Issue No. 57

Welcome Home, {{first_name|default:Michigander}}!

First, let me apologize for the delay in getting this announcement out—I appreciate your understanding as I worked through a handful of final technical issues. Today is officially the day: pre-orders for the Michigan History Mail Club are open!

I’m bringing Michigan history off the screen and straight to your mailbox every month with meticulously replicated historical documents, diligently researched story cards, collectibles, and your very own Michigan history passport and stamps!

Our debut November issue was crafted in official collaboration with the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, MI to celebrate the 85th birthday of the iconic Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive.

On September 30, 1836, Michigan delegates refused Congress's demand to cede the Toledo Strip in exchange for statehood and the rest of the U.P.

This defiant decision came after the 1835 armed border conflict known as the Toledo War and delayed Michigan's admission into the Union until January 1837.

At the time, Toledo was a fast-growing shipping hub eyed as the “future gateway” to the Great Lakes and the U.P. was considered worthless wilderness.

Michigan’s rejection wasn’t just about pride, the territory needed access to federal funding available to states.

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Bonus History: Ohio already had 19 representatives in Congress; Michigan, as a territory, had none — giving Ohio a huge advantage in lobbying for Toledo.

Michigan already controlled ~25% of the UP and many delegates thought the Upper Peninsula was worthless forest and rock — they couldn’t imagine the copper and iron boom to come.

Michigan finally accepted the deal, trading the Toledo Strip for the remaining ~75% of the Upper Peninsula, and entered the Union as the 26th state in January 1837.

Special thanks to the founding members of The 1837 Club for helping to make this day possible.

What’s Inside Issue No. 01: A faithfully restored 1941 replica document tied to the PM 1225, Michigan Story Card No. 001, collectible photo prints of the PM 1225 through the years, and your Year 1 Michigan History Passport Card with a peel-and-stick passport stamp.

26th State Launch Discount: To celebrate the launch and as a thank you for your patience, you can lock in 26% off your first 2 months on a Monthly Membership ($11.10 today for Month 1, $11.10 on Dec 1st for Month 2, and $0 billed in November), or 26% off your entire first year with an Annual Membership ($133.20 prepaid)!

Giving Back to History & Education: Every October signup donates $0.85 (Monthly member) or $8.50 (Annual member) directly to the Steam Railroading Institute to help preserve the PM 1225. In addition, every Annual Membership automatically sponsors 1 month of the Michigan History Mail Club for a local K-12 classroom at zero extra cost.

Pre-Orders Open Now: Pre-orders for our mid-November debut shipment are open through October 31st. Tap the website link below to claim your launch rate and reserve your piece of Michigan history today!

Visit Our Website for More Details: welcomehomehistory.com

P.S. I’ll be launching our referral program on October 9th alongside the public launch—more on that next week!

P.S.S The website is a work in progress, so I will continually be making updates and adding details as there is so much that went into creating this mail club, and I can’t wait to share it with you all!

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Until next week, thank you for reading Michigan History Digest.
— Zac, Creator of Welcome Home History
P.S. If you have any questions or experience issues, don’t hesitate to email me!