Upper Peninsula MI

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac. It is bounded primarily by Lake Superior to the north, separated from the Canadian province of Ontario at the east end by the St. Marys River, and flanked by Lake Huron and Lake Michigan along much of its south. Although the peninsula extends as a geographic feature into the state of Wisconsin, the state boundary follows the Montreal and Menominee rivers and a line connecting them.

The Upper Peninsula contains 29% of the land area of Michigan but only 3% of its total population. Residents are nicknamed Yoopers (derived from “UP-ers”) and have a strong regional identity, enhanced by the perception that the rest of the state neglects them. Proposals have been made to establish the UP as a separate state, but have failed to gain traction. Its largest cities are Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Menominee, Houghton, and Iron Mountain. Because of the surrounding waters and northern latitude, it receives more snow than most of the eastern U.S. The heavily forested land, soil types, short growing season, and logistical factors (e.g. long distance to market, lack of infrastructure) make the Upper Peninsula poorly suited for agriculture. The region is home to a variety of wildlife, including moose, wolves, coyotes, deer, foxes, bears, bobcats, eagles, hawks, owls, and smaller animals.

The Home Wind

SKU 978-1-7352043-1-4
$17.95
A Novel
1
Product Details
UPC: 978-1-7352043-1-4
Brand: Modern History Press
Binding: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Author: Terri Martin
Pages: 202
Publication Date: 08/01/2023

Winner of U.P. Notable Book Award (2021)

The Home Wind is a middle-grade children's novel (ages 9 and up), which takes place during the 1870s in a Michigan logging camp. Includes discussion guide. Jamie Kangas struggles with turbulent emotions caused by the death of his father, who perished in a logging accident--an accident for which Jamie blames himself. While his mother works as cook in a logging camp, Jamie is run ragged as a chore boy. The grinding dreariness fades when Jamie meets a Native American boy, Gray Feather, who carries a burden of his own. The two boys become close friends as they face the challenges of a harsh environment and prejudiced world. And as trees fall to the lumberjack's blade, Jamie hears the ghostly words of his father, warning of future catastrophe.

"Steeped in carefully researched historical events in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, The Home Wind is a delight. Martin's characters captured my heart and made the story come alive--two boys struggling to understand the world around them. This is also an important book for anyone interested in the history of Michigan's logging industry and in the Native peoples of Michigan. I highly recommend The Home Wind, and if you are looking for a gift for your middle reader, it's perfect!" -- Sue Harrison, author of The Midwife's Touch

"Martin really captures what a logging camp was like, what the town of Seney was like-famously wild, but perhaps only on weekends-and my favorite section was the Marinette/Menonimee fire which was dramatically and vividly depicted. Altogether a wonderful book for young adult readers and anyone who enjoys historical fiction set in the U.P." -- Tyler R. Tichelaar, author of The Marquette Trilogy

From Modern History Press

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The Home Wind

First inhabited by Algonquian-speaking native American tribes, the area was explored by French colonists, then occupied by British forces, before being ceded to the newly established United States in the late 18th century. After being assigned to various territorial jurisdictions, it was granted to the newly formed state of Michigan as part of the settlement of a dispute with Ohio over the city of Toledo. The region’s exploitable timber resources and the discovery of iron and copper deposits in the 19th century brought immigrants, especially French Canadian, Finnish, Swedish, Cornish, and Italian. (The peninsula includes the only counties in the United States where a plurality of residents claim Finnish ancestry.[1]) With the exhaustion of readily available minerals, the area’s economy declined in the 20th century, largely becoming dependent on logging and tourism.

 

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