What? The border between Michigan and Indiana is still unsettled? How can this be? Join Chuck and I as we investigate this mysterious lack of demarcation. What’s life like living along this border? Why hasn’t this border been officially surveyed since 1827? How has surveyor, Jack Owens, built a legacy? Let’s find out!

We headed south to Ray, Indiana/Michigan. This unincorporated community had developed along the tracks of the Indiana Northeastern Railroad with homes flanking the state line.

Ray, Indiana/Michigan – Life Along The Border

Bob Harrington has lived in the village of Ray for decades. At one point he had a Michigan drivers license with an Indiana address.

Paying sales tax would depend on where the store was located. Currently Indiana has a 7% sales tax where Michigan is at 6%. I wonder if this has influenced shopping habits of the village residents?

Some areas, such as State Line Road, have made it easier to recognize our border. While other wooded and marshy zones have been more challenging.

Lake Pleasant – Life Along The Border

The homes along this northern side of Lake Pleasant are in Michigan, while the water is governed by Indiana. So, one must have an Indiana boating license and fishing license to enjoy these waters while maintaining an Michigan address.

1827 Survey

Amazingly, the last official survey had been in 1827 where they’d marked the state line by placing wooden stakes. These organic markers have since rotted, only leaving a mere trace of darkened dirt.

Back then, surveyors had used a special compass with a 66 foot long chain. The squad had set wooden posts every mile and recorded the locations using two “reference trees” along with topographical features such as lakes or streams. We can only imagine what’s happened to these “reference trees,” let alone the wooden posts that they had used nearly 200 years ago!

Recent Surveyor Work Led By Jack Owens

Jack Owens, a partially retired surveyor from Roscommon, Michigan, has diligently searched for the remnants of these wooden stakes over the past twenty-two years. He had even organized a group of volunteers starting in 2002.

“This is a quiet border.” He’d stated to an NPR reporter, Jacob Lazzero. Other surrounding state borders have been filled with dissonance. Ohio and the territory of Michigan had once been poised for war over the Toledo strip in 1835. Then in 1926 Wisconsin and Michigan had disputed before the Supreme Court over their upper peninsula border.

“I’ll just tell you from experience — all those wood posts are rotted away, you know, they just decayed,” surveyor Jack Owens had explained. “So, they’re very hard to find.” Owens had reported locating “a black smudge, an organic stain, that is the remanent of a stake. It’s two-three inches across.”

The other surrounding states have used more substantial markers. Ohio had used granite and Wisconsin had set concrete posts.

Owens’ group of volunteers had hoped to locate all of the original wooden markers, but they weren’t able, so the volunteer troop began lobbying state legislators. The goal has been to secure an official survey of the Indiana / Michigan border and then have proper markers placed.

Jack Owens’ spirited voice on the NPR interview had bolstered my interest to interview him myself. Unfortunately, I found that Jack Owens had passed away on December 23, 2023. I send my sincere condolences to his family, friends and fellow surveyors. Jack Owens has left an amazing legacy as the State Border Commission is now working to finalize this border.

State Border Commission

Due to Jack Owens’ dedication and diligence, Indiana had passed legislation to create a State Border Commission in 2009. Michigan followed suite in 2011. Unfortunately, funding for this project had not been secured, so the project had stalled.

Spurred forward by Jack Owens in 2019, Indiana reinstated a border commission followed by Michigan in 2021.

Recently in 2022 the endeavor was reignited with $500,000 of funding provided by each state. “The Michigan Indiana State Line Commission” was formed and even has a website.

Encouragingly, in 2023 six meetings had been scheduled. Sadly, each had been cancelled due to a lack of “quorum.” They didn’t have enough qualified voting participants.

But Jack Owens’ mission has continued . . .

The Commission Moves Forward

On March 28, 2024 a meeting was held and the minutes had included “the lost corners were identified” and “replacements will need to be conducted.” Cost studies had been completed by DLZ Corporation. The next meeting is on June 4, 2024.

I believe Jack Owens’ mission will become a reality. Michigan and Indiana will finally have permanent markers along their border!

Why Worry About The Border?

“When I was doing private business. People would come in and fight over inches.” Jack Owens had explained. “It’s important because it’s our line. It’s Michigan’s line.”

It’s a matter of our states’ sovereignty. States have autonomy and freedom as separate entities within our nation. The motto, “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” comes to my mind. We will be diligently waiting for The Michigan Indiana Border Commission to fulfill Jack Owens’ legacy and set sustainable demarcations along the Indiana / Michigan border!

Related Links:

Our YouTube video “Unsettled Border”

Resources:

Chuck Hayden

The Michigan Indiana Border Commission website

Indiana Public Radio June 2, 2022 story by Jacob Lazzaro

The Bridge Michigan article May 16, 2022

Wagner and Walsh – Jack Owen’s Obituary