I am coveting the book which shows...

...this Map of the Great Plains:

Credit University of Nebraska Press

(Don't miss the very thoughtful comment from Chris D.)

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Department of You-heard-it-here-first: The Great Plains will be The Next Big Thing. I don't know exactly it will manifest itself but The Great Plains are coming back as some sort of "item." For those who are curious about the region, follow this blog.

Comments

[Chris D]

It's interesting how most of the cities are placed right near the edges of the great plains.
I wonder what factors exactly made this 'strategic land port' pattern typical?
Either way, it's a good example of the simple, but important, consideration of physical placement/relationship - i.e. building right up to the property line.

[David Sucher]

That's an extremely interesting insight, Chris. I am no expert on the geography of the great plains but my guess would be that the pattern reflects the "break-bulk" locations at which freight is moved or aggregated/disaggegated etc from one mode of transport to another. You get the drift. Cities are located at (usually) extremely logical places and most often in relation to things which now seem ordinary, banal, so-obvious-as-to-be-hidden...things like a shallow place in a river where you can cross it safely or a place where deep water comes closer to shore and where an anchor will hold well. Or where a level plain starts to tilt upwards into mountains and where perhaps extra teams of draft animals can be added in order to climb (e.g. the Rockies etc.)

But I'll pass your question on to a man who knows the mid-west well. Or maybe I'll just order the encyclopedia, today. Or both.