Happy 185th birthday to the Upper Peninsula! Here are 6 times the world disrespected you

Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read

Happy 185th birthday to our better half, the Upper Peninsula, whose near perfection often goes unnoticed by the rest of the world — literally.

On Dec. 14, 1836, a landmark agreement granted the land now known as the Upper Peninsula to Michigan, which then became a state on Jan. 26, 1837. But even in 2021, it's not uncommon for major organizations to leave Michigan's treasured top half completely out of maps ... or labeled as part of Wisconsin (come on!).

So in honor of the U.P.'s big day, here are six times the world disrespected you. And here's hoping the world learns from its mistakes this time.

Hey, Google, where's the Upper Peninsula?

Ah, Google. We expected so much more from you. You map the entire world, after all.

But forgetting the Upper Peninsula? That is unforgiveable.

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Mountain Dew campaign snubs Upper Peninsula, says it's part of Wisconsin

When you're this wrong, it's not even the thought that counts.

In a Mountain Dew promotion marketing bottles for all 50 states, the company's map graphics show Michigan's Upper Peninsula as part of Wisconsin.

That's news to us.

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Jeep forgets Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 'Reunited States' Super Bowl ad

One of our own has betrayed us.

That's right, Jeep left out our beloved Upper Peninsula during its Super Bowl commercial.

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TickPick leaves Upper Peninsula off its map, picks fight with Yoopers

An online ticket marketplace brushed off the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2017, creating a social media firestorm from passionate Yoopers. TickPick later apologized for its response and, in a heartwarming twist ending, its CEO flew to Marquette to buy beer for Yoopers at Blackrocks Brewery.

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Michigan's Upper Peninsula once again snubbed, this time by U.S. Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau used a graphic showing Michigan will lose a seat in Congress, but it left off the Upper Peninsula as part of the state.
The U.S. Census Bureau used a graphic showing Michigan will lose a seat in Congress, but it left off the Upper Peninsula as part of the state.

The Upper Peninsula was once again snubbed as not part of Michigan, according to a map from, of all entities, the U.S. Government.

In a tweet explaining the results of 2020 census, the U.S. Census Bureau used an animated graphic explaining that Michigan would be a losing a seat in Congress because of population decline.

There's only one problem: It didn't indicate the U.P. as part of Michigan.

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U.P. residents annoyed about being forgotten: 'Who's making these maps?'

Leather keychains, like these made by Mend on the Move, will be the kinds of products the non-profit organization in Detroit will make with thousands of dollars in car seat leather donated Ford Motor Co. Sales of the leather goods benefit survivors of abuse.
Leather keychains, like these made by Mend on the Move, will be the kinds of products the non-profit organization in Detroit will make with thousands of dollars in car seat leather donated Ford Motor Co. Sales of the leather goods benefit survivors of abuse.

They're amused. They're annoyed. Or they just don't care.

These are pretty much how folks in the Upper Peninsula react to being ignored.

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Detroit Free Press social, search and audience editor Brian Manzullo, web editor Amy Huschka and reporters Emma Keith, Miriam Marini and Phoebe Wall Howard contributed to this report.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Happy birthday, Upper Peninsula! 6 times the world wronged you