This strip of Ohio due west of Connecticut had for years, since before American independence, been considered part of Connecticut's original land grant.
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I think this strip specifically might be what is known as the Western Reserve and possibly the strip through Pennsylvania was just known as "Settle Here at Your Own Risk"? Or maybe it's just because the land was given to Pennsylvania as America was being established and the Ohio portion was simply more Connecticut until the state ceded the land to the United States as part of the Northwest Territory in 1800. But not before Moses Cleaveland founded the worst city in the United States!
Anyway, the university where Merle is headed was called the Case Western Reserve University except that Pynchon refers to it as the Case Institute, something it wouldn't be called for decades. Which is weird because calling it by its original name fits in so much better with Merle's story!
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