Also, my history is still a WIP, but a major part of it includes Wisconsin and Illinois being lawless areas, devoid of any real government. Basically, their governments would have collapsed due to the mass amounts of refugees fleeing East, and police being unable to stop the large-scale looting and raiding that would follow. 

A large amount of what I'm planning for stories relies on them being lawless, and Michigan's government planning to restore order to them. 

Figured I would say this now, so I can try to collaborate with anyone who might possibly join in the same area. History should be done tonight, at the rate I'm currently writing.