Ultimately the extreme cold caused me to leave. Now I'm retired and live on another penninsula - one that juts out into the ocean in Washington. I fondly remember my Yooper days and appreciate the UP's raw beauty and ultimate influence on my life choices.
You forgot to mention that Michigan was the first English speaking government of ANY kind to outlaw the death penalty. Michigan has not executed anyone since we became a state in 1837 as the last execution happened in 1830 when we were still a territory. Great video!
@@kneemeister True, but the State of Michigan hasn't executed anyone since 1830. The last execution in Michigan was a federal execution in 2006 I believe
West Michigander here, the UP feels like a completely different world. I’ve been to the rural northern lower Peninsula plenty of times, and it’s pretty sparse but doesn’t nearly compare to just how wild and empty the UP feels. There are some Yooper towns that are only a few dozen people, and it’s many miles till the next tiny town. Marquette and Escanaba really feel like tiny bubbles of civilization in the middle of the wilderness
I drove from a town southeast of St. Louis, Missouri to Houghton, and pretty much if you didn't stop at a gas station and refilled, you wouldn't see another one for 30-40 miles up there.
I believe at one point the Governor of Michigan referred to the state as a destination state since you don't really drive through Michigan when going to other states with exception of going to Canada.
As a michigander, I've never seen anyone do the UP like that. The tips of the fingers touch so that you get the Keweenaw peninsula using the thumb, and the people basically in Wisconsin using the pinkie finger. Otherwise, pretty fun video, thanks for making it!
Born and bred Michigander + Yooper and avid anti-sconnie 🤣, have always held my left hand with the back facing me while my right has my palm facing me. Always thought both palms facing made the Keweenaw too far to the west lol
I’ve seen some yoopers do it. Especially the ones from Houghton or Cooper Harbor. They like to point out that keweenaw kinda looks like a pinkie or rabbit ears
Mr. Beat you got one thing absolutely correct about Michigan. Distances in Michigan are measured in time traveled, not mileage. No one knows the milage between Iron Mountain and Detroit, but everyone has a pretty good idea about how long it takes to get there. I think this is because no native Michigan resident drives the posted speed limits on the Expressways. 70 or 75 seem to be the posted minimums, and if you are in the passing lane, don't drop below 80 or you'll get run over.
Yeah and since on the western side of the lower peninsula, we already have 3 feet of snow and ice on the roads. People go very much slower on the highways during the winter . I haven’t seen a person go above 70 on the highways and above 50 on the normal roads. The time definitely increases between times over the winter and I’ve heard that the up gained 3 to 4 feet of snow within the past 2 days.
@@TheRestedOne Be assured, traffic police have 'seen' you long before you see them. They have radar, airplanes and radios. I always laugh when the speeding traffic all of a sudden slows ten miles and hour, as if that will save you from a ticket if the officer is so disposed.
Great video. As a Michigander I think it’s worth noting that the further north you go in the lower peninsula, the more similar it gets to the UP. North of Midland and Mt Pleasant, which are about middle of the Lower Peninsula, the population drops significantly and industries like lumber and at one point mining were much more prevalent. The economies and poverty rates are more similar between the UP and Northern LP. Also not only are we surrounded by the Great Lakes, but we’re filled with hugely popular smaller lakes. Houghton, Higgins, and Torch Lakes are just three of the hugely popular lakes in the Northern Lower Peninsula that see huge waves of tourists in the Summer. In fact Michigan is one of the top states with lakes, with 10,000 recorded lakes
I think that divide is also really important in the discussion for why the two peninsulas don't want to separate. The other big reason at least to me is that Michiganders value the lakes as "land" so our state isn't two peninsulas so much as it is a square of territory with the great lakes in it.
I grew up in a logging town in the Pacific Northwest. My hometown was settled by European immigrants, mainly Norwegians, Swedes and Finns. In many homes, families still spoke their native language, while their children, my schoolmates, learned to speak and read English. I drove through Michigan, including the UP and loved the beautiful scenery. And the MightMac was the most impressive and amazing bridge I’ve ever crossed.
The UP and Northern portion of the LP reminds me kinda of Alaska or the Pacific Northwest. My family has a few acres on Beaver Island. It is the most chill place I have ever been. Everyone is so laid back. One town, barely any tourists because it’s not well known, and the rest is just wilderness. I’ve done some 4 wheeling trips to northern Michigan mainly the Kalkaska trail system and it’s literally pure wilderness except for some small towns. I want to live there eventually, it’s so peaceful. Never been to the UP but from what I’ve seen it looks similar to northern LP Michigan just even more wilderness.
@@tennesseecurtiss5741my first job was at the municipal airport on Beaver Island back in 2017. I absolutely love the place. Got to stay with my aunt and uncle who bought the cheapest cabin on the entire island back in the 80’s
I would say one thing that isn’t mentioned in the video (I don’t know how you would have known) is the “Up North” stereotype. Almost every vacation I’ve ever taken is where we go “up north” to ski, or spend a week at a lake. There’s a weird natural/urban divide that’s undefined within Michigan
Wow I never realized how often we say up north lol. It also reminiscent of how people in Michigan either have a lake house / cabin up north or something similar down in Florida.
Growing up in West Michigan, my reference point for “up north” is pretty much the border between Muskegon and Oceana counties. Past Muskegon it starts to get pretty rural. I know a lot of Detroiters especially say the Zilwaukee Bridge (between Saginaw and Bay City) marks up north, but triple cities and Mt. Pleasant are still mid-Michigan in my mind. I’d say the line goes from north of Muskegon to just north of Mt Pleasant to just north of Bay City
Living in Michigan I can say that the upper peninsula is like a completely different state when compared to the lower peninsula. My brother lives in the upper and I live in the lower. Before the construction of the Mackinac Bridge there was a campaign for the upper peninsula to become their own state! ~ You can see where I work in this video! ~
Wouldn't it be pretty bad for upper Michigan because it has a very low population and it is pretty poor economically? I'd imagine that lower Michigan sustains it
It’s the same with Minnesota, the reason it looks different is because of the soil types. Rocky soil supports conifers and pines. While the clay soil supports hardwoods. That’s why these areas look so different.
@@Spongebrain97 Yes it would be. In the past the UP was one of the most important iron mining areas in the entire USA. The proposal made much more sense back then. Nowadays most the mines are closed and industry has mostly moved out of the UP. Poverty is on the rise and the support from the LP is needed.
Fun fact, whenever a U.P sports HS team goes downstate for the State Finals, almost the whole U.P backs them and you'll often see signs such as "U.P Power"... you tend to see like 1 U.P team in the state finals every year or other year
Resident of the Keweenaw reporting in. I grew up downstate, but came up to go to Michigan Tech and have been here ever since! Winters are brutal here, but after 21 years, I've gotten mostly used to them. If you have a house in town, you're usually fine with a two-stage snowblower, or a "Yooper Scoop" if you're fit enough and have the time to clear the snow manually. If it's a particularly snowy winter, I sometimes have to hire a front-end loader to push the banks back so I have more room to blow the snow, since the banks can get so high the blower has trouble clearing them. If you're outside of town, a truck with a plow or a tractor with plow or blower attachment is required. While most of our tourists do come from the Midwest, that's been changing in recent years. I have seen a TON of non-Midwest plates up here, even in the winter! There seems to be a surge of visitors from Texas and California in particular. We actually have a decent (if small) tech industry here in the Keweenaw, including a manufacturing company for printed circuit boards that does business with the DoD. I could go on forever, but I'm glad to see the UP getting more attention! Though I do wish the tourists were better drivers. :P Thanks again for a great video, Mr. Beat! I'm looking forward to binging the back catalog of videos!
@@terrancewatts4812 Wisconsin was only just being formed as a separate territory then. From 1818 to 1836, it was part of Michigan Territory. It was basically formed from the leftover land from giving Michigan its current borders, in preparation for Michigan statehood.
The funny part is, even us Michiganders thought we got the sour end of the deal. While the land gain was massive, Toledo was a very major port city and at the time the UP was seen as essentially worthless in comparison. It wasnt until a few years later when the major copper and iron deposits were located that we realized we got a MUCH better bargain.
Hey! Yooper here (Upper Peninsula). I happen to live in Marquette. We also pride ourselves in being far from civilization. A lot of us dont like tourists, but I dont mind them. Happy to see a video of the differences in Michigan. Thanks for this
Well being michigan is my home state, how can I be a tourist in my home? I can't. I'm not. The earth is My home anyway. By some miracle I lived in 3 states by the time I was 25. I'm shy, introverted and had a hard path. I was lucky to figure it out. Thet being said, I think the yoopers who don't like tourists are probably more the "townie" type. They never left, and don't realize how big the entire fucking earth is. The UP is drivable from Detroit in less than a day. That's really close. To move to my other states that day requires a flying machine
@@iammrbeat thing is it’s not just our natural parks, there’s TONS of state parks and forests that a lot of us visit. makes sense why ppl out of state don’t know that tho.
As a Michigander, the hardest part of watching this video was hearing “LP” instead of “mitten”. We use the term “UP” all the time but I’ve never heard of anybody calling the lower peninsula “LP” 🙂
This 100%. I just watched Josh Weissman review every voted "state food." And when he got to Michigan, I thought "def gonna be a coney with fries." And it was a Pastie!?. Which turned out was the UP vote. So bottom line very different cultures!
First video I've seen that really nails it on Michigan! Most others will barely even mention the UP, if at all. As a Yooper, it feels really great to see someone give us our due diligence when talking about the state!!
I grew up in a suburb surrounded by farms, turned into houses. On the west side of the end of metro Detroit. I think about the UP all the time. A beautiful vast forrest. I envy the amount of nature you get daily. I want to move up there one day. Don't worry you're not forgotten. Both ways of life, and more, are needed and appreciated. It would be cool if a city the size of Ann arbor or Detroit cropped up up there. Just like it would be cool if the lower part of the state could magically be converted back into forrest. Both ways are cool.
I think about you guys all the time. To me _youre_ the cool kids. I feel like a poser in high school trying to fit in, like some of your fellow yoopers would be territorial I include you in my state. Like if I lived in the West, I'd tell people I lived outside of Detroit. But I'd also claim identity with the vast forrests up there.
You can claim the mitten as yours. And vice versa. I lived in Boulder Colorado a stereotypical cosmopolitan "liberal" college town. With Patagonia people, granolas, etc. And let me tell you, people from the Midwest are so much chiller, generally. And the California transplants. With Detroit you get a mix of center Midwest culture and attitude with a mix of UP/canada/Minnesota. Way nicer and real than the California transplants. I'm a peaceful shy person and got rail roaded west coast social climber types. When people say coasts VS flyover they forget there are thrid and 4th coasts. Gulfs and lakes are coasts too. Some ocean elitism.
I grew up near Ann Arbor and all my life my family always talked poorly of the U.P. I'm 42 and finally went last June with my son to Munising and saw the Painted Rocks and everything in the area. I wish I traveled there when I was younger. Never let ones opinion influence you! I cant wait to go back.
🤦♂️ They talked poorly???? Why? I grew up in south lyon. I like the UP and I like Ann Arbor rated just on the food, park and some elements of hippie counter culture. But thr hippie stuff is there less and less (not rated on university). Aren't people from Ann arbor outdoorsy??? In fact I know they are. I lived in Boulder CO which is A2 on roids. Imho critical thinking people don't make distinctions between "Patagonia" outdoorsy and hunting outdoorsy. I saw someone make a comment promising they were *not* the hunter type. Exasperated. They made sure we all knew they were the superior self proclaimed "Patagonia" type. I'm pretty sure you can hike and hunt for food. And while wearing a Patagonia shirt. 🤷♂️
I sure hope your family's opinion wasn't based on an elitist attitude or remarks about hicks, uneducated people❤. I am glad you appreciate the UP for what it is. I'm a former Yooper too but, always think fondly of the people.
As a Michigander who unfortunately moved to Indiana, I feel compelled to point out that the national park service also operates the sleeping bear national Lakeshore, and the River raisin national battlefield Park. I think there's one more but without actually taking the time to look it up. Edit since I have time to look up the official list. According to the NPS site, the parks are Isle Royale national park, Keweenaw national historical park, North Country national scenic trail, Pictured Rocks national lakeshore, River Raisin national battlefield park, and Sleeping Bear Dunes national lakeshore
The Pictured Rocks in da U.P. eh? Is a National Lakeshore as well. Interestingly, Mackinac Island was also a National Park at one time, but the Feds gave it back to the State.
Left FL after 25yrs born an raised. Moved to Michigan 2018 it's been a change but I will say I love the outdoors out here, I've been to the UP 4 times, MI is a beautiful state. That polar vortex of like -40 was my intro to winter I'm still here!
As a Yooper, thanks for making this video and not forgetting about us. It's so common for people to not even realize the U.P. exists. Even in 2022, American companies will leave us out of maps on a pretty regular basis. Rolling us into Wisconsin, but more commonly considering us a part of Canada. I've met people that thought the Mackinac bridge went to Canada. Our accents don't help matters either, haha. I get mistaken for a Canuck all the time, even though im a 6th generation American. It's also worth noting, that while its never going to happen, there has been a long running discussion about the U.P. succeeding from Michigan and becoming it's own state. The discussion has gone back over 100 years and has had official proposals and petitions submitted several times. The main reason it won't happen is the same reason people want it to happen. The huge population difference means that the UP basically gets "left out of the loop" in regards to problems getting attention as most voters and politicians are from the mitten. But that large population gets more tax money to our roads, schools, etc. Without that population, it would be rough. The proposal made much more sense in the past when the mining and logging industry were huge in the UP. Escanaba, my hometown, was one of the busiest iron ore ports in the entire world for years. 60% of all iron ore in the US came from the UP in the 1940's and 50's. But now, with the decline of the mining industry here, (I think there's only 2 mines still operating), we simply don't have the industry to be any better off without the LP.
I'm quite defensive of the UP even though I grew up in West Michigan (lower). It has such undeniable natural and tourism value... and I appreciate its rural-ness. I hate cities. (Driving through Grand Rapids is my own personal hell. I especially hate the S-curve on I-196.) That said, I don't think that people realize how similar the UP and the northern mitten are. Mr. Beat touched on the poverty in the UP, but as of last year, Lake County was the poorest in the state. It's also rural enough that you have to be careful about having enough gas. Driving up US-31 from Ludington to Empire, for example, your best bet is to stop in Manistee, because the next gas station is 40 minutes up the road. Part of the Huron-Manistee National Forest is designated as federal Wilderness... it definitely feels like the middle of nowhere up there. But what you said about being mistaken for a Canuck... It's funny, a lot of people from southern Mich have asked me if I'm a Yooper or from Canada, too! And I ~definitely~ do not have the full-blown Yooper accent, lol
Hey Mr. Beat thanks for the video, I'm a Yooper who moved to milwaulkee to be an AP government and U.S history teacher, I use your videos in class a lot and to research topics. Thank you man, your very helpful to new teachers like me!
Just to clarify a couple of things (he is speaking here in relation to this being a comparison type video) NOBODY says LP in the LP. EVER. The UP has an odd feeling to it . When you go there, there are VERY few things that you cannot get in the UP. You will actually find things THERE that you cannot get elsewhere ( lots of varieties of smoked fish, cudighi or pasties) But it has a feeling like you are in the woods and OUT OF CIVILIZATION. When you go back across the bridge (back into the LP) you feel like you came out of another country and are "home' - no matter how far you have to travel.
Excellent video as always Mr. Beat. As a Michigander I sincerely appreciate you shining light on this great state! It felt great to feel like I was in good old Michigan History class!
As a Person from Michigan, Great video, only problem is that you left out lake Erie when you said they are surrounded, also there is mostly a ban on cars except for some construction, Certain Movies, and when the Vice President Visits. Also NO ONE CALLS IT THE LP, only the UP for the Upper Peninsula, and Lower peninsula plus just Michigan for the Lower Part And I can Confirm half the people you see in the UP that say there from Michigan are travelers from The Mitten I have been waiting for this for a long time
Thanks for bringing up the Lake Erie point. I had to correct a geography teacher that Michigan touches Erie. Also, some geography experts consider Lake Michigan and Lake Huron as one big lake.
Mr. Beat. I’m from Michigan. Some of the great things about Michigan is what we don’t have. Like we don’t have... Tsunamis Salt water Palmetto bugs Sharks Alligators Scorpions Large Earthquakes Volcanoes Really Hot Summers Grizzly bears Huge venomous snakes Burmese Pythons Deserts Expensive Houses Killer 🐝 Bees
Well, most of those are true, and I agree, they're great. But lots of places around the state are trying to compete with big cities around the country to see who can have the most expensive housing.
@@paulsimpkins1540 Agreed. Lakeshore real estate is ridiculously expensive, both up & down Lake Michigan, and around many smaller inland lakes. Otherwise, the list is accurate. I'm happy to be living in Michigan!
Hi, i live in the UP and want to dispel a few of these claims: > Technically the great lakes do have Meteotsunamis. Very cool phenomenon. > There are psuedoscorpions, but they're harmless > The Porcupine Mountains in the western UP were actually formed by very very very old, extinct volcanoes. Hence why we have an abundance of igneous rock and high quality metal ores. The glaciers compacting them for 10k years is also helpful. > Summers can get stupid hot downstate, away from the shores. But yeah, nothing like the rest of the country. The Great Lakes cool everything down substantially. > Check out Bay Harbor and Wequetonsing near Harbor Springs to see some of the most immaculately priced mansions in the entire state!!
First the LP as you refer to it is generally broken down into 2 or 3 sections, northern Michigan, Mid Michigan and Lower Michigan. There's also subsections like "the thumb" and "down river". If you're going anywhere past Birch Run on I-75 it's always called, "up north". Michiganders are always using that term. "Bob won't be in Friday, he's going "up north". Everyone knows this means some sort of vacation. It could be a camping trip, hunting or fishing, boating or staying at "the cabin". "The cabin" can be anything from a small A-frame or mobile home to a mansion on the lake. In Maine they call them "camps". Lol. If you live "up north" everything in lower Michigan is called "Down State". If they're heading to a Tigers game in Detroit they're going "down state". Also the U.P. dialect is a cross between Canadian and what you hear in the movie "Fargo". It's funny you mention the vacationers from Chicago and the Midwest because I was in my 30s when I learned that was a thing. A rich doctor from Chicago crashed his plane on the way to his summer home in Traverse City.
Thanks for making this video, Michigan is a special place to have grown up and now work, nothing but good blood between the peninsulas. Wish you could’ve touched on what a pasty is. With remote work becoming more prevalent, more people are moving to the UP. But lack of people is kind of a big part of its charm. If you’re reading this hope you’re doing good, cheers.
Lmao I just learned today what it was from Josh Weissmans "State food" video. A pasty is a dough baked pie filled with meat, and onions. Shows who's from "The Mitt." All love just funny. Yknow then yknow
Fun fact 85% of the U.P.'s population live in places with less than 3,000 people. In fact only 12 of our towns have more than 3,000 people. Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Gladstone, Ironwood, Houghton, Iron Mountain, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Menominee, Hancock, and Kingsford.
13:28 THANK YOU! This was killing me the entire video despite my love of everything else. It's actually pretty neat to see that Mr. Beat knows my state so we'll that even the glaring mistake was just trolling us the whole time. Well done, sir! Perfectly played.
As a resident of Michigan's better half (Cough cough UP cough) I'm so happy that you're finally comparing us Yoopers to them trolls downstate. Thank you so much Mr beat!
I went to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan for two years and fell in love with the U.P. I have some fond memories of the time I spent up there. A few years ago, I went back up there over the Independence Day holiday to go to the fireworks at Copper Harbor. We stopped along the way to see a waterfall back in the woods a bit. As we walked to the waterfall, we passed a couple of piles of snow that were still melting.
Mackinac Island is in the 906 area code (all of the UP is 906). Little known fact that I learned about Mackinac Island: it was the 2nd National Park in the United States. Yellowstone being the first. Obviously, it seems to have been downgraded. I am a Yooper. I have a few funny stories in high school while attending State Final competitions in the LP. One was that we convinced another school that we didn’t have running water, no electricity, etc….and that the first time we saw a car was when we got to the bridge. They believed it. Story #2: I asked a student from an LP high school what “class” they were in. A,B,C,D… A being the largest. She said Class D, which is the smallest in district size. I said I went to a school that was B/C. 500 students at my HS. She said: Really? I didn’t think 500 people lived up there. Story #3: State Final Speech Competition: Judge asked me what country I was from due to my accent. Scotland?, she asked. I said I am from UP North, she stated Traverse City? No from the Upper Peninsula (the UP)…the look on her face was that she still didn’t get it. When I left the room, another fellow competitor asked me “what country are you from?” I stated; “I am from a little country called the UP, have you ever heard of it?” I guess I have a bit of an accent 😂 I could go on and on with stories. My UPper hand placement looks a little different than yours.
This brings back memories for me. I feel like I'm one of the rare people who isn't from Michigan (or the Midwest in general) who has been to the UP but not to the LP. (Unless an airport layover in Detroit on the way to Marquette counts.) Having experienced Mackinac Island firsthand, I can say that the ban on motor vehicles leads to two interesting consequences: (1) there's a lot of horse poop, and (2) I've ridden a bicycle the entire length of a state highway, simply by going all the way around the island. It's beautiful up there in the summer, but being from Southern California where we don't have real winters, I definitely wouldn't attempt to visit the UP during the winter!
I love your content Mr Beat and I live in Grand Rapids MI! I absolutely loved this video, thank you for sharing a bit of my experience with a wider audience!
Michigander, reporting for duty. Lots I didn't even know. University of Michigan Ann Arbor, and University of Michigan State Lansing, are probably the biggest in state rivalries. I also remember learning that when the state Capital was leaving Detroit, Lansing ended up prevailing over Ann Arbor because it was more centrally located, among other reasons. Later, when the first big State University was being founded, Ann Arbor spoke up and used Lansing getting the capital as leverage as to why they should get the first state University, which they did, U of M.
@@iammrbeat jackson , MI was given the option to have the prison or the state university. ann arbor thanks them for choosing the prison. hindsight is 20/20
@@iammrbeat True enough. When Minnesota became a territory in 1849, its largest towns were St Paul, St Anthony, and Stillwater. (Minneapolis would be founded a few years later.) St Paul got the capitol and Stillwater got the prison, so St Anthony got the university. ...Though the (1851) university kinda languished in the 1850s and '60s, before it was reincorporated in 1867 as the present-day University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. And in 1872, old St Anthony was annexed into Minneapolis.* Meanwhile, the capitol _almost_ moved to St Peter in 1857, the year before statehood. The territorial legislature had passed a bill for it near the end of the session. But legislator Joseph Rolette (of Pembina in future North Dakota) -- who was chair of the Enrolled Bills Committee -- walked off with the official copy of the bill, and hid out with it for the last week or two until the legislature _had_ to adjourn. Thus it never reached the (very pro-St Peter) governor, and never became law. * Present-day St Anthony grew out of a remnant of the surrounding St Anthony Township. Basically, it was a leftover bit that had avoided being annexed by old St Anthony _or_ Minneapolis.
I have spent all my 32 years in the Upper Peninsula and I feel like it's more valuable than ever to be here, folks are missing out. You even mentioned my Home Town in the West, it starts with an I. Great video, I love our Home 💛💙
I always love these comparison videos and thoroughly enjoy this channel. Thank you for all your hard work, keeping us informed, and entertained. Keep up the good work Mr Beat
Honestly for the U.P, snow plowing is a massive thing for us, we get a ton of snow and plows really help people get to work and school. Really don't know where we would be without them. Probably six feet under snow.
This reminds me of when my dad went to the UP in winter. The snow was stacked so high that you feel like you are driving through a tunnel when it’s just US 2 with 8 feet of snow on the side of the road. LOL.
I think it’s time to do more videos like this Mr.Beat compared Upstate New York and Long Island plus NYC Or even California and Baja California compared. Or even better maybe compare a US State to a Canadian province.
@Bradley, that would be interesting. New to Mr. Beat buy my friend loves his vids. I have not been disappointed either, good stuff. I know California especially southern California used to be a lot of Spanish/Mexican ranches. There's history in all the missions. I've bike toured from San Jose to Huntington Beach and seen all the missions in-between. Used to surf Baja before the federales got strapped up. Whales migrate a lot too.
@@iammrbeat Can you compare North and South Florida? They have HUGE differences in population and climate and are culturally very different. Thank you. :)
As a resident of the UP (Houghton, MI), I can confidently say, there are few places in the country I'd rather be! It's a beautiful place, even if our winters almost kill you!
It’s always so awesome seeing someone talk about the UP! I sadly had to leave to Kalamazoo for college opportunities but I’m so excited to go back home!
Love seeing people talk about my home state! Michigan is a great state, if you like the cold. But it was also funny while watching the video, I realized how little I actually knew about the UP even though I grew up in Michigan.
Living in Michigan, you really got all the facts straight Mr. Beat, down to the terms we use. Great coverage between the UP and LP... alongside mentioning places like Mackinac Island (And pronouncing it correctly)
This is an awesome video! I've been watching Mr Beat for a while and it's super cool to have my hometown, Ironwood, MI recognized! Very well explained. I have yet to visit the lower peninsula, besides going to Mackinac Island when I was too young to remember.
As a yooper seeing this video was really cool because as you pointed out the differences aren't just geographical but cultural and as a far as a " rivalry" goes I believe it's more of a sense of pride for the respective regions because anywhere i go in the LP (even thought I live there now) I'm still referred to as "that yooper" or the "country boy"
There's nothing special about being born in an American city. It's actually slightly mentally ill. Our whole society is, but humans evolved to be on tribes of 150. Small towns and rural areas emulate that better. "Country boy" 🙄
Michigander, born and raised. Born in GR, raised in Hastings, went to school in Middleville, and have property in the Newaygo/Croton-Hardy Dam area and live in Battle Creek. I can literally drive just North and South to reach all of these locations. Our unofficial song is "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", our unofficial food is the pasty, our unofficial ice cream is Superman, our unofficial bird is the mosquito, our unofficial past time is either fishing or meth, and our unofficial vehicle is the Ford Ranger in the 90's era. Also, we have more duck hunting sanctuaries here than we do state parks (probably). Oh, we also have the unwritten rule that you business has to have either the words "Michigan" or "Mitten" in it or you have to sell official Mackinaw Island Fudge or Michigan brewn beer/whiskey (which is more than likely made from cherries). Also we have the most freshwater shipwrecks in the entire world.
I live in the "banana belt' of da yoop. Our winters are on par with Lansing's as far as snow fall. It gets suuuper cold on the western end of the Upper Peninsula... I remember working night shifts and the windchill in Iron River was -60 some nights. It's a really nice place to live if you love the outdoors and want to keep to yourself.
As a lifelong Michigander, I don't know how I have never heard of the Huron Mountains. Porcupine mountains, yes, Huron Mountains, no. Oh, and everyone always forgets that Lake Erie also borders the lower peninsula. Lake Erie never gets any respect! Great video.
The Porcupine Mountains are in my back yard, I also have vacation rentals/ hot tub houses here. I've heard the Porcupine Mountains is one of the largest and oldest national land masses in the world. 🤷🏻♀️
Porkies being a state park, it gets more advertising (it's also the ninth biggest state park in the US) Also the most beautiful section of the Huron Mountains is privately owned (probably one of the best properties in the whole state).
Born a Michigander, but lived in just over the border in Indiana growing up (unfortunately). One thing about the UP is that it's freaking gorgeous up there. And if you're a winter enthusiast you'd be hard pressed to see more beautiful snowfalls.
Mr. Beat, as a Michigander I really enjoyed this video! I live about a half hour away from Detroit, and I'm a musician. I would have loved to have heard you touch more on Motown and the music scene and all the great music history there. Perhaps you could do something like that for your other channel since it's more music-oriented than here. Either way, really cool stuff! Here are some other fun facts to add that honestly make me kind of proud of my state. There is almost no other place on earth like Michigan mostly due to its geography with the Great Lakes. Saginaw is the birthplace of two iconic figures; Stevie Wonder and Serena Williams, and Michigan's first governor, Stevens T. Mason, is to this day the youngest governor in American history. He was 19 when Andrew Jackson appointed him as acting territorial secretary, and he was elected the first governor after Michigan became a state at age 23 and took office at age 24. Again, cheers to your work on that video and we hope you come visit soon! 😎👍
Another fun fact: the only president that was never elected by the people, is also the only president from Michigan. Gerald Ford replaced Spiro Agnew, and then ascended to presidency following Nixon's resignation.
Music isn't really relevant in this video. We're talking about geography and culture, present day. There are endless videos on motown music history. You just want it because you're being extremely self referential (I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it is true. What I'm saying is: I'm simply pointing it out)
@@gxlorp Music isn't relevant except for the fact that music = art and art = HUGE part of culture, which you mentioned. So huh I guess it is relevant. Not like I was suggesting the video be 90% about Motown anyway. And honestly, in the context of a discussion about a certain place, doesn't a person actually from that place get every right to be "self referential?" Not sure why anything you said was necessary. You must be an Ohioan. Lol (purely a joke)
Newly former yooper: there is definitely a tension between downstate and the UP. Theres always someone that wants to become an independent "Superior" (fringe, but still). And the pandemic definitely didn't help with the perception the the UP is mostly ignored in all matters.
I live in Warren, MI, the home of Eminem. My grandfather lived in the UP for much of his life. He has since passed on, but he always told us that the UP operated on the barter system as much as money until the 1970’s. The government hated it because they couldn’t tax anything. Yoopers DO call us trolls or “fudgies” because many tourists eat fudge at Mackinac Island or Mackinaw City. The salmon and whitefish in the UP is second to none. If you ever visit, grab some pasties. No, not THOSE pasties. I am talking about meat stuffed pies that are a meal unto themselves. In the Eastern UP, I highly recommend visiting the Soo Locks which serve as a border crossing in Sault Ste Marie, MI and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. There is also Whitefish Point which is the closest point to the site of where Edmund Fitzgerald sank. Thanks for the video.
Yooper here. Poverty is subjective. We can hunt, fish, and have a garden. Apples trees and berries are plentiful. A two bedroom house after utilities can be less than 1000 dollars. Everyone has a gun but no one kills anyone. Compared to the crime ridden south it is a great place to raise children.
I just visited Michigan for the first time last week (I’m from northwest NJ… thanks for our video last week btw!). This convinced me to visit The UP next time I’m there! Thank you for all your hard work, Mr. Beat! :)
The proper time of year to visit the UP is the week after the Forth of July. The scenery is beautiful, and you have the least chance of catching a snow fall.
Two small details that I feel were skipped: While the Upper Peninsula will likely never become its own state, there has historically been a small-ish movement for the U.P. to split off into its own state, citing the concentration of political power in the lower peninsula. Nowadays it's partially spurned on as some in the upper peninsula see the closing and lack of reopening of mines as caused by Lansing. (And not a Federal or business problem like it actually is) There is also a major urban/rural divide in the state, as the northern part of the LP almost feels closer to the Upper Peninsula, as the local economy is more geared towards tourism and logging like the UP. Saginaw, Grand Rapids and Flint feel closer to Detroit (culturally) than the areas in between. And a note on the diversity of Michigan: Arabic is actually the 2nd most spoken language in Michigan, as Dearborn is home to the largest Arab-American community. Greetings from suburban Detroit
Every few years the “State of Superior” crowd starts talking secession from Michigan…until they run the numbers and realize just how broke they would be without tax dollars from Lansing subsidizing them. The argument usually ends with a bunch of mumbling of “well…the Trolls are still only good for buying fudge dontcha know…”. 🤣
West Michigan has definitely been changing a lot in the last 20 years, but GR is culturally pretty distinct from Detroit, I’d say. Much more religious/conservative than the Detroit metro, though the city itself and inner suburbs like EGR+Kentwood are quite diverse + progressive nowadays
But if you go to the suburbs west of GR, like Hudsonville, Jenison, the real Dutch Christian Reformed places, people’s first question upon meeting you is “oh, what church do you go to?” Very different vibe from eastern GR suburbs
This was a really nice-looking and informed video. We are Michiganders, not Michiganians. Good comment that Michigan is a destination state because there is no drive thru with another state.
When I lived in Michigan it always just felt like a thing where the UP didn't like the rest of Michigan because it didn't feel, well... connected to it, lol. Culturally speaking. I think it's pretty similar to most rural/urban divides across the country. You've got a lot of people from the cities who like the idea of the country side, but are too connected to the city to leave, and then a bunch of people from Rural areas who either hate it and leave for the cities, or hate the cities. Pretty one-sided rivalry all things considered. I lived near Lansing, so not super urban, but not rural either and I always enjoyed the UP, but occasionally you'd hear someone from the UP talking trash about the rest of Michigan and how they should be their own state or some shit and it was weird.
As a Yooper, I mostly say it to bring up the topic of the U.P. This has been the entire ploy to trick people into looking into the UP and causing them to come up here for a trip to buy things from our gift shops, really "Da Yopper's Tourist Trap".
You know your Michigan and you definitely have been here a few times. You called us Michiganders which is big in general since most people don't know thats how we refer to ourselves. NEVER heard Michiganian We have one of the most diverse agriculture states due to the warmer climate afforded by the coasts Despite being the Wolverines, we haven't had a single Wolverine spotted since the earlier 1800s We are the cloudiest state east of the Mississippi, thanks to the lakes (Marquette I believe is the cloudiest city) You missed calling people in the LP "trolls" since they live under the bridge. Tourists are called fudgies (due to the number of fudge shops at Mackinac). If you're crass, they're FIPs and FOPS (Friggin Illinois, Ohio People). Nobody can pronounce French names correctly here You did a swell job Mr. Beat. Always love when you shine a light on our home here!
I've lived in both peninsulas and this video is the most accurate I've watched especially about lower income and higher poverty in the UP. Im a single mom and most of the UP is NOT good if you are a single parent household. We are moving back downstate so I can go back to work and my kids can go to a better school.
Yooper here, in the Village of L'Anse! I can say there is nothing more beautiful than getting up in the morning and having a cup of coffee outside and watching the Sun throw it's light on the Bay, and the Sunsets are great as well, any season. For me, it's a 2 minute walk to the Bay front to toss a line, or a 10 minute walk up Fall River to sit in the peaceful woods. I do not miss the fast food places on every corner, loud music from cars and a Wal Mart every 10 miles, closest one to me is in Houghton. The kids here are pretty decent, will actually respond to a "Hello" or a wave. Would not trade this Village for anything anywhere else!
I just moved to the Soo, on the Canadian side. It's alright here, housing prices are very affordable. It's a big enough 'city' at 75,000 that you have everything you need. Finding work can be tough, but it's here if you're willing to go out and get it. I like being within a short drive of three of the largest lakes on the planet. Did you know there is no cost to bring a vessel through the Soo Locks? That's pretty cool. Sabbath rules
One of the funniest things I ever saw on vacation was a tiny twofer sailboat passing through the Soo Locks. It looked like a rubber duckie in a bath tub. :-)
I drove thru both the LP and the UP on I-75 and U.S.2. I have to say that I was more impressed by the landscape in the UP once I crossed the Big Mac bridge and left I-75 to take U.S. highway 2 heading west towards Escanaba where I spent one night.
Live in Grand Rapids! You need to drive along the Lake shore of Lake Michigan all the way up north! It’s gorgeous! Grand Haven, Ludington, Traverse City, Sleeping Bear dunes etc!
Wisconsinite here. I've visited the U.P. many times and I really enjoy it up there. If they want to cede from Michigan and join up with Wisconsin I'd welcome them!
I think a notable thing about living in Michigan (UP or lower) is that you’re kind of trapped. In most areas you can’t travel in any direction to another state. Here you are surrounded by inland seas
Michigan is about the only ( Hawaii & Alaska excepted) that is not a " PASS THROUGH" STATE!! You have to want to come here!! Keeps out the riff raff!! Lol.
YAY MY STATE! I am definitely a Troll.✋🏻 There's really not too much different between UP and the Mitten. You want a different state experience in Michigan, the dividing lines separate Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties, from the rest of the state. Metropolitan Detroit feels more like a different state from anywhere outside of it. To this day, "Up North" just means "the place in Michigan we in Metro-Detroit vacation outside of Metro Detroit".
i agree! i’m from metro detroit and honestly the rest of the state seems so different from us here in metro detroit. i will say i can’t say for certain about up north though bc i’ve never actually been up north despite the fact that i have lived in michigan my whole life. a lot of my friends go up north with their families bc they have cottages up there but my family doesn’t
it's a crazy experience starting in Detroit, driving 10 hours north into a 2.5 hour boat ride to a huge remote island national park and still be in the same state
And last but certainly not least, I look at the great state of Michigan for this Compared series.
0:33 Yep, I left out Lake Erie. It's great, too.
What else did I get wrong or leave out?
Don't forget that checking out my sponsor helps out my channel!
Thanks to Raycon for sponsoring this video. Go to buyraycon.com/mrbeat for 20% off sitewide!
Are we ever going to get South Dakota East River vs West River?😕
hi mr beast
@@novembrite9001 mr beat may not respond
Your'e comparing Portland Oregon and Portland maine
@@Nonamechannel420 hi Arizona ball I am from Arizona
Michigander here, It's worth noting that the UP has a ton of issues that go unseen. Poverty up there is really high. Utility prices are also really high. Houghton pays the highest electricity bills in the continental US. Also the time to drive from Detroit to ironwood goes way up in the winter.
Excellent points to bring up. Thank you!
Also that one time they found lead in the city water in Hancock and other areas around Houghton
@@alylu-to-esutejFlint....
Propaganda
Only reason Houghton electricity is so cheap is bc they wayyyyy lowered the industrial rates to incentivize industry building there, but that means residential rates are way higher
Okay, as a lifelong Michigander of nearly five decades, I have to say this is probably the best, most accurate video on my state I've ever seen! Sure, we don't use "L.P." but *always* say "U.P." (weird, eh?), but I'll give you mad props for an excellent and factual video on the Great Lakes State! And THANK YOU SO MUCH for repeatedly pronouncing Mackinac correctly!! We have some goofy-sounding places here, but hearing people say "Mack-in-NACK" is 127 times worse than nails on a chalkboard to any self-respecting Michigander! Again... Kudos!
Being from Michigan, I can say our state is severely underrated. Thank you for shining a light on the spectacular peninsulas!
Yeah but like our state sucks y'know?
most of what I know about Michigan comes from Joe Pera
@@LeakyTrees only the detroit metro area
Best state in the Midwest baby!
@@cyber_pirate most of the metro Detroit area has "well you gotta live somewhere" vibes. There are cool places there though.
Fun story: One my friends was camping in the UP with her family; her brother was leaving for to Grand Rapids (about 8 hour drive across the Mackinac Bridge), but put "no toll roads" in his GPS. It took him on a 16+ hour drive through two states to avoid a $4.00 bridge toll.
Oh gosh that’s hilarious
Wouldn't it have been 3 states though because in order to get from the UP to the Lower Peninsula without the Mackinac Bridge you would have to go through Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.
@@drakejoshofficialyoutubech5569yea your right and also Chicago has pat tolls
@@drakejoshofficialyoutubech5569 And by the way, Michigan has no toll roads, has a great highway system that seems to be always under construction due to the freeze/melt process which destroys roads. Also, the tolls required to cross the Big Mac are 100% used for bridge maintenance and upkeep.
@@kimberolli9734 BIG MAC IS SUCH A CLEVER NAME
As a Yooper born and raised I can definitely say that our unique accent IS NOT because of only the Finn's. It's a weird mixture of French, Canadian, Cornish and yes Finnish along with Norwegians. It's like none other that I've encountered
Totally agree. The Finns take credit and get credit for everything in the UP, when, in fact, it is exactly like you say.
@@riverraisin1 fact! I've actually heard some people say that Pasties are Finnish...which is mind blowing. Especially when they are technically called "Cornish Pasties"
Interesting. Some of my family came from the UP, and I always heard about references to the Swedes. Maybe they just got the name of the country mixed up!
@@dan13ljks0n there is a Swedish population as a matter of fact the town I was born and raised in, Calumet, there is a location called "Swede Town". Apparently back in the big immigration days that's where a lot of the swedish immigrants lived
@@dan13ljks0n First to be recruited to the UP for mining purposes were the English from the Cornwall region, as their mines were drying up in that country. They were followed by Italians, Eastern Europeans, Swedes, and Finns. The first three groups being experienced miners. The Scandinavians came for an opportunity to work and own land, something they would never attain in their own country.
A large percentage of Finns and Swedes immigrated to the UP to work in the forests in winter and farm their own land in the summer.
I went to college in the UP specifically for the winter. My third year we got 362 inches of snow. For anyone who moved there, you would have to find some winter hobby, whether it was skiing, snowshoeing, broomball, snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc. The snow literally made my college experience worth it haha.
Go huskies!
Go Wildcats!!!
Northern or Tech?
My cousin went to Tech, sounds like her time there.
@@TrinityShoji Yeah, Michigan Tech. We get a little more snow than Northern 😊
Or become an alcoholic. Like my buddy from Michigan tech said. Northern parties and tech drinks.
I'm a yooper and it made me super excited seeing this upload knowing we actually got recognized, because people seem to forget about the UP and it's separate culture and just think of it as more of Michigan or sometimes Wisconsin.
Yes! I've been watching Mr beat for a while and it was awesome to get a mention of my hometown, Ironwood!
To be honest, my geography is so poor, I'd never noticed UP/LP before. Only considered the LP. Took befriending a Chicagoan to realize the land masses.
There's a subreddit that's dedicated to maps that forget the UP or merge it with Wisconsin lol
@@tomrogue13 oh I completely forgot about that it’s hilarious
My condolences
I immigrated to the US back in the late 50's and ended up in Marquette and then Escanaba. I'm grateful to still have all my fingers and toes, given how intensely cold it was up on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. We had no polar fleece, no thinsulate, no North Face or Patagonia to kill the chill. As a six year old I thought the UP winters were brutally beautiful. I was often late for school making snow angels along the way. The crisp air was so clean. No pollution. Ultimately the extreme cold caused me to leave. Now I'm retired and live on another penninsula - one that juts out into the ocean in Washington. I fondly remember my Yooper days and appreciate the UP's raw beauty and ultimate influence on my life choices.
By chance are you referring to Long Beach in WA?
@@Hechs Ocean Shores
You had wool. That was enough
You forgot to mention that Michigan was the first English speaking government of ANY kind to outlaw the death penalty. Michigan has not executed anyone since we became a state in 1837 as the last execution happened in 1830 when we were still a territory. Great video!
thats why the buckeyes own the wolverines
There was one Federal Execution for Bank Robbery with Murder at the Milan Federal Prison in 1938.
@@kneemeister True, but the State of Michigan hasn't executed anyone since 1830. The last execution in Michigan was a federal execution in 2006 I believe
@@UserName-ts3sp it's been 1,093 days since Ohio beat Michigan. Cry
@@IKhanmakeWAR2 fuck off wolverines still suck
West Michigander here, the UP feels like a completely different world. I’ve been to the rural northern lower Peninsula plenty of times, and it’s pretty sparse but doesn’t nearly compare to just how wild and empty the UP feels. There are some Yooper towns that are only a few dozen people, and it’s many miles till the next tiny town. Marquette and Escanaba really feel like tiny bubbles of civilization in the middle of the wilderness
Marquette is where the liberals live. Best to stay north of L'Anse. Safer
I drove from a town southeast of St. Louis, Missouri to Houghton, and pretty much if you didn't stop at a gas station and refilled, you wouldn't see another one for 30-40 miles up there.
Marquette and Escanaba are like bubbles alright. Like swamp gas bubbles in a beautiful peaceful lake!
@@dan4653 The Man!
can’t forget about sault ste marie too!
I believe at one point the Governor of Michigan referred to the state as a destination state since you don't really drive through Michigan when going to other states with exception of going to Canada.
If you fly Delta you may wind up transiting the mitten connecting through DTW
So it’s like Florida
I caught the reference
Our Southern neighbor Canada. A lot of people refer to Canada as a state
I have family in Green Bay, and I always drive through Michigan to avoid Chicago
@@caseclosed9342 Never compare Michigan to Florida ever again.
As a michigander, I've never seen anyone do the UP like that. The tips of the fingers touch so that you get the Keweenaw peninsula using the thumb, and the people basically in Wisconsin using the pinkie finger.
Otherwise, pretty fun video, thanks for making it!
It is obvious from the video that the Upper Peninsula doesn't look like a hand at all.
Weird. Yeah searching online I did see both ways...I guess I chose the wrong one
Born and bred Michigander + Yooper and avid anti-sconnie 🤣, have always held my left hand with the back facing me while my right has my palm facing me. Always thought both palms facing made the Keweenaw too far to the west lol
Though I guess now looking at my hand and the map, the keweenaw is further west than the lower point, but you still won’t get me to change 🤣
I’ve seen some yoopers do it. Especially the ones from Houghton or Cooper Harbor. They like to point out that keweenaw kinda looks like a pinkie or rabbit ears
Mr. Beat you got one thing absolutely correct about Michigan. Distances in Michigan are measured in time traveled, not mileage. No one knows the milage between Iron Mountain and Detroit, but everyone has a pretty good idea about how long it takes to get there.
I think this is because no native Michigan resident drives the posted speed limits on the Expressways. 70 or 75 seem to be the posted minimums, and if you are in the passing lane, don't drop below 80 or you'll get run over.
other states use miles?? how do they know??
I actually experienced this moving from Michigan to Georgia. Down here they describe distances in miles and I had never heard anyone do that before.
Yeah and since on the western side of the lower peninsula, we already have 3 feet of snow and ice on the roads. People go very much slower on the highways during the winter . I haven’t seen a person go above 70 on the highways and above 50 on the normal roads. The time definitely increases between times over the winter and I’ve heard that the up gained 3 to 4 feet of snow within the past 2 days.
Thankfully, the Staties have a massive rooftop police light to spot them easier!
@@TheRestedOne Be assured, traffic police have 'seen' you long before you see them. They have radar, airplanes and radios. I always laugh when the speeding traffic all of a sudden slows ten miles and hour, as if that will save you from a ticket if the officer is so disposed.
Great video. As a Michigander I think it’s worth noting that the further north you go in the lower peninsula, the more similar it gets to the UP. North of Midland and Mt Pleasant, which are about middle of the Lower Peninsula, the population drops significantly and industries like lumber and at one point mining were much more prevalent. The economies and poverty rates are more similar between the UP and Northern LP.
Also not only are we surrounded by the Great Lakes, but we’re filled with hugely popular smaller lakes. Houghton, Higgins, and Torch Lakes are just three of the hugely popular lakes in the Northern Lower Peninsula that see huge waves of tourists in the Summer. In fact Michigan is one of the top states with lakes, with 10,000 recorded lakes
Thanks for sharing all that!
I agree, I’m 15 miles south of m20 and I still refer to anything north of 20 as “up north”. We’re pretty rural here, but it gets really rural up there
@@rodneyp9590 for sure! That's the cutoff for rifle hunting also.
11,037
I think that divide is also really important in the discussion for why the two peninsulas don't want to separate. The other big reason at least to me is that Michiganders value the lakes as "land" so our state isn't two peninsulas so much as it is a square of territory with the great lakes in it.
I grew up in a logging town in the Pacific Northwest. My hometown was settled by European immigrants, mainly Norwegians, Swedes and Finns. In many homes, families still spoke their native language, while their children, my schoolmates, learned to speak and read English. I drove through Michigan, including the UP and loved the beautiful scenery. And the MightMac was the most impressive and amazing bridge I’ve ever crossed.
The UP and Northern portion of the LP reminds me kinda of Alaska or the Pacific Northwest. My family has a few acres on Beaver Island. It is the most chill place I have ever been. Everyone is so laid back. One town, barely any tourists because it’s not well known, and the rest is just wilderness. I’ve done some 4 wheeling trips to northern Michigan mainly the Kalkaska trail system and it’s literally pure wilderness except for some small towns. I want to live there eventually, it’s so peaceful. Never been to the UP but from what I’ve seen it looks similar to northern LP Michigan just even more wilderness.
Does your family need a guest on beaver island?
@@tennesseecurtiss5741my first job was at the municipal airport on Beaver Island back in 2017. I absolutely love the place. Got to stay with my aunt and uncle who bought the cheapest cabin on the entire island back in the 80’s
I would say one thing that isn’t mentioned in the video (I don’t know how you would have known) is the “Up North” stereotype. Almost every vacation I’ve ever taken is where we go “up north” to ski, or spend a week at a lake. There’s a weird natural/urban divide that’s undefined within Michigan
Wow I never realized how often we say up north lol. It also reminiscent of how people in Michigan either have a lake house / cabin up north or something similar down in Florida.
WI too. You could be going from Milwaukee to outside La Crosse and you would be going “up north”- exactly means urban- rural!
Growing up in West Michigan, my reference point for “up north” is pretty much the border between Muskegon and Oceana counties. Past Muskegon it starts to get pretty rural. I know a lot of Detroiters especially say the Zilwaukee Bridge (between Saginaw and Bay City) marks up north, but triple cities and Mt. Pleasant are still mid-Michigan in my mind. I’d say the line goes from north of Muskegon to just north of Mt Pleasant to just north of Bay City
Yoopers😂
Also Minnesota
Living in Michigan I can say that the upper peninsula is like a completely different state when compared to the lower peninsula. My brother lives in the upper and I live in the lower. Before the construction of the Mackinac Bridge there was a campaign for the upper peninsula to become their own state! ~ You can see where I work in this video! ~
Wouldn't it be pretty bad for upper Michigan because it has a very low population and it is pretty poor economically? I'd imagine that lower Michigan sustains it
@@Spongebrain97 Yeah, it'd be like West Virginia is now, though the UP is still pretty poor economically outside of the tourist areas.
It’s the same with Minnesota, the reason it looks different is because of the soil types. Rocky soil supports conifers and pines. While the clay soil supports hardwoods. That’s why these areas look so different.
@@Spongebrain97 Yes it would be. In the past the UP was one of the most important iron mining areas in the entire USA. The proposal made much more sense back then. Nowadays most the mines are closed and industry has mostly moved out of the UP. Poverty is on the rise and the support from the LP is needed.
UP should join Northeast MN and North Wisconsin to make a state!
Fun fact, whenever a U.P sports HS team goes downstate for the State Finals, almost the whole U.P backs them and you'll often see signs such as "U.P Power"... you tend to see like 1 U.P team in the state finals every year or other year
Resident of the Keweenaw reporting in. I grew up downstate, but came up to go to Michigan Tech and have been here ever since! Winters are brutal here, but after 21 years, I've gotten mostly used to them. If you have a house in town, you're usually fine with a two-stage snowblower, or a "Yooper Scoop" if you're fit enough and have the time to clear the snow manually. If it's a particularly snowy winter, I sometimes have to hire a front-end loader to push the banks back so I have more room to blow the snow, since the banks can get so high the blower has trouble clearing them. If you're outside of town, a truck with a plow or a tractor with plow or blower attachment is required.
While most of our tourists do come from the Midwest, that's been changing in recent years. I have seen a TON of non-Midwest plates up here, even in the winter! There seems to be a surge of visitors from Texas and California in particular. We actually have a decent (if small) tech industry here in the Keweenaw, including a manufacturing company for printed circuit boards that does business with the DoD.
I could go on forever, but I'm glad to see the UP getting more attention! Though I do wish the tourists were better drivers. :P
Thanks again for a great video, Mr. Beat! I'm looking forward to binging the back catalog of videos!
That part about out of state visitors. You've seen the New York plates too, right?
@@McAdvertisement I have seen some New York plates, though not as many as Texas plates. That might just be down to me and when I'm driving, though.
Oh no - Texans go home!
the cte center where i’ll be taking auto mechanics for the rest of high school works with that company!
11:27
"Wisconsin, on the other hand, didn't get a say on the matter"
As a Wisconsinite, I felt that
Hey maybe you should’ve been founded 20 years earlier haha, ya snooze, ya lose 1/3 your potential land area 🤷🏽♂️
Wisconsinite here; nobody lost the Toledo war except us. We just didn’t know it yet.
True facts
I always wondering why Wisconsin didn’t have a claim to the U.P.
@@terrancewatts4812 Wisconsin was only just being formed as a separate territory then. From 1818 to 1836, it was part of Michigan Territory. It was basically formed from the leftover land from giving Michigan its current borders, in preparation for Michigan statehood.
Come take it coward
The funny part is, even us Michiganders thought we got the sour end of the deal. While the land gain was massive, Toledo was a very major port city and at the time the UP was seen as essentially worthless in comparison. It wasnt until a few years later when the major copper and iron deposits were located that we realized we got a MUCH better bargain.
I grew up in Michigan until I was 12, and I was surprised to find that I had to explain lake effect snow to people in Missouri and Kentucky.
Please.....people still think we should have lots of lake effect rain, which happens very rarely.
Michigander here! Thanks for covering our state! It doesn’t get enough love, this place is beautiful
Hey! Yooper here (Upper Peninsula). I happen to live in Marquette. We also pride ourselves in being far from civilization. A lot of us dont like tourists, but I dont mind them. Happy to see a video of the differences in Michigan. Thanks for this
Ishpeming here
Well being michigan is my home state, how can I be a tourist in my home? I can't. I'm not. The earth is My home anyway. By some miracle I lived in 3 states by the time I was 25. I'm shy, introverted and had a hard path. I was lucky to figure it out. Thet being said, I think the yoopers who don't like tourists are probably more the "townie" type. They never left, and don't realize how big the entire fucking earth is. The UP is drivable from Detroit in less than a day. That's really close. To move to my other states that day requires a flying machine
Hello from a tourist 👋
A lot of people sleep on Michigan’s natural beauty.
As evidenced by how little its national parks and national forests get visited by out of staters!
@@iammrbeat thing is it’s not just our natural parks, there’s TONS of state parks and forests that a lot of us visit. makes sense why ppl out of state don’t know that tho.
As a Michigander, the hardest part of watching this video was hearing “LP” instead of “mitten”. We use the term “UP” all the time but I’ve never heard of anybody calling the lower peninsula “LP” 🙂
It's east. Give up your strange attachments. I call it thE LP ANYWAY
@@gxlorp and sound like a fool?
This 100%. I just watched Josh Weissman review every voted "state food." And when he got to Michigan, I thought "def gonna be a coney with fries." And it was a Pastie!?. Which turned out was the UP vote. So bottom line very different cultures!
First video I've seen that really nails it on Michigan! Most others will barely even mention the UP, if at all. As a Yooper, it feels really great to see someone give us our due diligence when talking about the state!!
I grew up in a suburb surrounded by farms, turned into houses. On the west side of the end of metro Detroit. I think about the UP all the time. A beautiful vast forrest. I envy the amount of nature you get daily. I want to move up there one day. Don't worry you're not forgotten. Both ways of life, and more, are needed and appreciated. It would be cool if a city the size of Ann arbor or Detroit cropped up up there. Just like it would be cool if the lower part of the state could magically be converted back into forrest. Both ways are cool.
I think about you guys all the time. To me _youre_ the cool kids. I feel like a poser in high school trying to fit in, like some of your fellow yoopers would be territorial I include you in my state. Like if I lived in the West, I'd tell people I lived outside of Detroit. But I'd also claim identity with the vast forrests up there.
You can claim the mitten as yours. And vice versa. I lived in Boulder Colorado a stereotypical cosmopolitan "liberal" college town. With Patagonia people, granolas, etc. And let me tell you, people from the Midwest are so much chiller, generally. And the California transplants. With Detroit you get a mix of center Midwest culture and attitude with a mix of UP/canada/Minnesota. Way nicer and real than the California transplants. I'm a peaceful shy person and got rail roaded west coast social climber types. When people say coasts VS flyover they forget there are thrid and 4th coasts. Gulfs and lakes are coasts too. Some ocean elitism.
We luv da Yoopers!
I grew up near Ann Arbor and all my life my family always talked poorly of the U.P. I'm 42 and finally went last June with my son to Munising and saw the Painted Rocks and everything in the area. I wish I traveled there when I was younger. Never let ones opinion influence you! I cant wait to go back.
The national lake shore is beautiful. A buddy and me hiked there a couple years ago, it was great.
Pictured rocks are quite beautiful
I grew up in Munising
🤦♂️ They talked poorly???? Why? I grew up in south lyon. I like the UP and I like Ann Arbor rated just on the food, park and some elements of hippie counter culture. But thr hippie stuff is there less and less (not rated on university). Aren't people from Ann arbor outdoorsy??? In fact I know they are. I lived in Boulder CO which is A2 on roids. Imho critical thinking people don't make distinctions between "Patagonia" outdoorsy and hunting outdoorsy. I saw someone make a comment promising they were *not* the hunter type. Exasperated. They made sure we all knew they were the superior self proclaimed "Patagonia" type. I'm pretty sure you can hike and hunt for food. And while wearing a Patagonia shirt. 🤷♂️
I sure hope your family's opinion wasn't based on an elitist attitude or remarks about hicks, uneducated people❤. I am glad you appreciate the UP for what it is. I'm a former Yooper too but, always think fondly of the people.
As a Michigander who unfortunately moved to Indiana, I feel compelled to point out that the national park service also operates the sleeping bear national Lakeshore, and the River raisin national battlefield Park. I think there's one more but without actually taking the time to look it up.
Edit since I have time to look up the official list. According to the NPS site, the parks are Isle Royale national park, Keweenaw national historical park, North Country national scenic trail, Pictured Rocks national lakeshore, River Raisin national battlefield park, and Sleeping Bear Dunes national lakeshore
The Pictured Rocks in da U.P. eh? Is a National Lakeshore as well. Interestingly, Mackinac Island was also a National Park at one time, but the Feds gave it back to the State.
Isle Royale is that other site
Keweenaw National Historical Park in Calumet, and the Quincy Mine
@@jimsteele9261 it was the second national park. After Yellowstone before Yosemite.
Any move to Indiana is unfortunate. Armpit of America. My condolences.
Wow, I felt like I was back in 1978 in my seventh grade Michigan history class! Great job Mr. Beat
Nice, what part of the state are you from?
@@iammrbeat Born and raised in mid Michigan. Just south west of Flint.
Flint here.
@@ghostmanscores1666 Gaylord here
@@barrygross77I might be your neighbor… I’m on the southern border of Shiawassee and Genesee!
Left FL after 25yrs born an raised. Moved to Michigan 2018 it's been a change but I will say I love the outdoors out here, I've been to the UP 4 times, MI is a beautiful state. That polar vortex of like -40 was my intro to winter I'm still here!
I've lived in Michigan my whole life and I am proud of it. I am glad someone did something about my great state.
As a Yooper, thanks for making this video and not forgetting about us. It's so common for people to not even realize the U.P. exists. Even in 2022, American companies will leave us out of maps on a pretty regular basis. Rolling us into Wisconsin, but more commonly considering us a part of Canada. I've met people that thought the Mackinac bridge went to Canada. Our accents don't help matters either, haha. I get mistaken for a Canuck all the time, even though im a 6th generation American.
It's also worth noting, that while its never going to happen, there has been a long running discussion about the U.P. succeeding from Michigan and becoming it's own state. The discussion has gone back over 100 years and has had official proposals and petitions submitted several times.
The main reason it won't happen is the same reason people want it to happen. The huge population difference means that the UP basically gets "left out of the loop" in regards to problems getting attention as most voters and politicians are from the mitten. But that large population gets more tax money to our roads, schools, etc. Without that population, it would be rough.
The proposal made much more sense in the past when the mining and logging industry were huge in the UP. Escanaba, my hometown, was one of the busiest iron ore ports in the entire world for years. 60% of all iron ore in the US came from the UP in the 1940's and 50's. But now, with the decline of the mining industry here, (I think there's only 2 mines still operating), we simply don't have the industry to be any better off without the LP.
I'm quite defensive of the UP even though I grew up in West Michigan (lower). It has such undeniable natural and tourism value... and I appreciate its rural-ness. I hate cities. (Driving through Grand Rapids is my own personal hell. I especially hate the S-curve on I-196.)
That said, I don't think that people realize how similar the UP and the northern mitten are. Mr. Beat touched on the poverty in the UP, but as of last year, Lake County was the poorest in the state. It's also rural enough that you have to be careful about having enough gas. Driving up US-31 from Ludington to Empire, for example, your best bet is to stop in Manistee, because the next gas station is 40 minutes up the road. Part of the Huron-Manistee National Forest is designated as federal Wilderness... it definitely feels like the middle of nowhere up there.
But what you said about being mistaken for a Canuck... It's funny, a lot of people from southern Mich have asked me if I'm a Yooper or from Canada, too! And I ~definitely~ do not have the full-blown Yooper accent, lol
Lake Erie got snubbed. That borders the lower peninsula, too. But hey, everyone also forgets Lake Saint Clair.
Those smaller lakes never get the love they deserve.
@@iammrbeat Lake Erie gets what it deserves, which given how polluted and algae filed it is, is not much. It is quite sad.
@@jonathanbowers8964 it's way better than it used to be
Lake Erie is exactly that, Erie.
As someone who lives in Michigan, I thank you for making this video!
Howdy neighbor
REPRESENT
like me
Same haha it’s well appreciated
Hello, friend!
Hey Mr. Beat thanks for the video, I'm a Yooper who moved to milwaulkee to be an AP government and U.S history teacher, I use your videos in class a lot and to research topics. Thank you man, your very helpful to new teachers like me!
I did my undergrad at MTU and grad school at Northern. The only month I did not see snow in the UP was August.
I live in Marquette and I’m just curious. Where in the UP did you manage to find snow in July?
@@joeytuccini7301 There were snow flurries in Chassell on the evening of July 3rd, 2001. I will literally never forget that date because of it.
Just to clarify a couple of things (he is speaking here in relation to this being a comparison type video) NOBODY says LP in the LP. EVER.
The UP has an odd feeling to it . When you go there, there are VERY few things that you cannot get in the UP. You will actually find things THERE that you cannot get elsewhere ( lots of varieties of smoked fish, cudighi or pasties) But it has a feeling like you are in the woods and OUT OF CIVILIZATION. When you go back across the bridge (back into the LP) you feel like you came out of another country and are "home' - no matter how far you have to travel.
And that's a good thing.
@@steveg7115 yup - makes it unique !
I was waiting for somebody to mention him calling it the (lp)
When I cross the bridge and end up in the lp I feel like I LEFT home!
No one says "LP." It's "downstate."
Excellent video as always Mr. Beat. As a Michigander I sincerely appreciate you shining light on this great state! It felt great to feel like I was in good old Michigan History class!
As a Person from Michigan, Great video, only problem is that you left out lake Erie when you said they are surrounded, also there is mostly a ban on cars except for some construction, Certain Movies, and when the Vice President Visits. Also NO ONE CALLS IT THE LP, only the UP for the Upper Peninsula, and Lower peninsula plus just Michigan for the Lower Part
And I can Confirm half the people you see in the UP that say there from Michigan are travelers from The Mitten
I have been waiting for this for a long time
heheh, and I added the correction about Lake Erie. I'm sorry I left it out
And if you live in the UP the rest of the state is "Downstate".
I was told Yoopers call those other people Trolls since they live below The Bridge.
Thanks for bringing up the Lake Erie point. I had to correct a geography teacher that Michigan touches Erie. Also, some geography experts consider Lake Michigan and Lake Huron as one big lake.
Mr. Beat. I’m from Michigan. Some of the great things about Michigan is what we don’t have.
Like we don’t have...
Tsunamis
Salt water
Palmetto bugs
Sharks
Alligators
Scorpions
Large Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Really Hot Summers
Grizzly bears
Huge venomous snakes
Burmese Pythons
Deserts
Expensive Houses
Killer 🐝 Bees
Well, most of those are true, and I agree, they're great. But lots of places around the state are trying to compete with big cities around the country to see who can have the most expensive housing.
@@paulsimpkins1540 Agreed. Lakeshore real estate is ridiculously expensive, both up & down Lake Michigan, and around many smaller inland lakes. Otherwise, the list is accurate. I'm happy to be living in Michigan!
Hi, i live in the UP and want to dispel a few of these claims:
> Technically the great lakes do have Meteotsunamis. Very cool phenomenon.
> There are psuedoscorpions, but they're harmless
> The Porcupine Mountains in the western UP were actually formed by very very very old, extinct volcanoes. Hence why we have an abundance of igneous rock and high quality metal ores. The glaciers compacting them for 10k years is also helpful.
> Summers can get stupid hot downstate, away from the shores. But yeah, nothing like the rest of the country. The Great Lakes cool everything down substantially.
> Check out Bay Harbor and Wequetonsing near Harbor Springs to see some of the most immaculately priced mansions in the entire state!!
No, it can't get stupid hot. I lived IN Tn over the summer. 90+ every day and humid you moron
MI has expensive houses.
As a Yooper, I've been WAITING for this one ❤️
Wow! I'm sure there's not many Yoopers that actually watch my channel!
Been subscribed for a while, keep up with the awesome videos, Mr. Beat!
First the LP as you refer to it is generally broken down into 2 or 3 sections, northern Michigan, Mid Michigan and Lower Michigan. There's also subsections like "the thumb" and "down river". If you're going anywhere past Birch Run on I-75 it's always called, "up north". Michiganders are always using that term. "Bob won't be in Friday, he's going "up north". Everyone knows this means some sort of vacation. It could be a camping trip, hunting or fishing, boating or staying at "the cabin". "The cabin" can be anything from a small A-frame or mobile home to a mansion on the lake. In Maine they call them "camps". Lol. If you live "up north" everything in lower Michigan is called "Down State". If they're heading to a Tigers game in Detroit they're going "down state".
Also the U.P. dialect is a cross between Canadian and what you hear in the movie "Fargo".
It's funny you mention the vacationers from Chicago and the Midwest because I was in my 30s when I learned that was a thing. A rich doctor from Chicago crashed his plane on the way to his summer home in Traverse City.
We always used the term " going down below" when referring to a trip to the LP. This was years ago while growing up in the UP.
Thanks for making this video, Michigan is a special place to have grown up and now work, nothing but good blood between the peninsulas. Wish you could’ve touched on what a pasty is. With remote work becoming more prevalent, more people are moving to the UP. But lack of people is kind of a big part of its charm. If you’re reading this hope you’re doing good, cheers.
Lmao I just learned today what it was from Josh Weissmans "State food" video. A pasty is a dough baked pie filled with meat, and onions. Shows who's from "The Mitt." All love just funny. Yknow then yknow
Fun fact 85% of the U.P.'s population live in places with less than 3,000 people. In fact only 12 of our towns have more than 3,000 people. Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Gladstone, Ironwood, Houghton, Iron Mountain, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Menominee, Hancock, and Kingsford.
13:28 THANK YOU! This was killing me the entire video despite my love of everything else. It's actually pretty neat to see that Mr. Beat knows my state so we'll that even the glaring mistake was just trolling us the whole time. Well done, sir! Perfectly played.
As a resident of Michigan's better half (Cough cough UP cough) I'm so happy that you're finally comparing us Yoopers to them trolls downstate. Thank you so much Mr beat!
I went to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan for two years and fell in love with the U.P. I have some fond memories of the time I spent up there. A few years ago, I went back up there over the Independence Day holiday to go to the fireworks at Copper Harbor. We stopped along the way to see a waterfall back in the woods a bit. As we walked to the waterfall, we passed a couple of piles of snow that were still melting.
Mackinac Island is in the 906 area code (all of the UP is 906). Little known fact that I learned about Mackinac Island: it was the 2nd National Park in the United States. Yellowstone being the first. Obviously, it seems to have been downgraded. I am a Yooper. I have a few funny stories in high school while attending State Final competitions in the LP. One was that we convinced another school that we didn’t have running water, no electricity, etc….and that the first time we saw a car was when we got to the bridge. They believed it. Story #2: I asked a student from an LP high school what “class” they were in. A,B,C,D… A being the largest. She said Class D, which is the smallest in district size. I said I went to a school that was B/C. 500 students at my HS. She said: Really? I didn’t think 500 people lived up there. Story #3: State Final Speech Competition: Judge asked me what country I was from due to my accent. Scotland?, she asked. I said I am from UP North, she stated Traverse City? No from the Upper Peninsula (the UP)…the look on her face was that she still didn’t get it. When I left the room, another fellow competitor asked me “what country are you from?” I stated; “I am from a little country called the UP, have you ever heard of it?” I guess I have a bit of an accent 😂 I could go on and on with stories.
My UPper hand placement looks a little different than yours.
This brings back memories for me. I feel like I'm one of the rare people who isn't from Michigan (or the Midwest in general) who has been to the UP but not to the LP. (Unless an airport layover in Detroit on the way to Marquette counts.) Having experienced Mackinac Island firsthand, I can say that the ban on motor vehicles leads to two interesting consequences: (1) there's a lot of horse poop, and (2) I've ridden a bicycle the entire length of a state highway, simply by going all the way around the island. It's beautiful up there in the summer, but being from Southern California where we don't have real winters, I definitely wouldn't attempt to visit the UP during the winter!
I love your content Mr Beat and I live in Grand Rapids MI! I absolutely loved this video, thank you for sharing a bit of my experience with a wider audience!
I had the pleasure of spending a couple days in Grand Rapids a few years ago. It's a very underrated city!
Michigander, reporting for duty. Lots I didn't even know. University of Michigan Ann Arbor, and University of Michigan State Lansing, are probably the biggest in state rivalries. I also remember learning that when the state Capital was leaving Detroit, Lansing ended up prevailing over Ann Arbor because it was more centrally located, among other reasons. Later, when the first big State University was being founded, Ann Arbor spoke up and used Lansing getting the capital as leverage as to why they should get the first state University, which they did, U of M.
That's a common story in almost all the states. The battle over which city gets the capital, the public universities, and the...wait for it...prison.
@@iammrbeat jackson , MI was given the option to have the prison or the state university. ann arbor thanks them for choosing the prison. hindsight is 20/20
Ann Arbor wasn’t the second choice for our capital, Marshall was the second choice.
*Michigan State University
@@iammrbeat True enough. When Minnesota became a territory in 1849, its largest towns were St Paul, St Anthony, and Stillwater. (Minneapolis would be founded a few years later.) St Paul got the capitol and Stillwater got the prison, so St Anthony got the university. ...Though the (1851) university kinda languished in the 1850s and '60s, before it was reincorporated in 1867 as the present-day University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. And in 1872, old St Anthony was annexed into Minneapolis.*
Meanwhile, the capitol _almost_ moved to St Peter in 1857, the year before statehood. The territorial legislature had passed a bill for it near the end of the session. But legislator Joseph Rolette (of Pembina in future North Dakota) -- who was chair of the Enrolled Bills Committee -- walked off with the official copy of the bill, and hid out with it for the last week or two until the legislature _had_ to adjourn. Thus it never reached the (very pro-St Peter) governor, and never became law.
* Present-day St Anthony grew out of a remnant of the surrounding St Anthony Township. Basically, it was a leftover bit that had avoided being annexed by old St Anthony _or_ Minneapolis.
I have spent all my 32 years in the Upper Peninsula and I feel like it's more valuable than ever to be here, folks are missing out. You even mentioned my Home Town in the West, it starts with an I. Great video, I love our Home 💛💙
Checking in from Ontonagon - they have no idea what they're missing
I always love these comparison videos and thoroughly enjoy this channel. Thank you for all your hard work, keeping us informed, and entertained. Keep up the good work Mr Beat
Honestly for the U.P, snow plowing is a massive thing for us, we get a ton of snow and plows really help people get to work and school. Really don't know where we would be without them. Probably six feet under snow.
This reminds me of when my dad went to the UP in winter. The snow was stacked so high that you feel like you are driving through a tunnel when it’s just US 2 with 8 feet of snow on the side of the road. LOL.
I think it’s time to do more videos like this Mr.Beat compared Upstate New York and Long Island plus NYC
Or even California and Baja California compared.
Or even better maybe compare a US State to a Canadian province.
Right on, good feedback
@Bradley, that would be interesting. New to Mr. Beat buy my friend loves his vids. I have not been disappointed either, good stuff. I know California especially southern California used to be a lot of Spanish/Mexican ranches. There's history in all the missions. I've bike toured from San Jose to Huntington Beach and seen all the missions in-between. Used to surf Baja before the federales got strapped up. Whales migrate a lot too.
Maybe Long Island compared with the rest of NYS.
@@iammrbeat Can you compare North and South Florida? They have HUGE differences in population and climate and are culturally very different. Thank you. :)
Isn’t Baha California in Mexico?
As a resident of the UP (Houghton, MI), I can confidently say, there are few places in the country I'd rather be! It's a beautiful place, even if our winters almost kill you!
Houghton mentioned RAHHHH 💪💪💪💪
It’s always so awesome seeing someone talk about the UP! I sadly had to leave to Kalamazoo for college opportunities but I’m so excited to go back home!
Love seeing people talk about my home state! Michigan is a great state, if you like the cold. But it was also funny while watching the video, I realized how little I actually knew about the UP even though I grew up in Michigan.
Living in Michigan, you really got all the facts straight Mr. Beat, down to the terms we use. Great coverage between the UP and LP... alongside mentioning places like Mackinac Island (And pronouncing it correctly)
This is an awesome video! I've been watching Mr Beat for a while and it's super cool to have my hometown, Ironwood, MI recognized! Very well explained. I have yet to visit the lower peninsula, besides going to Mackinac Island when I was too young to remember.
Woah! So cool that I mentioned your hometown!
The Mackinac Island is still the UP. Mackinaw City is where the lower peninsula starts. Just like Drummond Island and Bois Blanc are also the UP.
As a yooper seeing this video was really cool because as you pointed out the differences aren't just geographical but cultural and as a far as a " rivalry" goes I believe it's more of a sense of pride for the respective regions because anywhere i go in the LP (even thought I live there now) I'm still referred to as "that yooper" or the "country boy"
There's nothing special about being born in an American city. It's actually slightly mentally ill. Our whole society is, but humans evolved to be on tribes of 150. Small towns and rural areas emulate that better. "Country boy" 🙄
Michigander, born and raised.
Born in GR, raised in Hastings, went to school in Middleville, and have property in the Newaygo/Croton-Hardy Dam area and live in Battle Creek. I can literally drive just North and South to reach all of these locations. Our unofficial song is "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", our unofficial food is the pasty, our unofficial ice cream is Superman, our unofficial bird is the mosquito, our unofficial past time is either fishing or meth, and our unofficial vehicle is the Ford Ranger in the 90's era. Also, we have more duck hunting sanctuaries here than we do state parks (probably).
Oh, we also have the unwritten rule that you business has to have either the words "Michigan" or "Mitten" in it or you have to sell official Mackinaw Island Fudge or Michigan brewn beer/whiskey (which is more than likely made from cherries).
Also we have the most freshwater shipwrecks in the entire world.
I live in the "banana belt' of da yoop. Our winters are on par with Lansing's as far as snow fall. It gets suuuper cold on the western end of the Upper Peninsula... I remember working night shifts and the windchill in Iron River was -60 some nights. It's a really nice place to live if you love the outdoors and want to keep to yourself.
4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan.
The UP is secretly one of the most beautiful places in the country.
As a lifelong Michigander, I don't know how I have never heard of the Huron Mountains. Porcupine mountains, yes, Huron Mountains, no. Oh, and everyone always forgets that Lake Erie also borders the lower peninsula. Lake Erie never gets any respect! Great video.
The Porcupine Mountains are in my back yard, I also have vacation rentals/ hot tub houses here. I've heard the Porcupine Mountains is one of the largest and oldest national land masses in the world. 🤷🏻♀️
Porkies being a state park, it gets more advertising (it's also the ninth biggest state park in the US)
Also the most beautiful section of the Huron Mountains is privately owned (probably one of the best properties in the whole state).
Born a Michigander, but lived in just over the border in Indiana growing up (unfortunately). One thing about the UP is that it's freaking gorgeous up there. And if you're a winter enthusiast you'd be hard pressed to see more beautiful snowfalls.
Fun fact: It's a rule in the state government that the LP must not be depicted without the UP.
Mr. Beat, as a Michigander I really enjoyed this video! I live about a half hour away from Detroit, and I'm a musician. I would have loved to have heard you touch more on Motown and the music scene and all the great music history there. Perhaps you could do something like that for your other channel since it's more music-oriented than here. Either way, really cool stuff!
Here are some other fun facts to add that honestly make me kind of proud of my state. There is almost no other place on earth like Michigan mostly due to its geography with the Great Lakes. Saginaw is the birthplace of two iconic figures; Stevie Wonder and Serena Williams, and Michigan's first governor, Stevens T. Mason, is to this day the youngest governor in American history. He was 19 when Andrew Jackson appointed him as acting territorial secretary, and he was elected the first governor after Michigan became a state at age 23 and took office at age 24.
Again, cheers to your work on that video and we hope you come visit soon! 😎👍
Another fun fact: the only president that was never elected by the people, is also the only president from Michigan. Gerald Ford replaced Spiro Agnew, and then ascended to presidency following Nixon's resignation.
Music isn't really relevant in this video. We're talking about geography and culture, present day. There are endless videos on motown music history. You just want it because you're being extremely self referential (I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but it is true. What I'm saying is: I'm simply pointing it out)
@@gxlorp Music isn't relevant except for the fact that music = art and art = HUGE part of culture, which you mentioned. So huh I guess it is relevant. Not like I was suggesting the video be 90% about Motown anyway. And honestly, in the context of a discussion about a certain place, doesn't a person actually from that place get every right to be "self referential?" Not sure why anything you said was necessary. You must be an Ohioan. Lol (purely a joke)
Thanks for making this video it was really well done. I'm an extremely proud Michigander and I always love seeing my state getting some attention
Newly former yooper: there is definitely a tension between downstate and the UP. Theres always someone that wants to become an independent "Superior" (fringe, but still). And the pandemic definitely didn't help with the perception the the UP is mostly ignored in all matters.
that’s the funny thing, ppl in the mitten forget about y’all 😅 sorry
join us in sconia
I live in Warren, MI, the home of Eminem. My grandfather lived in the UP for much of his life. He has since passed on, but he always told us that the UP operated on the barter system as much as money until the 1970’s. The government hated it because they couldn’t tax anything. Yoopers DO call us trolls or “fudgies” because many tourists eat fudge at Mackinac Island or Mackinaw City. The salmon and whitefish in the UP is second to none. If you ever visit, grab some pasties. No, not THOSE pasties. I am talking about meat stuffed pies that are a meal unto themselves. In the Eastern UP, I highly recommend visiting the Soo Locks which serve as a border crossing in Sault Ste Marie, MI and Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. There is also Whitefish Point which is the closest point to the site of where Edmund Fitzgerald sank.
Thanks for the video.
Yooper here. Poverty is subjective. We can hunt, fish, and have a garden. Apples trees and berries are plentiful. A two bedroom house after utilities can be less than 1000 dollars. Everyone has a gun but no one kills anyone. Compared to the crime ridden south it is a great place to raise children.
Sometimes when I'm out baiting bears at 10 A. M. on a Wednesday I think about my cousins in Chicago making 10x what I do, and think how rich I am.
I just visited Michigan for the first time last week (I’m from northwest NJ… thanks for our video last week btw!). This convinced me to visit The UP next time I’m there!
Thank you for all your hard work, Mr. Beat! :)
The proper time of year to visit the UP is the week after the Forth of July. The scenery is beautiful, and you have the least chance of catching a snow fall.
I'd hold off till spring!
The first time I went to the UP I saw the Painted Rocks, and I would definitely recommend it
if you're looking for great nature sites, Copper Harbor and Eagle harbor have amazing views
@@BigEvan101 The key Painted Rocks out cropping fell into the lake about three years ago. They are still beautiful, but don't look like you remember.
Two small details that I feel were skipped:
While the Upper Peninsula will likely never become its own state, there has historically been a small-ish movement for the U.P. to split off into its own state, citing the concentration of political power in the lower peninsula. Nowadays it's partially spurned on as some in the upper peninsula see the closing and lack of reopening of mines as caused by Lansing. (And not a Federal or business problem like it actually is)
There is also a major urban/rural divide in the state, as the northern part of the LP almost feels closer to the Upper Peninsula, as the local economy is more geared towards tourism and logging like the UP.
Saginaw, Grand Rapids and Flint feel closer to Detroit (culturally) than the areas in between.
And a note on the diversity of Michigan: Arabic is actually the 2nd most spoken language in Michigan, as Dearborn is home to the largest Arab-American community.
Greetings from suburban Detroit
Every few years the “State of Superior” crowd starts talking secession from Michigan…until they run the numbers and realize just how broke they would be without tax dollars from Lansing subsidizing them. The argument usually ends with a bunch of mumbling of “well…the Trolls are still only good for buying fudge dontcha know…”. 🤣
West Michigan has definitely been changing a lot in the last 20 years, but GR is culturally pretty distinct from Detroit, I’d say. Much more religious/conservative than the Detroit metro, though the city itself and inner suburbs like EGR+Kentwood are quite diverse + progressive nowadays
But if you go to the suburbs west of GR, like Hudsonville, Jenison, the real Dutch Christian Reformed places, people’s first question upon meeting you is “oh, what church do you go to?” Very different vibe from eastern GR suburbs
@@a_pirate1434 Dutch mafia…
@@a_pirate1434 west Michigan. GR, Muskegon, Holland is definitely on its own thing.
This was a really nice-looking and informed video. We are Michiganders, not Michiganians. Good comment that Michigan is a destination state because there is no drive thru with another state.
We moved to the UP two years ago. We love it! Everyone here calls it "downstate" not the LP. I've never heard anyone call anyone a troll.
You've only lived here two years, so no one would say it in front of you yet.😀
I subscribed just a few days ago then all the sudden you talk about my backyard... Great job in highlighting the area.
When I lived in Michigan it always just felt like a thing where the UP didn't like the rest of Michigan because it didn't feel, well... connected to it, lol. Culturally speaking. I think it's pretty similar to most rural/urban divides across the country. You've got a lot of people from the cities who like the idea of the country side, but are too connected to the city to leave, and then a bunch of people from Rural areas who either hate it and leave for the cities, or hate the cities. Pretty one-sided rivalry all things considered. I lived near Lansing, so not super urban, but not rural either and I always enjoyed the UP, but occasionally you'd hear someone from the UP talking trash about the rest of Michigan and how they should be their own state or some shit and it was weird.
As a Yooper, I mostly say it to bring up the topic of the U.P.
This has been the entire ploy to trick people into looking into the UP and causing them to come up here for a trip to buy things from our gift shops, really "Da Yopper's Tourist Trap".
Thanks Mr. Beat. I'm from Michigan. I love it!
REP IT UP
@@iammrbeat I'm from the Western part near GR. Branch County may have lots of agriculture, but there's also two small lake chains.
Proud of my state love Michigan it’s an all around great state and place to be love our little things we do/have great video!
LP Michigander here, we and the UP are too busy hating on Ohio to form any sort of rivalry.
You know your Michigan and you definitely have been here a few times.
You called us Michiganders which is big in general since most people don't know thats how we refer to ourselves. NEVER heard Michiganian
We have one of the most diverse agriculture states due to the warmer climate afforded by the coasts
Despite being the Wolverines, we haven't had a single Wolverine spotted since the earlier 1800s
We are the cloudiest state east of the Mississippi, thanks to the lakes (Marquette I believe is the cloudiest city)
You missed calling people in the LP "trolls" since they live under the bridge.
Tourists are called fudgies (due to the number of fudge shops at Mackinac). If you're crass, they're FIPs and FOPS (Friggin Illinois, Ohio People).
Nobody can pronounce French names correctly here
You did a swell job Mr. Beat. Always love when you shine a light on our home here!
I've lived in both peninsulas and this video is the most accurate I've watched especially about lower income and higher poverty in the UP. Im a single mom and most of the UP is NOT good if you are a single parent household. We are moving back downstate so I can go back to work and my kids can go to a better school.
Michigan is the 10th most populated state with 10 million people
lest we forget Aperture Science is based in a salt mine in the upper peninsula
Yooper here, in the Village of L'Anse! I can say there is nothing more beautiful than getting up in the morning and having a cup of coffee outside and watching the Sun throw it's light on the Bay, and the Sunsets are great as well, any season. For me, it's a 2 minute walk to the Bay front to toss a line, or a 10 minute walk up Fall River to sit in the peaceful woods. I do not miss the fast food places on every corner, loud music from cars and a Wal Mart every 10 miles, closest one to me is in Houghton. The kids here are pretty decent, will actually respond to a "Hello" or a wave. Would not trade this Village for anything anywhere else!
Great video Mr.Beat. As a Michigander, I am happy you highlighted this great state.
I just moved to the Soo, on the Canadian side. It's alright here, housing prices are very affordable. It's a big enough 'city' at 75,000 that you have everything you need. Finding work can be tough, but it's here if you're willing to go out and get it. I like being within a short drive of three of the largest lakes on the planet. Did you know there is no cost to bring a vessel through the Soo Locks? That's pretty cool. Sabbath rules
Sabbath mist definitely rules….
@@barrygross77 \m/ oi
One of the funniest things I ever saw on vacation was a tiny twofer sailboat passing through the Soo Locks. It looked like a rubber duckie in a bath tub. :-)
@@jimsteele9261 haha
I drove thru both the LP and the UP on I-75 and U.S.2. I have to say that I was more impressed by the landscape in the UP once I crossed the Big Mac bridge and left I-75 to take U.S. highway 2 heading west towards Escanaba where I spent one night.
Live in Grand Rapids! You need to drive along the Lake shore of Lake Michigan all the way up north! It’s gorgeous! Grand Haven, Ludington, Traverse City, Sleeping Bear dunes etc!
No one calls it the LP
Wisconsinite here. I've visited the U.P. many times and I really enjoy it up there. If they want to cede from Michigan and join up with Wisconsin I'd welcome them!
Michigander LP here. I have been planning on making a road trip through the UP, never been there before
I also did not realize @The Science Asylum! was from there.
I think a notable thing about living in Michigan (UP or lower) is that you’re kind of trapped. In most areas you can’t travel in any direction to another state. Here you are surrounded by inland seas
South. Actually nevermind there's only crazy Ohio and bland Indiana
True... Its a dead end state. You don't come here unless you've got a place to be. But i like it that way.
Michigan is about the only ( Hawaii & Alaska excepted) that is not a " PASS THROUGH" STATE!! You have to want to come here!! Keeps out the riff raff!! Lol.
YAY MY STATE! I am definitely a Troll.✋🏻 There's really not too much different between UP and the Mitten. You want a different state experience in Michigan, the dividing lines separate Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties, from the rest of the state. Metropolitan Detroit feels more like a different state from anywhere outside of it. To this day, "Up North" just means "the place in Michigan we in Metro-Detroit vacation outside of Metro Detroit".
i agree! i’m from metro detroit and honestly the rest of the state seems so different from us here in metro detroit. i will say i can’t say for certain about up north though bc i’ve never actually been up north despite the fact that i have lived in michigan my whole life. a lot of my friends go up north with their families bc they have cottages up there but my family doesn’t
I always point out places in my hand, and I'm surprised when non-Michiganians can't figure out what I'm doing lol
It's such a Michiganian thing to do. lol
@@iammrbeat michigander*
My Michigan's shaped like a hand
So roadmaps are not in demand
With nary a qualm,
we point to our palm
To show folks the way to our land.😃
it's a crazy experience starting in Detroit, driving 10 hours north into a 2.5 hour boat ride to a huge remote island national park and still be in the same state
I just drove home to metro Detroit on Friday from Houghton Michigan where I go to college I felt like this video was made for me.