Free Lakeland Republic (1962: The Apocalypse)

History
The Lakeland Republic is a confederation of towns and villages around the Lake of the Woods, Part of Roseau County, Lake of the Woods County, Rainy River District, part of Koochiching County and far southern Kenora District, situated in former Ontario, Minnesota and Manitoba.

Doomsday
Now were in the nation was targeted or hit. There would mostly be a problem with the radioactive fall-out from other regions of North America that would cause much trouble. Jay Ward decided to hid out on his private island rather than returning to Hollywood, which he rightly believed would be nuked or at least heavily irradiated!

After Doomsday
Many would suffer and some would die during the severer weather events of 1962-65. Jay Ward rallied the people of the Lake of the Woods islands and coastline, setting up the Free Lakeland Republic on the 3rd of May, 1964. The city state of Big Falls, Minnesota and the minor nation of Bandger-Roseau, both of which had been founded by local farmers 2 years earlier, would join The Free Lakeland Republic on May 7th, 1965. The minor 18 moth old state of Dryden and Sioux Lookout joined the next day. A local logger had formed the nation of Dryden and Sioux Lookout.

First Contact
First contact was made with east Wisconsin and Chicago in 1967, Canada, the United Republic of Iowa and Great Plains in 1968, and the  Socialist Republic of the North Star and Kingdom of Michigan in 1968.

The cartoon chariters Rocky and Bullwinkle became the republic's de facto national symbols in 1967.

1969-1979
The pirates on Lake Huron's Manitoulin Island first entered the nation on the 1st of May 1977. The Lakelanders were defeated after the small, but vicious battles of Dryden, Redditt and Kenora.

1980-2000
The pirates on Lake Huron's Manitoulin Island were defeated after a heavy fight with Canadian and Michigander troops in mid 1987 around the occupied towns of Oxdrift, Vermilion Bay, Atikokan and Sioux Narrows. Essex, Algoma, Rainy River, central Kenora, and Lambton in Ontario were taken and held until order was restored. The Lakeland Republic was re-established as a Canadian client state in the June of 1989.

Present Day
A free trade treaty was opened with Canada in 2008.

Since the pirates were defeated, Lakeland (like much of the rural Midwest and central Canada) has had little trouble with gangs, drug-dealers or factionalism due in part to its relative isolation and low population. The major issues facing the area are limited electricity (imported via one major cable from Canada) and a minimal education system.

Military
The armed forces abandoned the use of bows and swords in favor of Michigander rifles and pistols in 2004. The army is a volunteer force of 45 and a conscript force of 55.

Transport
Horses are still popular in the nation, despite the recent, but short lived, outbreak of foot and mouth disease. Small yachts and rowing boats are used for traveling on the nation's major lakes and rivers.

Waterworks and food sources
Untreated water is drawn from the local springs, wells, lake and rivers.

Economy
Subsistence farming, comic books, subsistence fishing, logging, forestry and some domestic furniture production. Furniture is made in Dryden, Kenora and Roseau. Farming is located around Piney, Sprague and Roseau. Printing and comic book production occurs at Kenora and Roseau. Fishing is concentrated at Ranier, Minnesota and peat cutting is concentrated at Big Falls, Minnesota

Energy
Wood is the state flue and the trees are felled near Dryden. Peat is dug up (peat cutting) at Big Falls, Minnesota.

Government
The first elections occurred in 1977 and the mayor is elected for 6 years. The nation is known for it's strongly pro-democracy attitudes.

Healthcare
Thyroid and skin cancers are no longer major issues, and are markedly less than they were before 1968.

Popular culture
Lucy Maud Montgomery's book Anne of Green Gables is very popular in the nation.

Media
The North Star, Michigan and Canadian national newspapers have been in circulation since 2007. Posters are nailed up as and when necessary by the local authorities.

The arts
John Ward started a local firm in Kenora during 1982 that published Rocky and Bullwinkle comics for sale in Lakeland, North Star, Michigan and Canada. The company continued after his death of old age in 1989. The cartoons are selling so much in Canada and North Star that a new press was opened in Roseau during 1997 to reproduce copies of the original comics for further sale in those nations.

During the battle of Dryden the Max the Mouse Statue was destroyed and later replaced with a statue of Bullwinkle.

Sports
The #1 sport in Lakeland is Baseball.

Policing
The Free Lake Republic's police dress in a uniform similar to that of Canadian Mounties and are affectionately called "Dudleys" or "Do Rights". They are well liked and well respected by there fellow citizens.

The death penalty
Murderers, sex predators, rapists, child molesters, traitors and enemy spies are executed with the hangman’s rope. A moratorium on hanging has been in place since 1987. Inmates are now jailed in Canadian prisons.