#lost states

TEXLAHOMA bc I have no requests :)

Aka states that never existed, but were planned

A 1775 plan for drawing up new states in the western part of the country. Proposed names for the new states include Missisagania, Wawautania, Miamisia, Erieland, Senekania, and Chicasawria (among others).

Two rural Illinois legislators want to expel Chicago from Illinois. Their idea is to force Chicago to become the 51st state, so the rest of Illinois won't be dominated by the Windy City. News reports, however, miss the irony of all this—it used to be the other way around. That is, back in the 1920s, Chicagoans were the ones who wanted to form a new state, because they felt dominated by "downstate" legislators. The current movement doesn't seem to have all that much support, but the 20s version did... at least in Chicago. The city council actually voted in favor of beginning a secession movement. So if the 1920s' Chicago rabble-rouser John B. Fergus could meet with the current separatist leader, Rep. Bill Mitchell of Decatur, the 51st state movement might have some legs. News reports here and here.

The fine folks of Price Place, Arkansas seem to live in two states simultaneously. They pay taxes to Arkansas, but their kids go to Missouri schools. Their Arkansas drivers licenses say they live in Missouri. It's really weird. And now it's about to change. These Arkansas residents will actually get Arkansas addresses... and they are really mad about it. Yeah, I don't get it either, but one thing is clear: this is one state border that should be re-routed. You can get the full story here.

One of the C-SPAN callers asked about Moosylvania... a state proposed by the creator of the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon.  This was purely a publicity stunt... and all in good fun--until creator Jay Ward went to the White House to "demand" the president listen to the proposal. President Kennedy was in the midst of one of the most critical moments in US history--the Cuban Missile Crisis--and in no mood for silly statehood proposals. (Where was Moosylvania? On an island in northern Minnesota, straddling the border with Canada.)

There is a new push in the Maine legislature in the last few days to split the state into two states. The guy behind the proposal is Henry Joy, whose ideas are outlined in "Lost States" (He pleads his case every few years or so.) This time, Mr. Joy has a map--and it's remarkably similar to the one we created for the book (see above). Most folks think the idea is loopy, but Mr. Joy sure knows how to get press coverage... Here a few links: Fox news, Bangor News, Boston Herald.