The "States That Never Made It" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Telling my wife about the seven states that never made it as members of the United States of America.  I'm sure many of you were alive when Hawaii gained statehood in 1959 and may still be alive when Puerto Rico is named our 51st State sometime in the near future.  Oh!  You didn't know that?  Well, you heard it here first!  Their effort to gain statehood has been going on for years, but yet they haven't been close to being accepted.  I suspect that people who lived in the continental United States weren't too sure about adding Hawaii in 1959, but look how that has worked out for all involved.  Probably would be the same for Puerto Rico if they were given the chance.  Carol and I made a visit to Puerto Rico along with our traveling friends Jere and Just Sue close to 10 years ago and had a great time visiting all the tourist attractions in San Juan.  I, for one would certainly welcome them into the United States.  There were also seven other proposed states that never did make it into the Union and more than likely never will.  

Delmarva and the Assateague Island National Seashore.

The first was an area known as Delmarva which is the peninsula off the coast of Maryland that stretches across Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.  Those living on Delmarva didn't care for the inconsistent government throughout the peninsula with all three states proposing something different and wanted to become a state.  Never happened.  Today the Delmarva Peninsula is home to the Assateague Island National Seashore which is famous for its wild horses.  Neat place to visit if you've never been there.  

The beautiful state of Deseret.

Another prospective state was Deseret which was a state proposed by Mormons who lived in the Great Basin desert in the mid-1800s.  The area where they migrated to due to religious persecution encompasses today's Utah, Nevada and a large part of New Mexico and Arizona.  At the time the Federal government thought the area was too big an area so it divided it into what we call today New Mexico and Utah.  Forgottonia, yes that was supposed to be a state at one time begun as a joke since the citizens of a 14 county area felt neglected by the state of Illinois.  So the Forgottonia was begun.  It did draw the attention of the Federal government who provided needed funds to repair the local infrastructure.  Hey, making up a fictious name for a new state really did work to solve this problem.  

What at one time was going to be the State of Superior.

And then there was the state of Superior which was to be today's Upper Peninsula of Michigan which was repeatedly proposed as its own state.  Thomas Jefferson wanted to call the area Sylvania while other wanted it called Ontonagon.  But, being it is close to Lake Superior, it should be called Superior.  Then, along came the Civil War and the Mackinac Bridge was built so the area is no longer as isolated as it once was.  Therefore the new state idea was forgotten.  Then, shortly after the Revolutionary War ended, residents in the area of eastern Tennessee wanted to form their own government and have their own state known as Franklin.  But, the residents of what would have been Franklin fears the United States government would sell Franklin to France or Spain to pay off war debts, so the state idea was forgotten.  Yet another idea for a state was the state of Scott.  It was during the Civil War that Tennessee became a Confederate southern state.  But, Scott County, Tennessee, seceded from the south to support the Union troops of the North.   After the war ended, it was sort of forgotten what Scott County did.  It wasn't until 1986 that Scott County requested readmission to Tennessee.  They were welcomed back into the state at that time.  

The state to be known as Transylvania.

And finally, the state of Transylvania, which means "pleasant woodsy area" was proposed with parts of western and south- eastern Kentucky and Northern Tennessee.  The name came from a land speculator and pioneer Richard Henderson, who intended to purchase the area in 1775 and apply for statehood.  But then, Virginia and North Carolina claimed the land and killed the deal.  Actually, the Continental Congress refused to recognize the new state anyway.  So, anyone have any idea for a new state?  Better be a good name or it will be laughed off the federal calendar.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.