Debunking the 10% myth
While independence was never formally recognized, the region gained popularity among investors and regained its Amtrak service.
In fact, the idea has come up several times, and often the name suggested for the new state is "Superior," after Lake Superior. Other suggested names included Sylvania and Ontonagon. More recently, there have been talks about the Upper Peninsula seceding again, mostly due to disagreements over Michigan's tax laws.
Local politicians supported the proposal, and even Vice President John Nance Garner showed some interest. However, the story goes that the plan failed because Texans didn't want to stop being Texans.
Forgottonia was the name given to a region in Western Illinois in the late 1960s and early '70s. The proposed state was born out of a protest to raise awareness about a number of neglected counties in Western Illinois.
In 1935, 46 counties in Texas and 23 counties in Oklahoma came together to propose the creation of a new state called Texlahoma. A lack of road infrastructure led to the proposal. Cars were becoming popular across the nation, but those in the rural areas of Oklahoma and Texas felt that not enough money was being spent to build and keep up roads.
A man named A. R. Swickard (pictured, middle), who worked as the street commissioner in Sheridan, Wyoming, was the main proponent behind the idea. He declared himself governor of Absaroka, but when World War II began people lost interest in the idea and it eventually faded away.
Because the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is separated from the rest of the state by water, some of its residents (known as "Yoopers") have thought about breaking away from the lower part of the state.
The Transylvania Company purchased the land from the Cherokee Indians, hoping the company could govern it themselves. But it turns out the purchase was illegal under British law, so Virginia claimed the land in the end.
In 1939, parts of Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota tried to break away and create a new state called Absaroka.
Even though Congress never officially approved the new state, Absaroka license plates were made and even a beauty pageant called Miss Absaroka was held in 1939.
No, Dracula was not trying to create his own independent state. Transylvania, also known as the Transylvania Purchase, was in fact suggested as the 14th colony, even though it wasn't officially recognized. It mostly covered what is now Kentucky and a part of northern Tennessee.
Instead of proclaiming independence, they tried to do it legally. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to leave the Confederacy, the idea of forming Nickajack came to an end.
Tri-Insula was a proposed division of New York City. In 1861, Confederacy supporter Mayor Fernando Wood announced that the boroughs of Manhattan, Long Island, and Staten Island would form the Free City of Tri-Insula.
The Republicans, however, didn't support the idea of Native Americans having their own state, so Congress rejected the proposal. Instead, President Theodore Roosevelt combined Sequoyah with the existing plan for Oklahoma to become a state.
During the Civil War, eastern Tennessee and northern Alabama wanted to leave their states and support the Union. To do so, they’d merge together and form the state of Nickajack.
In 1905, Native Americans suggested the creation of a state called Sequoyah where they could govern according to their own traditions. The idea was to have counties representing each tribe.
The second and third proposed regions were both located in Texas, when its admission into the US was being discussed. The second area was proposed in 1870, and comprised southeastern Texas, from the San Antonio River onward. The third was proposed in 1915, but this time, Jefferson would be located in western Texas instead. None was approved.
The idea was to continue to do business with the Southern states. But he never gained enough support, and the proposed secession of New York City as a sovereign city-state never went ahead.
The Free and Independent State of Scott was founded during the Civil War. The Union stronghold broke away from the Confederate State of Tennessee in 1861. Scott was officially readmitted into Tennessee on its 125th anniversary, which was in 1986 (yes, really).
The fourth territory proposed as the new Jefferson state consisted of a number of counties from northern California and southern Oregon. But the proposal, made in 1941, never came to fruition. Today, some people in California’s rural far north and southern Oregon still want their independent State of Jefferson.
In 1845, Congress wanted to split Texas into several parts. One of these would have been the State of Lincoln. Proposed in 1869, this would have comprised the area south and west of Texas’ Colorado River.
The State of Deseret was proposed in 1849 by members of the Church of Latter-day Saints. The Mormons wanted to govern themselves in a large area of the southwestern US, including present-day Utah and several surrounding areas.
There were, however, other proposals to create a State of Lincoln. When a number of states were created in 1864, the Idaho Panhandle (now part of Idaho) proposed to become a state called Lincoln. Then in the 1900s, there was a new proposition, this time including Eastern Washington. In fact, the idea was brought up again as recently as 2005.
The Mormons’ request, however, was denied by Congress in 1849, and they were given the Utah Territory instead. Members of the LDS did try to bring their petition for the State of Deseret back on several occasions, but to no avail.
Bowles essentially created the nation for the local Miccosukee and Muscogee tribes, but his idea was to unite the Native Americans of the Southeast in one territory. Spain however, refused to recognize the sovereign nation. Bowles was arrested and his dream died with him in prison in 1805.
The Delmarva Peninsula is in the present day divided by Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, but it has been a disputed piece of land. Most proposals requested Maryland and Virginia to cede their lands to Delaware.
There were, however, no formal attempts to formalize such proposals, but given the geographical nature of the peninsula, maybe it would have made sense to have it under one territory, or as an independent state.
Sources: (Mental Floss) (Reader's Digest) (Ranker) (The New York Times) (loveEXPLORING)
See also: The darkest tales from each US state
The State of Muskogee was a self-proclaimed nation located in modern-day Florida. It was established by American Revolution veteran and adventurer William Augustus Bowles (pictured) in 1799. Bowles lived with the Muscogee tribe at the time, where he was known as Estajoca.
In total, the State of Jefferson has been proposed for four regions. In 1859, mining communities in the Rocky Mountains united to request the creation of their state west of Kansas Territory. Though the proposal was accepted by the Kansas government, citizens could not agree on a constitution, so the new state became known as Jefferson Territory instead, and later Colorado Territory.
The shady plan was eventually discovered and a new government was elected. Looking to break away from North Carolina, a number of counties formed the provisional State of Franklin (today’s northeast Tennessee). However, Congress failed to recognize Franklin, and North Carolina took back control in 1789.
Congress ignored the settlers' proclamation and threatened them that if they kept trying to leave, it would be considered treason. After all, it was in the best interest of the nation for tensions not to rise between Pennsylvania and Virginia when the focus should be fighting the Brits.
Westsylvania was proposed in 1776 during the American Revolution by people living in the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia who were not happy with their leaders. If it had happened, it would have been the 14th state in America. The state encompassed territory from modern-day Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky.
After the Revolutionary War, many states started giving their lands in the west to the new American government, which was low on money. The idea was for the government to sell these lands to settlers. But a conspiracy in North Carolina led to the lands being sold to high-ranking government members. Though they later agreed to hand over the lands to the government, they ensured they still made a profit from the sales.
The American territory has been divided multiple times over the years. Indeed, a lot of stuff happened before the present-day US state lines were defined. Throughout American history there have been quite a few proposed states and territories, many of which date back to the early days of the nation. It turns out, however, that some proposed states were actually discussed in more recent years.
From Absaroka to Westsylvania, in this gallery you'll get to know the US states and territories that never were. Click on to discover them.
Proposed US states and territories that never were
You could be living in Absaroka!
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The American territory has been divided multiple times over the years. Indeed, a lot of stuff happened before the present-day US state lines were defined. Throughout American history there have been quite a few proposed states and territories, many of which date back to the early days of the nation. It turns out, however, that some proposed states were actually discussed in more recent years.
From Absaroka to Westsylvania, in this gallery you'll get to know the US states and territories that never were. Click on to discover them.