by Lenna Gonya

Created on: November 23, 2009

Few people are actually aware that the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio extended beyond the gridiron at one point, and actually developed into a dispute known as The Toledo War. And, even though Michigan technically lost the battle, in the long run, they won a great deal more.

This war, which erupted in 1835 was over a strip of land, aptly called the Toledo Strip, which is, in fact, where Toledo, Ohio is now. It all began due to several surveyors, and their individual and different maps. When Ohio recognized their Constitution in 1803, their particular survey showed that the land belonged to Ohio.

By 1805, however, when Michigan drafted their own Constitution, they soon realized that their original surveyed land extended further south, into the 'Toledo Strip. There was some squabbling at that time, but Michigan took control of the land and claimed it as their own.

In 1833 Michigan applied for statehood, and, the argument resumed. Ohio promptly petitioned their Congressman to block admission until Michigan gave up rights to the strip of land. Ohio's Governor Robert Lucas, declared the area a district, named the county after himself, and the war was on. During the years between 1833 and 1835, things became so serious that each state actually voted on military budgets in preparation of the upcoming battle.

By 1835, Michigan had a young twenty-two year old Governor, Stevens T. Mason, who decided to gather some men together and defend their territory. According to some accounts, he led about two hundred and fifty men to the 'Toledo Strip. A few Ohioans were temporarily captured, and a few shots were fired over the heads of the opposing side. Some claim that many of the volunteer militia on both sides actually never made it into battle, becoming lost in the swampy terrain of the area near Perrysburg.

It was President Andrew Jackson, who finally took Mason out of office, and disbanded the militia. It was also decided that Michigan would still not become a state until they agreed to Ohio's terms. They finally did, and, in 1836, Michigan became a state, and re-elected Mason as their Governor

In return for the land that is now Toledo, Michigan obtained 2/3 of the Upper Peninsula, which, it turned out, contained, timber, iron, and copper.

Former President John Quincy Adams, a Michigan backer, who had looked over the original survey and voted in favor of the state was quoted as saying, Never in the course of my life have I known a controversy of which all the right is so clearly on one side and all the power so overwhelmingly on the other.


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/toledo-wa r.htm
http://www.essortment.com/all/toledowar_rzxq.htm

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