Comparing Michigan and Wisconsin

Comparing Michigan and Wisconsin

Michigan and Wisconsin are two states that are quite similar, yet unique at the same time. Some differences between the states are the state speed limit, time zone, what the state is known for and what Lake Michigan and its beaches are like from each side.

In Wisconsin the speed limit is a mere 65 miles per hour. This does not include the area around cities were the speed limit is lowered. With this speed limit in Wisconsin, to be safe the maximum you should go is 75 miles per hour, which is a mile and a quarter per minute.

However, in Michigan, the speed limit for normal vehicles is 70 mph, which is five miles per hour faster than Wisconsin. Because the speed limit is faster in Michigan, people can get to various places quicker than people in Wisconsin, which results in the people in the state moving faster in general. One possible reason for the faster speed limit is that Michigan is home to Detroit, the motor city, and home to Ford Motor Company.

A second difference between the two states is the time zone each is in. Wisconsin is in the Central Time zone, while Michigan is located in the Eastern Time zone. Michigan is located in the same time zone as states out east, but Michigan is on the western edge of the time zone. Because they are in this time zone, prime time television programs normally begin at eight in the evening Monday through Saturday. Most nights the late local news starts at eleven. Because of the time zone being the latest in the country, sport games often do not finish until the next day. With the time zone being the same as New York, the morning shows such as Today and Good Morning America are able to air live.

Unlike Michigan, Wisconsin is in the Central Time zone. This is an hour earlier than Michigan and the Eastern Time zone. In other words if it’s five in Michigan, it is only four in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is on the eastern edge of the time zone. Unlike Michigan, prime time television programming begins at seven Monday through Saturday. But at the same time that prime time programming is pushed ahead a hour, the morning shows such as Today and Good Morning America start at seven, which also means they are not aired live. The late local news airs right after prime time programming at ten at night, just an hour earlier than Michigan, just like the prime time programming.

Wisconsin is known for its production of dairy. One of Wisconsin’s nicknames is “the dairy state”. There are twice as many jobs in the dairy industry in Wisconsin than in its tourism industry. Wisconsin is also known for its farming industry. It is even one of the biggest cranberry producing states. Finally, Wisconsin is known for the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field, one of the most legendary franchise and stadium.

Michigan however is most known for its lakes, since its official nickname is the “Great Lakes State”. This is because it is surrounded by four of the five great lakes. They are Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. Besides the great lakes, Michigan is also known for autos. It is home to Ford Motor Company in Detroit, which is also known as the motor city.

Michigan and Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan beaches are different too. First, in Michigan, the Lake Michigan beaches I have visited have always been really nice. The sand is purer, and the water is warmer and less murky than in Wisconsin. The other main difference between the two sides of the lake is the sand dunes. The dunes, created by the winds and decreasing water levels, can be large. In Michigan there are also beautiful sunsets over Lake Michigan.

Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline is much different than Michigan’s. The biggest noticeable difference is how much flatter the beaches are. There are no dunes like in Michigan. Another difference is overall cleanliness of the beaches. The sand and water seem a little more dirty and smelly in Wisconsin than in Michigan. In Wisconsin, the sun rises over Lake Michigan.

If Wisconsin is an old Chevy pickup, then Michigan is a Ford Mustang. Wisconsin is an old Chevy pickup because it is a state that is sturdy and built to last. It does not pretend to be something it is not. It is not showy but it is steady and plods along. It is also a symbol of the working class, like much of Wisconsin’s population.

However, Michigan is a Ford Mustang. It is a new Ford because Ford Motor Company is based in Detroit, Michigan. The automobile is a trendy sports car because it symbolizes speed, like the state’s 70 miles per hour speed limit. A new Ford is also a sleek, clean car, like some of the picturesque beaches in Michigan. Its crisp handling is like the skiers going down the slopes in Northern Michigan.

Wisconsin and Michigan are the two states I have been in the most. I live in Wisconsin and travel to Michigan for a week every year. I will also admit that I am a bit biased in that I like Wisconsin a bit more than Michigan, although there are some nice ice cream parlors across the lake. I believe these are two great states to visit if you ever have the chance. The differences between the two sides of the lake are interesting.