| Beatosu and Goblu | |
|---|---|
 Beatosu (left arrow) and Goblu (right arrow) | |
| Created by | Peter Fletcher |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | City |
| Locations | Ohio |
Beatosu andGoblu are two non-existent towns inFulton andLucas counties, respectively, in the US state ofOhio. They were inserted into the 1978–1979 edition of the official state ofMichigan map. The names refer to the slogan ofUniversity of Michigan fans ("Go Blue!") and a reference to their archrivals fromOhio State University ("Beat OSU").
Peter Fletcher, a Michigan alumnus and chairman of theState Highway Commission with a "sly sense of humor",[1] ordered the inclusion of the fake towns of "Goblu" (near the real town ofBono, Ohio, offState Route 2) and "Beatosu" (nearArchbold, Ohio, just south ofInterstate 80/Interstate 90/Ohio Turnpike at exit 25).[2] On the printed map, the fictitious town names appear in all lowercase letters ("goblu" and "beatosu"), while every other town name is capitalized. As well, while all real locations are clearly marked, there is no specific dot, boundary line or other marker to identify the precise location of the two fictitious towns.
In a 2008 interview, Fletcher explained that a fellow Michigan alumnus had been teasing him about theMackinac Bridge colors: green and white, the colors ofMichigan State University. Fletcher noted that the bridge colors were in compliance with federal highway regulations, so he had no choice in that matter; he did, however, have more control over the state highway map. Fletcher said that he thus ordered a cartographer to insert the two fictitious towns.[3]
In their 2012 obituary of Fletcher,AnnArbor.com noted that the maps containing the fictional cities had a limited print run and have become collector's items.[1] The map's publication has also been noted as a good luck charm for the University of Michigan Wolverines that year; the team beat their arch rivals 14–3 in the 1978 edition ofThe Game,[2] which was once called the greatest North American sports rivalry by a writer forESPN.com.[4] The map and the rivalry were included inBritannica's "One Good Fact" entry for March 11, 2025.[5]
The fictionalG.I. Joe comic book character Road Pig is recorded as having been born in Goblu, Michigan.[6]
The moviePaper Towns refers to the concept ofpaper towns. In their description, it refers to fake towns on a map created bycartographers to deter copyright infringement. A map extent of Beatosu is shown as an example.[citation needed]
