Sparteye-- wow, i never realize any of this-- (I have only been to michigan once-- to Kalamazoo) .

I was taught all about the canal, and how it opened the way for westward expantion, and i knew little bits-- but i never realized there was that much movement from NY to Michigan.

The NY state millia was "paid" after the revolutionary war with plots of land upstate --an this help "settle" some of the towns-- and the canal, and great lakes commerce helped to drive the upstate economy--Buffalo is still the second largest city in the state.
Faldage has given all the nice classical names of up state towns/cities-- the ones i always enjoyed were less classical ones, towns like Painted Post and Horsehead--