La Crosse

[bushd25 1]

This is my first CJ. It is based on the La Crosse, Wisconsin map I made a while ago. La Crosse is a city on the Mississippi River that sits under the river bluffs. Although the geography is La Crosse, I am not trying to make a perfect re-creation. Place names and physical features will have original names. I'm using the Network Addon, Andreas' slope, bridge height and Blue Water mods and a few others.

The landscape is a wide part of the Mississippi river valley where the river narrows between upstream and downstream lakes. Knotty bluffs surround the plain. In the north is Papillon Island, site of the original French trading settlement, Saint Germain. Along the east edge of the island runs East Kill, which featured for some time a competing British post run by Dutch traders operating under a special charter. The small island is Hendricks Island, named for Fort Hendricks, constructed by the British during the French and Indian War. Just west of that is Rabbit Lake, named by Col. John Bonham, the Fort's first commander, as he stood on the bluff to the north and looked out over it (the bluff is called Bonham Bluff). The protuberance off the river just south of Rabbit Lake is Whitetail Lake. In the southeast, the S-shaped valley is called Orchard Hollow, as early settlers discovered a huge natural orchard of crabapple trees.

Before starting any cities, I decided to construct the river crossings, as it will be much easier to plan and construct the transportation network around them.

The Old Crossing is a four-lane bridge connecting River Drive in Rabbit Lake on the west bank with Hendricks Island and Hendricksville on the east bank. To the south is the New Crossing in Knightsbridge, built with the connecting part of River Drive to freeway standards. However, beyond the southern terminus of the crossing over Whitetail Lake, River Drive will become city streets (although room will be left to eventually extend the freeway). In the southwest a two-lane highway was built through Orchard Hollow, which will eventually connect up through Hendricksville.

Our first city is the site of the original Saint Germain settlement.

Located on the southwest edge of Papillon Island, St. Germain was founded in 1735 as a fur trading post. It changed hands a number of times before being turned over to the British, and later to SimNation. Today, St. Germain is a small village of 400 people with a number of farms. Recently, the village trustees established a small industrial park to broaden the economic base of the village. A number of residents are wary of future growth destroying their small-town way of life.

The streets were originally laid out by the French within their settlement, and to this day the original French names remain. (Smithy Lane was added by the British, when they built a new blacksmith's shop and stable in 1784.)

[bushd25 1]

Knightsbridge is built between the south edge of Whitetail Lake and the river.

The original "Knight's Bridge" was a wooden bridge running across the mouth of Whitetail Lake; at the time, most of the land between Whitetail and Rabbit Lakes and the western bluffs was impassable wetland, and Christopher Knight built the only connection for wagons traveling between the Hendricks Island ferry and Stueyville to the southwest (outside the region). The toll was five cents. It was destroyed in a storm in 1887 and replaced with an iron bridge in 1892; the iron bridge was itself destroyed in the flood of 1924, but by that time the wetlands had been drained by the railroad, as they extended the line around Whitetail Lake.

Grouse Point protrudes a quarter mile into Whitetail Lake, which investors chose as an excellent place to build the power plant.

Next is Hendricksville, which despite being named after Hendricks Island isn't actually located on the island, but across the eastern channel from it.

There was for some time a leper colony on the island, kept strictly isolated on the north end. The town itself has experienced enormous growth over the past couple of decades, and the Chamber of Commerce-dominated City Council intends to annex neighboring open land in a very aggressive program of expansion.

So here's where La Crosse is at:

Still to come are the towns of East Kill and Papillon Island proper, both located to the northwest.

[moganite 4]

it is good how you did the history of the region too it gives a good feel to it

[Goin2Chicago 4]

i like all the details you put into this. it's good to read. i also like how you branched off the avenue using the one way roads. that looks really cool. keep it up!

[patfirefghtr 160]

awsome start i do have to say i like it a lot keep it up

[Mikeaut1 261]

Looks nice! I would suggest if your computer could handle it, to increase the graphics. Trees and other props are missing on your lots. But it looks very nice!! Great job!

[meercat61 0]

I like your work! Keep it up!

[jacqulina 162]

great start looking forward to more

[shivsood 5]

looks gd. Quite realistic

[eggie99 6]

good luck with your region! it looks nice

[Fabiocb 1]

interesting start and the region looks quite nice with those golfs and lake.

[tomdapom 79]

Good start i like attention to detail

[Battlecat 14]

A very nice start to your region!  Good story, and city layout so far! 

[winonanick 0]

I currently live in these parts! I am excited to see your recreation.

[Yoman3 5]

wow i love the water canb't wait for more

[cityhawk 12]

The history element is good, and you're off to a great start.

[bushd25 1]

La Crosse is growing! I decided to grow Hendricksville out to about 9 blocks by 7, with medium density along the main streets. The population has made it to just over 10,000.

With this level of population, Mayor Rufus T. Shackleford decided that it was time for Hendricksville to get a high school and a hospital.

Meanwhile, the overall highway network has been extended a bit, with connections in Sheffield immediately to the east.

The highway running southeast from Hendricksville to the interchange in Sheffield connects all the way with the Orchard Hollow Highway, creating the first eastward link to SimNation. St. Germain has also been connected through East Kill.

The dashed lines give you an idea of the overall highway plan. Red is the freeway, white are avenues/expressways, grey are roads, and black is the railroad.

Next, I have got to get started on East Kill and Sheffield, and Knightsbridge could go for some growth...

[sloppet 3]

Nice start! Good work so far! ;sly;

[Micah 16]

Really great start! The region looks fantastic!

[Energy Monkey 0]

Great update, keep up the work!

[bushd25 1]

La Crosse is coming along nicely! Knightsbridge is busy growing, from a sleepy hamlet of 400 to a bustling town of 8,000.

A nice neighborhood is developing along the river, near the Mayor's house.

Meanwhile, East Kill adds to the rural character of Papillon Island. Farms are spreading east and south from St. Germain, covering up much of the island.

The town part of East Kill is just over the bridge at the south end of the island. The East River Road and Highway 35 go through town, so the actual streets and houses are set back from the highway a bit...in case SimState ever decides to upgrade the road to a freeway. Highway 35 also goes over the railroad, the result of a grade crossing elimination project.

And Sheffield has gotten off the ground!

It's the first town center in La Crosse to have direct freeway access. Eventually, it will also be the main rail terminal for the region; the two tracks in the north of the image will become a rail yard.

Overall, the La Crosse area has grown to nearly 25,000 people.

The next order of business is to get Rabbit Lake up and running...it's going to be more of a quiet residential community along the lakeshore. Then, some work on melding these individual towns into a city and upgrading their knowledge base. Stay tuned!

[cityhawk 12]

I'm lovin' the region shots and the one showing future plans. Great job!

[sloppet 3]

Great update my friend! Maybe you should get the cycle dogg's Terrain Mod?

[pickled_pig 7]

Too many Pedriana's plants! - but, when using the in-game farming, it's pretty much inevitable. I'm not going to get mad at you for not downloading farm lots off the STEX because for my life I can't figure out the lot chains and the dependencies that the BSC relies so heavily upon.

Your journal is well-written, and the history adds greatly to it. The only improvement that I can think of is simply going on the STEX and looking for new buildings that you like that will add to your city and make it more varied.

[bushd25 1]

Originally posted by: pickled_pig The only improvement that I can think of is simply going on the STEX and looking for new buildings that you like that will add to your city and make it more varied.quote>

Right now I'm just trying to concentrate on growing and developing the city...boosting EQ, integrating the communities, etc. Once everything gets up to speed and I start doing some "urban renewal," I'll start customizing things a bit more.

[Cjah 15]

Nice use of the highway and it appears very nice in the region view....Such a simple city is best at times,but be careful cause it can grow out of control is you zone enough industry in key areas,,,,,

[Fabiocb 1]

nice planning as soon as those areas get richer they will sure looks great.

[UnkleS27 24]

I love how you're curving your highway and rail systems. I always think that looks so cool

keep up the good work

[diablo_del_bano 3]

Hey, are you going to make La Crescent? I have a friend who lives there.