Travis McHenry

Travis McHenry is the founder and creator of two micronations, neither of which has yet been recognized by a world government.

In 2001, while a seaman in the United States Navy, McHenry founded the micronation of Westarctica.[1] In 2004, he appointed himself ruler of the Grand Duchy of Westarctica, which was located in the Marie Byrd Land region of Antarctica. He has said that this took advantage of a loophole in the Antarctic Treaty System. In 2006, after learning that McHenry had been communicating with foreign governments asking them to recognize the nation, the Navy required him to abdicate.[2][3] As of August 2018, Westarctica claims a population of 2,356 citizens (none of whom actually live there), and McHenry still calls himself its Grand Duke.[4][5]

In 2009, after McHenry left the military, he acquired a few acres of rural desert land in Southern California from his family, and founded Calsahara. McHenry later expanded it to cover 117 acres. A 2015 profile in Los Angeles magazine described the project as good-natured, but said, "It's hard to discern whether Calsahara is a serious endeavor or an absurdly long-term joke."[3]

Sometime before 2011, McHenry changed the name of Westarctica from "Grand Duchy of Westarctica" to "Protectorate of Westarctica."[6]

In 2014, McHenry made Westarctica into a non-profit organization that advocates for protection of Antarctic wildlife and for the study of climate change.[7]

In October 2017, McHenry's two micronations were linked when Calsahara was 'annexed' by Westarctica becoming a 'colony' of the Westarctican territory.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Grant, Eva. "There are hundreds of 'micronations' you've never heard of". Public Radio International. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  2. ↑ Williams, Holly (29 November 2014). "Meet the micronation builders: Self-appointed leaders have created independent territories, complete with flags, anthems and crowns". Independent.
  3. 1 2 Harlander, Thomas (8 December 2015). "California's Only Dictator Rules a Tiny Fake Nation in the Middle of Nowhere". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. ↑ Parker, Jennifer (2015-04-30). "The Weird, Wild World of Micro-Nations Where Anybody Can Be King". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  5. ↑ Press, Associated (2015-04-10). "Micronations conference brings together (fake) nations". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  6. ↑ Bahareth, Mohammad (2011). Micronations: For Those Who Are Tired of Existing Incompetent Governments and Are Longing for Something New and Refreshing. iUniverse. p. 2010. ISBN 978-1-4620-6926-2.
  7. ↑ "Molossia and Vikesland? Leaders of (fake) nations gather in L.A." CBS News. AP. April 10, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Colony of Calsahara". Westarctica. Retrieved 2018-08-22.
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