Tom, if I may ask for a bit more information. Was this wind event an unusual one or is this a windy corner? How much space would the tree have? (Both subterranean and spatial.)
How much shade do you want/need? Some trees like the Gleditsia triacanthos v. inermis the thornless honey locust cast filtered shade and are amazingly wind tolerant. Ours are in a windy situation with gusts quite often in the high 40s. For a bigger, more dramatic tree of like appearance, you have the Gymnocladus dioica, Kentucky Coffee Tree.
If you have more limited space, perhaps a fastigate form of one of our standard popular trees might be appropriate. Many species have been cultivated to come in these columnar forms, including even the English oak, Quercus robur, 'Skyrocket'.
Some of the smaller trees may or may not be suitable, depending on your available space, do you want any flowers?
Some suggestions to start the ball rolling:
Carpinus betula, European hornbeam
Maackie amurensis, Amur maachia
Nyssa sylvatic, tupelo
Phellodendron amurense, Amur cork tree
Quercus ellipsoidalis, Northern pin oak
Quercus palustris, Pin oak
Quercus borealis, Northern red oak
Tilia cordata, Little-leafed linden
Zelkova serrata, Japanese zelkova
I like to try to think outside the box to see what might be out there that I haven't thought of. But sometimes, "ole tried and true" is still the best selection.
Another question would be your hardiness zone. I see Michigan ranges from 3b up north to 6b on the eastern coast, with most of the state being in the 5b range.
Sylvia
