Lost Peninsula facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lost Peninsula
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Southeastern Michigan and northwestern Ohio with the Lost Peninsula area highlighted in red
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 Lost Peninsula
Location in Michigan
Lost Peninsula
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Monroe |
| Township | Erie |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
48133 (Erie)
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| Area code(s) | 734 |
The Lost Peninsula is a unique piece of land in the U.S. state of Michigan. It's a small area that is completely surrounded by the state of Ohio and Lake Erie, meaning you have to travel through Ohio to reach it from the rest of Michigan! It's part of Monroe County and is located in the very southeastern corner of Michigan.
Contents
How the Lost Peninsula Was Formed
The Lost Peninsula became separate from Michigan because of a border argument called the Toledo War. This "war" happened in 1835 and 1836. It was a dispute between the state of Ohio and the Michigan Territory over who would control an area known as the Toledo Strip.
The Toledo War and Its Outcome
After the Toledo War, the border between Ohio and Michigan was set. It was placed at about 41°44’ north latitude, which is just north of where the Maumee River flows into Lake Erie. This decision gave the city of Toledo and the Maumee River to Ohio.
However, the new state line kept going across a smaller river called the Ottawa River. This line cut through a peninsula on the other side of the Ottawa River. The land north of this new state line remained part of Michigan. But, because the Ottawa River was in the way, this part of Michigan no longer had any land connection to the rest of the state. This is how the area became known as the "Lost Peninsula."
Life in the Lost Peninsula
About 140 people from Michigan live on this small peninsula. To get to the rest of Michigan, they must drive south into Lucas County, Ohio. This short drive takes about 10 minutes. After passing through Ohio, they can then travel north to get back to Michigan.
Local Administration and Schools
The Lost Peninsula is managed by Erie Township. Even though it's part of Michigan, students living there also have to travel through Ohio to attend their schools in Michigan.
What You'll Find There
The peninsula is about 250 acres in size. It has a marina, which is a place where boats are docked. You can also find two restaurants and many homes there.
Past Events
In 1965, a severe storm affected the area. Two people died on the peninsula during the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak. Later, in 2005, there was a plan to build 300 fancy homes on the peninsula. However, this idea was eventually stopped because of problems with getting enough water for the new buildings.
