There are a few other things that are likely made up to fit the song. There is no Michigan County in Pennsylvania. Nor is there one in Ohio or in Michigan. Also there are limited places in that area where you can drive into Canada, most in big city areas (Detroit, Niagara Falls) and none in Pennsylvania.

I agree with the notion that he's creating a time and place that we all can relate to without actually existing.

But then there were other Johnstown floods, one as recently as 1977 so he could be referring to a song that refers to an all together different flood than the 1889 one.

axysdon