Feeling Forgotten, Southern MI? This Sign's for the North

There's a vast section of the state of Michigan that often feels detached from and forgotten by the largest population centers of the state. Having a far smaller portion of the state's residents, many in Northern Michigan don't feel seen.

Just ask those who yearn to make the Upper Peninsula the separate state of Superior. Or those who find so often that the UP is left off of maps.

There is one Up North-ish restaurant that gives deep recognition to Northern Michigan with nary a nod to the southern population centers.

The restaurant is Wheeler's in Standish just north of Bay City. The joint bills itself at Michigan's Favorite Up North Diner.

The Uniquely Northern Directional Sign

A sign posted in the restaurant's parking lot looks similar to a distance sign you may see at a roadside rest stop. But, curiously, almost all the destinations are all in the northern part of the state.

How far away are you?
byu/DavidRrrrrr inMichigan

Check out some of the destinations. Consider the diner may be a breakfast stop as travelers head further north. So it may be of interest to those drivers how much of a trip they have left with over 7 hours of driving to the western or northern UP to Ironwood or Copper Harbor.

Southern Cities Overlooked: The Curious Omissions

There are only two cities listed in the cities south of a Ludington-Standish-Caseville line, Detroit and Grand Rapids. That means there are no other cities to the south, other key metro areas in the state like Lansing, Kalamazoo or Flint getting a nod.

Another interesting point on this map shows the surprising expanse of Saginaw Bay. Consider that Standish to Caseville are a mere 33 miles apart as the crow flies across the water. However to drive between the two around the bottom of Saginaw Bay is a 90 minute drive.

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That's not quite the same, but slightly akin, to the great distance needed to drive the 5 miles between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace without using the Mackinac Bridge.

While so many in Northern Michigan feel unseen by the population centers of the state, there's a home for you in Standish where Wheeler's Restaurant is looking north always.