WHAT IF: a Midwest without Chicago (Champaign, Urbana: theater, school, restaurants)

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

One of the other midwestern cities would've become like Chicago, pure and simple.

You raise an interesting point. One I've though of, too. But is there really evidence that one city must emerge out of the pack?

Here's my contention: NO CITY IN THE UNITED STATES SO DOMINATES ITS REGION THE WAY CHICAGO DOES ITS.

I believe that one completely. My evidence:

1. The South has no one major city that stands out ahead of the others. New Orleans may be viewed as the region's first major city to reach appreciable population (something Charleston never did). Its power ebbed long before Katrina. Atlanta is seen as the major southeastern city but when you go to that separate half American/half Latin city in the part of that region that is South Florida, Miami holds sway. Neither Houston or Dallas can pull away as the real leader in Texas. Thus in their own way, Nola, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, and Dallas have shared the type of power that Chicago has alone for itself in the Midwest.

2. The Northeast. New York may be the self-proclaimed Greatest City On Earth, but there is no question that it shares power with Washington within its own region. It is also true that Chicago does not have to contend with major players like Boston and Philadelphia in our region.

3. The Mountain West, between Denver, Phoenix, Vegas, and SLC, has no dominant city.

4. California is the only state with two world class cities. Metro LA shares its west coast dominance with SF & the Bay Area. And up in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, though neither a Los Angeles or a San Francisco, is a major, major city.

Chicago, on the other hand, stands out with no real midwestern competition. Cincy's prominence was part of the early settlement era of the region and was short lived. The Civil War and the end of the real Miss R traffic and the growth of rail roads striped StL of its major rival role long more than a century past. And while Detroit paralleled Chicago's industrial might during the first half of the 20th century, it never had Chicago's white collar strength and, of course, it has been decimated by the destruction of the auto industry. Milw's destiny was sealed by the colossus 90 miles to its south; ironically, it may be the best placed of the midwestern cities because of its position of benefiting from Chicago's synergy in the megacity that is the southwest shore of Lk Michigan. Indy and Columbus are johnny come lately and missed being part of a decaying rust belt. Yet their presence, though impressive in its rise, is hardly dominating by any standard. Arguably the second most powerful midwestern metro, the Twin Cities, is a cultural and quality of life gem, but is no real competition with Chicago in a location that is hardly going to be dominant in our region.

This is ABSOLUTELY NO KNOCK on my part of our fellow midwestern cities. I like them all and would love to see, for example, Detroit regain its rightful place among US cities. I love StL's historical context and the progressive nature of Mpls. Milw is a great neighbor and offers its advantages without the hassles that Chicago has; Chicago does, let's face it, pay a price for its power and fame.

But as much as I like them all, Chicago stands above each and every one on a different playing field. And as I said from the start, neither the Northeast, South, Mountain West, or Pacific Coast has any city that so dominates its region as we do ours.

others, of course, can disagree. this is just one man's opinion.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

God this thread is pretty pointless. All that will come out of it is verbal Masturbation.

I started the thread, Avenger. I thought it would be interesting to discuss on this forum because Chicago is the dominant city of the region. I had no intention of it being "verbal masturbation" on any level.

the way I see it, we all have different interests. If you find this topic pointless (as I do about others), just opt out. Just because you're not interested in it, doesn't mean others aren't. We all have our own tastes.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by edsg25

I started the thread, Avenger. I thought it would be interesting to discuss on this forum because Chicago is the dominant city of the region. I had no intention of it being "verbal masturbation" on any level.

the way I see it, we all have different interests. If you find this topic pointless (as I do about others), just opt out. Just because you're not interested in it, doesn't mean others aren't. We all have our own tastes.

I am not saying the subject is not somewhat valid nor did I intend to attack you personally. I just am predicting the direction the thread will go in.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Chicago without the lake would be St. Louis. The Midwest without Chicago would be Milwaukee-ish.

Chicago without yuppies and world-class cultural institutions is already very "Milwaukee-ish".

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Chicago without yuppies and world-class cultural institutions is already very "Milwaukee-ish".

...I'll take that as a compliment. However we do have yuppies and a few world class cultural institutions. Milwaukee Art Museum, The Milwaukee Zoo, Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee Symphony, Harley museum...? but they are more on a National Class institutions instead of world class, I don't think we have anything world class maybe the art museum for architecture but not for the art.

[Irishtom29]

The portage made Chicago. Back in the 1600s Joliet and LaSalle realized that this would be the site of a mighty city dominating the interior of the continent. Geography, geography, geography.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

...I'll take that as a compliment. However we do have yuppies and a few world class cultural institutions. Milwaukee Art Museum, The Milwaukee Zoo, Milwaukee Rep, Milwaukee Symphony, Harley museum...? but they are more on a National Class institutions instead of world class, I don't think we have anything world class maybe the art museum for architecture but not for the art.

Milwaukee may be one of the most underrated cities in the nation. How many cities would die for an open lakefront on one of the Great Lakes with parkland running down its shore. Milwaukee's German heritage is strong architectuarally and in spirit. The public museum, the domes, the zoo are all class acts. The art museum is a beauty. Neighborhoods along the northside lakefront are charming like their Chicago counterparts without the problems that overdensity can cause in Chicago. The Third Ward may well be one of the most charming of all rehabbed warehouse districts. And perhaps it is tacky to say, but I think a lot of us wouldn't mind seeing Pottawatomi smack in the heart of Chicago.

Milwaukee is a terrific city and, in reality, the Chicago/Milwaukee region work together in tandem, a mix of two near by metros with no parallel throughout the midwest (in fact, the only parallels I can think of with major cities that close are coastal and would be Bos-NY-Phil-Bal-Wash and LA-SD.) Our cities in fact follow many a similiar path...in lake-and-river development, festivals, sense of neighborhood. And what other region of the nation can enjoy Taste of Chicago and Summerfest at basically the same time. And there is little doubt when you look at the Gurnee-Kenosha area that has boomed based on proximity that the Chgo and Milw areas are becoming one, with both benefitting from it.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

The portage made Chicago. Back in the 1600s Joliet and LaSalle realized that this would be the site of a mighty city dominating the interior of the continent. Geography, geography, geography.

The real trick of the chicago location was being the only place on the North American continent where the Great Lakes and Mississippi River systems meet in close proximity to the Great Lakes.

When the Erie Canal opened, that New York-New Orleans interior waterway wouldn't work without Chicago as the link between the two water systems. And Chicago was also the most logical spot for a nation wide rail network that could effectively connect New York with San Francisco and, indeed, the whole Pacific Coast with the northeast corridor.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I am not saying the subject is not somewhat valid nor did I intend to attack you personally. I just am predicting the direction the thread will go in.

thanks. i appreciate the clarification

[Milwaukee City]

the Chicago/Milwaukee region work together in tandem

It's about time, they just started widening the freeways here in Milwaukee to 4 lanes each way down to the state line. This project was done in cooperation with Ill widening their end of the tri-state to fours lanes north to Wisconsin and us returning the favor by widening our freeways on the south side to four lanes each way down to the state line. I think this is the first project done with the two states working together. Now if we could only speed up the train between the two cities so it only takes 30min would be great.