January Bay [Past and Present]

[Cowboy-Texas- 0]

JANUARY BAY [Past and Present]
A historic look back at the birth of a city

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A City Journal by: Cowboy[Texas]

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Introduction

Some years ago while I was on a business trip I stopped at a little roadside antique store to see what kind of "bargains" I might find. I ran across a really old wooden trunk that I thought might look nice in my bedroom. Upon my return home I began cleaning the trunk and I happend accross what I though was just an old scrap of paper tucked away in the lining of the trunk. To my amazement, it was a fragile old parchment but still in fairly good shape. As I carefully unfolded the paper... I realized that I was about to begin a wonderful trip back in time.

Below is the original document that I found hidden away in the old wooden trunk...

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Our Journey Begins

I contacted the January Bay Historical Society and told them what I had found. They were very excited and therefore I allowed them to study the old parchment. After a few months they contacted me and asked my permission to keep it on display in their City Museum. Naturally I was honored and I agreed to their request. In the meantime, they sent me some computer generated maps that they had made based on the original document that I provided to them. I was told that these are an "artists" rendition of January Bay taken from the map that I found.

This first image is a computer generated aerial map created as a replica of the orignal map...
            

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Another computer generated 3D map created from the old map that I found...
       

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Stay tuned for more Updates

I was so impressed with the beauty of January Bay that I decided I really should go there and meet with their Historical Society to learn more about this wonderful city. Over the past several months I was able to find a wealth of information about their history. I will be sharing it with you all in the very near future... or at least with those of you who are as interested in history as I am.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS


 = = = = = The 19th Century = = = = =

Update 0.0 .............. "The Map of January Bay" (Introduction) 
Update 1.0 .............. "The First Inhabitants" (Years 1822 to 1835)
Update 2.0 .............. "The Battle of San Jacinto" (April 1836)
Update 3.0 .............. "The Return Home" (Years 1836 to 1846) 
Update 4.0 .............. "We Built This City" (Years 1847 to 1857) 
Update 5.0 .............. "Inspiration Rock" (Years 1858 to 1869) 
Update 6.0 .............. "Moses McMann Dies" (Years 1869 to 1879) 
Update ?.? .............. Coming Soon 

 = = = = = The 20th Century = = = = =

Update ?.? .............. Coming Soon 
Update ?.? .............. Coming Soon 
Update ?.? .............. Coming Soon

 

[Mikeaut1 261]

wow this looks nice!!! I like the storyline to this as well... Definitely coming back for more!!

[Cleaner475 150]

very nice start

the map in very good

can't wait for more,

Richard

[waldner 0]

Looks interesting!

[yoshikoroyimara 5]

waiting for more!

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Cool idea. Looks interesting.

[simoplis_mayor 3]

great idea very interesting.

[jayo 44]

Very interesting and grabbing start you got there!

[suplado! 23]

good start...

[jacqulina 162]

great idea very nice old map,great start and intro my friend,i look forward to seeing more,i agree its very beautifull

[Cowboy-Texas- 0]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ REPLIES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

@ EVERYONE - Thanks for everyone's nice posts above. This is my first CJ so I'm kind of learning as I go. I've only been playing SC4 for a month or so and its nice to have comments from all you "veterans" of simcity.

Thanks for all the great comments on the map. It took me over three hours just to make that

thing... and yes I did make it completely from scratch. Of course the ships were copied from another file, and the trees were a font that I found. Everything else was created from a blank white screen.

@ Mikeaut1 - Thanks for your comments and Im glad you like the storyline so far.

@ Cleaner475 - I'm glad you like the map and hope you like the other pics also.

@ waldner - Thank you. I hope it will be interesting to you and others as well.

@ yoshikoroyimara - Ask and you shall receive. See the update my friend.

@ Schulmanator - Thanks. Your comments mean alot coming from someone with such a popular CJ. I've been impressed with your city everytime I read your CJ.

@ simoplis_mayor - Thanks for your support Mr. mayor! omg I think ur uber 1337 4 ur sig (joking... I really do like your sig... and I also dislike 1337 speak. It's ruining the minds of todays youth )

@ jayo - I'm glad you found it interesting so far. Ill try not to disappoint anyone.

@ suplado! - Much appreciated.

Originally posted by: jacqulina great idea very nice old map,great start and intro my friend,i look forward to seeing more,i agree its very beautifullquote>

@ jacqulina - wow... gracious comments from such an SC4 artist as yourself. I love your work!

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I will be posting an update for my CJ later today or tomorow. Thanks again for your support.

Cowboy[Texas]

[mayorbk 66]

it looks good so far

[jacqulina 162]

looking out for that update my friend

[JanYpe 17]

You're certainly putting in the effort.

[penguin007 27]

Great start I love the map and story

Can't wait for the update

Will

[Cowboy-Texas- 0]

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(Update 1.0)

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The First Inhabitants

Originally all of the land within the January Bay territory was awarded in the form of U.S. Government land grants beginning in 1821. The first inhabitant to settle in the newly established territory was General Moses A. McMann. Moses McMann was the youngest general to serve in the Revolutionary War of 1812. At the time of the war he was only 18 and it is said that he was hand picked for his position by none other than President James Madison. With the war long over now, and himself being a man of 27 years of age, the retired General was looking for a peaceful place to begin the rest of his life.

General McMann's farm was the first deed awarded in the territory. Below is the only known photo of General McManns farm. The photo was taken in 1822, only one year after McMann had settled into the territory.

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Progress (1822 - 1835)

Migration to the territory was slow. According to deed records found in the nearby Forest Haven County Courthouse, as well as various hand written letters describing historical accounts, it is believed that shortly after some of first landowners began trying to settle in the area, a series of freak farming accidents and other "unexplained" events began to occur. Thus convincing most of the other land owners to sell their newly awarded tracts of land for as little as § 1 simolean per deed. Oddly enough, all of the deeds were being purchased by a single man... General Moses A. McMcann. He purchased a total of 18 deeds which was virtually all of the land within the modern day city limits of January Bay. This monopoly of land ownership by McMann proved to be very profitable in the coming years.

With General Moses McMann now holding the deeds to all of the available land in the territory, he gradually resold the parcels of land for ten times what he originally paid for them. Therefore allowing him to grow his wealth as well as growing his humble little farm into the most profitable horse ranch in the territory.

The McMann Ranch and trail leading to the waters edge (circa 1830) ...

A Man Knocked Senseless

According to hand written letter by Gen. Moses McMann himself, he claimed he would never get married. However, after being kicked senseless by a horse one day, he rode to the nearby town of Wigeon Grove and immediately married a saloon dancer and prostitute named Miss Minerva.

This is the only known photo of Moses and Minerva McMann (date unkown) ...

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The McMann Family

Over the next 10 years (1835 to 1845) Moses and Minerva had five children…

1) Son - Elias McMann (Rancher / Farmer / Gambler).

2) Son - Alzheimer “Al” McMann (Many years later, a disease was named after Al).

3) Son - Maxis McMann (Rancher / Businessman. Maxis dreamed of one day

developing “role playing” games for children).

4 and 5) Twins (Brother and Sister) - Mallox and Mylanta McMann (Both eventually became doctors and developed antacid formulas).

Thanks to the proceeds gained from the McMann's reselling land deeds in the territory, the McMann family fortune grew and grew. Their ranch also grew into a highly profitable business which employeed not only their family members, but also several hired ranch hands and field hands to work their farm.

Below is a photo of the McMann ranch in 1848...

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Thanks for reading my first City Journal. More to come soon

Cowboy[Texas] 

 

[tomdapom 79]

Wow! I can't believe this is your first journal, the quality and originality of it is supurb! I hope to see January Bay prosper into a sprawling metropolis someday!

Tom

[Mikeaut1 261]

For a first journal this is not bad, at all!! This is incredible!! Beautifully edited pictures, gives the whole journal and old feel. Will definitely be watching some more!

[DougOZ 0]

very nice CJ, and good story... i can't wait for the next update...

[nousername 0]

Nice photo shop and you say ur new to playing SC4.... still its amazing for someone who's only been playing for what a month now...

[JanYpe 17]

Awesome.

[jacqulina 162]

wonderfull work and pics,great write up,very nice editing,very nice work and pics my friend

[Benedict 3,119]

Great start to your CJ, I love the look of your banners - very well crafted!

[gshmails 534]

Very nice story, keep it up!

[Amerikaner 42]

HUH this is interesting i like the country feel you have out here...being from texas myself lol looks like that might be something on the coast near houston?? anyway i cant wait to see how the area develops into a major city

[Cowboy-Texas- 0]

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ REPLIES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

@ tomdapom - Yes this is my first CJ. I've had lots of inspiration from reading all the other great cj' s here at ST. Thanks for your comments.

Originally posted by: Mikeaut1 Beautifully edited pictures, gives the whole journal and old feel. Will definitely be watching some more! quote>

@ Mikeaut1 - What ?? "an old feel" ?? You sound as if I am making this stuff up as I go along... lol. Thanks and I'm glad you like the theme.

@ DougOZ - An update will be coming very soon my friend (tonight or tomorow.

@ nousername - I used to play SC2000 along time ago... but it was only the end of May that I happened to stumble across a used, vanilla version of SC4. I played it for a week or so and then I found this site.. so I decided to go buy SC4 Deluxe last month. Since then I have been hooked. Although I haven't had time to create very many cities at all.

@ JanYpe - Thanks for the thumbs up

@ jacqulina - Thanks again for your support of my CJ

@ Benedict - I really enjoyed making the banners.. so thank you for noticing.

@ gshmails - Thanks for your comments and thank you for taking time to read my CJ.

@ Amerikaner - "Howdy" to a fellow Texan. Actually January Bay is located in the sim region of ForestHaven County. Have you ever been there? (no, its not real). It's interesting you brought this up because my next update is already planned and does include a bit of history from the great state of Texas

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Another historic update is ready to be posted soon. Please check back tonight or tomorow to find out more about what I have learned in my research of January Bay.

Thanks,

Cowboy

[Cowboy-Texas- 0]

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(Update 2.0)

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"Remember The Alamo" and "Remember Goliad"

Although everything was peaceful for many years in January Bay, there was war and bloodshed not far away in Goliad and in San Antonio. The Mexican Army, led by General Santa Anna had defeated and massacred Texas colonists at both locations.

Gen Moses A. McMann volunteers for battle again

In early April of 1836, after learning that the Mexican Army had defeated and slaughtered the 250 defenders of the Alamo in San Antonio, General Moses A. McMann left his ranch and immediately rode to join Sam Houston and the Texian army in their fight against General Santa Anna. He joined up with Sam Houston’s forces on April 15th.

Sam Houston...

The Battle Of San Jacinto

The 21st of April dawned bright and beautiful. The main forces of the Texas army were assembled, totaling about 750 men. They faced over 1500 of the enemy army led by Santa Anna himself. When Sam Houston's long awaited order to advance was given, the Texans did not hesitate.

The San Jacinto Battlefield (Taken from actual accounts and various hand drawn maps)...

Re-creation of the San Jacinto Battlefield (compare to the map above )...

When within seventy yards of the resting enemy, the word "fire" was given, and the Texan shouts of "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad" rang along the entire line. Within a short time, 700 Mexicans were slain, with another 730 taken as prisoners. The battle for Texas was won.

Photo of the San Jacinto Monument (Deer Park, Texas). This is the site of the actual battlefield where Texas won its independance from Mexico...

The San Jacinto Monument...

Shortly after the battle of San Jacinto, General McMann soon returned home to his beloved wife, a war hero once again.

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I hope you enjoyed the history lesson. Come back soon to learn more about January Bay, its early growth and about the new residents of this wonderful sim township.

Thanks,

Cowboy[Texas]

 

 

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[CarmineHilton 6]

You have some great Photoshop-skills!! Really good

[Sim shady 12]

lol nice photoshopping with a certain washington monument Looks very nice this city journal does

proud Texan here!

[suplado! 23]

a very interesting story...contain numerous great pics