# State Borders (today's xkcd strip) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 13, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754 "2017-10-13T19:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/21 "2017-10-14T15:30:07Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’m still annoyed that Michigan got the UP. Let it be the state of Superior or merge it with Wisconsin, m’kay? And Mackinac Island is part of the UP!! We’d be fine with being part of Wisconsin. At least they’d be more apt to include us on state maps. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > The UP of Mich. Is just so Michigan-y it could never be anything else. I loved them crazy yoopers when we lived up there for awhile! That was the party-hardiest people I ever met!! Er… what? I gotta assume you were in the far eastern part of the UP. The vast majority is way more Wisconsiny than Michigany. Packers, pickled eggs, cheese curds. Culturally, we’re northern Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/22 "2017-10-14T15:49:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > **Shagnasty** , I realized that I was starting to become a Montanan when I started considering it no big deal to drive for a half-hour each way to go out to dinner. We live in southern MD, and most restaurants are at least half an hour away from us. The county seat is about 15 minutes away, and even there, the dining choices are pretty limited. So a half hour drive to an acceptable restaurant isn’t a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/23 "2017-10-14T16:08:31Z")
I grew up in California. I scoff at your stories of distance; we had to travel 90 min. just to get to the nearest school for athletics. I now live in South Carolina; my house is less than a mile from the border with North Carolina. Yet most of the people around me don’t even think of crossing the border to go shopping for day-to-day items. I can only imagine what it’s like living in Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations… ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/24 "2017-10-14T21:56:24Z")
He’s really just joking around. There’s a ton of border fixes that would actually help. E.g., W. OR and W. WA should be one state. E. OR and E. WA another state, probably combined with a lot of ID. ID itself is an oddity. Big divide between N. and S. All over the place closely connected people are in different states just because there’s a river or something there. E.g., the people around Ontario OR think of themselves as basically Idahoans. The rest of OR ignores them, so why are they part of that state? Shoot, they are even in the same time zone as ID. The UP is not at all unusual in this regard. And, seriously, we don’t need two Dakotas. People we way too optimistic about growth back then. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/25 "2017-10-14T22:39:17Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > We’d be fine with being part of Wisconsin. At least they’d be more apt to include us on state maps. > > Er… what? I gotta assume you were in the far eastern part of the UP. The vast majority is way more Wisconsiny than Michigany. Packers, pickled eggs, cheese curds. Culturally, we’re northern Wisconsin. Iron mountain/Kingsford ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/26 "2017-10-14T22:56:09Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Iron mountain/Kingsford :eek: Hell, that area is more Wisconsonian than a lot of places in Wisconsin! The Green & Gold is _strong_ there . . . ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/27 "2017-10-14T23:50:33Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > If they do that I vote to change the name of Oklahoma to Pinocchio. > > I also like the enlargement of Canada. 🙂 Pinocchlihoma. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/28 "2017-10-14T23:58:01Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > :eek: > > Hell, that area is more Wisconsonian than a lot of places in Wisconsin! The Green & Gold is _strong_ there . . . I can buy that, they did like the packers. You are correct. But… them yoopers were the best! ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/29 "2017-10-15T18:36:26Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > He’s really just joking around. There’s a ton of border fixes that would actually help. > > E.g., W. OR and W. WA should be one state. E. OR and E. WA another state, probably combined with a lot of ID. ID itself is an oddity. Big divide between N. and S. > > All over the place closely connected people are in different states just because there’s a river or something there. E.g., the people around Ontario OR think of themselves as basically Idahoans. The rest of OR ignores them, so why are they part of that state? Shoot, they are even in the same time zone as ID. I agree, Southwestern Idaho really extends (arguably) as far as Lagrande OR, Twin Falls ID is a border town between Western Idaho and Eastern Idaho. New Meadows is where Idwamt in the north begins. McCall is a bordertown for Central Idaho and Sunvalley/Hailey/Ketchum/Bellvue metroplex is international territory to be honest. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/30 "2017-10-15T19:50:54Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’m still annoyed that Michigan got the UP. Let it be the state of Superior or merge it with Wisconsin, m’kay? And Mackinac Island is part of the UP!! I get a kick out of Isle Royale being part of Michigan when I’m looking at it from Thunder Bay, 'cause Detroit it ain’t. The diagonal of that state is about 520 miles, da UP is culturally very different from southern Michigan, and Isle Royale has no culture – just moose, deer, some transient wolves, and seasonal tourists who ship in. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/31 "2017-10-16T19:47:57Z")
While we’re at it give Maryland the 90 miles between it’s northern border and the Mason Dixon line. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/32 "2017-10-16T20:09:48Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Everyone knows about the Louisiana Purchase. It basically doubled the size of the U.S. at the time and now makes up states as far flung as Minnesota. Actually it was flung a little farther west than Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/33 "2017-10-16T20:10:21Z")
Wait, I thought the Mason-Dixon Line _was_ the northern border of Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/34 "2017-10-16T20:15:42Z")
No mention of the northern border of Delaware being a half-circle. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/35 "2017-10-16T20:26:48Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > No mention of the northern border of Delaware being a half-circle. Graphic designers are fond of flowing lines. It draws the eye into Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/36 "2017-10-16T21:27:19Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, I thought the Mason-Dixon Line _was_ the northern border of Maryland. When I lived within walking distance of the MD-PA border, it certainly was. Color me confused as well. **furryman** , would you care to enlighten us as to which part of Maryland is somehow north of the Mason-Dixon line? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/37 "2017-10-16T22:06:19Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > No mention of the northern border of Delaware being a half-circle. They already spent time and effort straightening that one out. [Twelve Mile Circle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Mile_Circle) ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/38 "2017-10-17T03:43:22Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > They already spent time and effort straightening that one out. [Twelve Mile Circle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Mile_Circle) The borders of Delaware are easily the most _ahem_ _interesting_ (nice euphemism for “effed up”!) of any state. What’s fairly shocking about them is how well they are surveyed. South Carolina has much easier borders to describe, and not only did they blow the initial surveys, but they just had to RE-survey them to get them rightly wrong. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/39 "2017-10-17T06:17:43Z")
My favorite state border: the [Kentucky Bend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Bend). > [@Chronos](#): > > Only started to become Montanan, mind you. To completely become a Montanan, your grandfather has to have been born there. I think you have to meet with official Montana geneticists to check for signs of vegetarianism in your ancestry. If there is any sign (I’m picturing the scene in _the Thing_ where the blood is repelled by beef) then they banish you outside the state. Or at least to Missoula. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754/40 "2017-10-17T12:14:51Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > My favorite state border: the [Kentucky Bend](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Bend). See also: [Carter Lake](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Carter+Lake,+IA,+USA/@41.2869052,-95.9337549,14z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x87938dc8b50cfced:0x46424d4fae37b604!2sOmaha,+NE,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d41.2523634!4d-95.9979883!3m4!1s0x87938fe109f2b255:0x61dadb2aa78fd75a!8m2!3d41.2904479!4d-95.9181976), a weird enclave of Iowa right in the middle of Omaha, Nebraska. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-borders-todays-xkcd-strip/798754.md?page=3)