Everything Everywhere Daily · Tuesday, July 28, 2026
In 1835 and 1836, Michigan and Ohio were on the brink of war over a 468-square-mile territory known as the Toledo Strip. This land dispute, centered on control of the Maumee River's mouth, stemmed from unclear surveying and conflicting interpretations of territorial boundaries established by the Northwest Ordinance. The conflict delayed Michigan's statehood and involved both states enacting retaliatory legislation and mobilizing militias.
“In 1835 and 1836, the two states came close to going to war over a border dispute, and the results of that dispute can still be seen on the map today.”
“The Toledo Strip was a thin, trapezoidal strip of land measuring 468 square miles or 1,210 square kilometers, and it varied in width between 5 and 8 miles.”
“Well, it was due to the surveying of the region, especially in the late 18th and early 19th century, before Ohio statehood, which was very, very poor. Also, the laws that defined the territories were unclear, leading to both sides interpreting the land as their own and claiming that they held jurisdiction.”