why are there NO major cities in N Cal? (Los Angeles: live in, moving)

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

The first question that must be answered is; why does a city exist? Take a look at a map of California and you will see that historically the major cities were on or near a harbor or navigable river, and served a market, that is people who required goods and services.
Los Angeles is an odd exception in that it was not on a harbor. Los Angeles remained a town of minor importance until wharves were built at Santa Monica, and gold was discovered at Cerro Gordo, it is said that the Cerro Gordo mines built Los Angeles.

Northern California has few (like 1) natural harbor, at Eureka, but even it could not handle large ocean going ships as the bar was shallow.

The port that handled cargo for most of Northern California was Sacramento, served by steam river boats.

Early American Immigration into California was concentrated in central California because of the location of the Mother Lode. The decision by Southern Pacific to extend rails south from Sacramento into the Central Valley played huge part in settling the San Joaquin Valley

Agriculture in the Sacramento was not sufficient persuade SP to run the rail road north, which served to stunt northern California growth further.

The above is a quick over view providing a quick answer to your question.

The end result has given us an area about the size of the State of Ohio with no more than a million people compared to Ohio's roughly 5 million people.

Thank you

They should consider put a city there, make it lower cost of living. See how many people would come.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by soonmoving1

Thank you

They should consider put a city there, make it lower cost of living. See how many people would come.

Who is "they"?

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by soonmoving1

Thank you

They should consider put a city there, make it lower cost of living. See how many people would come.

You cannot simply "put a city" anywhere, a sitting is at its most basic an entity to accomplish a purpose. They stem from a need, when the need is no longer there, they will disappear, boom and bust is the history of the west. Two failed cities I can point out are California Valley, and California City.

To inflict a great population on to North California would be a sin. It is today one of the grandest places to live that exist in this nation.

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

You cannot simply "put a city" anywhere, a sitting is at its most basic an entity to accomplish a purpose. They stem from a need, when the need is no longer there, they will disappear, boom and bust is the history of the west. Two failed cities I can point out are California Valley, and California City.

To inflict a great population on to North California would be a sin. It is today one of the grandest places to live that exist in this nation.

Yes good point, but a little quiet. But I can see the beauty that you are referring to. Maybe southern oregon also.

[EdJS]

As has been said, large cities are not scattered around the world randomly, they come into being because of significant historic and geographic factors. There is a reason San Francisco is where it is, and there is a reason that there is no large city between S.F. and Portland.

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by EdJS

As has been said, large cities are not scattered around the world randomly, they come into being because of significant historic and geographic factors. There is a reason San Francisco is where it is, and there is a reason that there is no large city between S.F. and Portland.

yes, that was my original question, can you comment on that? Some people love Brookings here in Portland...if you can love a place like Brookings...certainly you can love a place further south!

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

I for one, do not consider San Francisco northern CA. It is the Bay area, which blends from central CA on the south to Northern CA on the north.

.

As the crow flies, 300 miles.

The Bay Area is NorCal. Live it, learn it.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Los Angeles is an odd exception in that it was not on a harbor. Los Angeles remained a town of minor importance until wharves were built at Santa Monica, and gold was discovered at Cerro Gordo, it is said that the Cerro Gordo mines built Los Angeles.

It was mainly the arrival of the railroad and the building of a port in SAN PEDRO that contributed to LA's growth into a large industrial city.

[Snort]

Too much good "potting" soil up north. Why build cities and asphalt it over?

[AllenSJC]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

The first question that must be answered is; why does a city exist? Take a look at a map of California and you will see that historically the major cities were on or near a harbor or navigable river, and served a market, that is people who required goods and services.
Los Angeles is an odd exception in that it was not on a harbor. Los Angeles remained a town of minor importance until wharves were built at Santa Monica, and gold was discovered at Cerro Gordo, it is said that the Cerro Gordo mines built Los Angeles.

Northern California has few (like 1) natural harbor, at Eureka, but even it could not handle large ocean going ships as the bar was shallow.

The port that handled cargo for most of Northern California was Sacramento, served by steam river boats.

Early American Immigration into California was concentrated in central California because of the location of the Mother Lode. The decision by Southern Pacific to extend rails south from Sacramento into the Central Valley played huge part in settling the San Joaquin Valley

Agriculture in the Sacramento was not sufficient persuade SP to run the rail road north, which served to stunt northern California growth further.

The above is a quick over view providing a quick answer to your question.

The end result has given us an area about the size of the State of Ohio with no more than a million people compared to Ohio's roughly 5 million people.

Great post. Don't forget that the Los Angeles Aqueduct, built by 1913, had a major impact on the growth of Southern CA. Also, the rise of the entertainment industry, plus defense contracts during WWII and the Cold War in Southern CA, was a big reason why LA and Southern CA became so huge.