The city of Jefferson

[N106 10]

Welcome to my first city journal- the town (and eventually city) of Jefferson!  This city will be modeled off the growth of Phoenix, Arizona, until 1950.  After that, I've come up with my own population and events agenda.

The beginning:

The founder of Jefferson was a man named Joseph Leland.  Leland was born in Connecticut in 1837.  In 1859, Leland went west to California, and founded a business in San Francisco.  However, Leland found himself disatisfied.  When the state government decided to survey Liberty Valley, Leland went along.  In 1867, during the survey, Leland found the perfect soil for farming.  There was a nearby water supply, and the soil was free of rocks.

Leland thought to himself "this would be the perfect place for a nice, little, pleasant farming community".  He went back to San Francisco, and rallied up a couple of hundred settlers.  In the spring of 1870, Leland set out for the Liberty Valley.  He and his settlers laid out a street plan for the new town.  The town was built on a perfect grid.  In the spring of 1871, Leland declared himself the first mayor of the newly named community of Jefferson, and posted ads in newspapers for a Great Land Sale.

Meanwhile, Leland built the famed Leland Estate that fall, and first used it during the winter of 1871-1872.

On the day after the Leland Estate was completed, Leland held a banquet for all of the people of the new town.  The only incident was when a drunkard knocked over some lanterns and nearly set Jefferson on fire.

In Jefferson's early days, the local economy was almost completely dependent on farms.  Unfortunately, because the Liberty River flooded often, farmland had to be built on higher ground.  The problem wouldn't be solved until the beginning of the 20th century, with the damming of the river.

The first store in Jefferson was a Sam's General Store, built in 1872.  It was a huge relief for citizens not to have to walk 300 miles to San Francisco to get weekly groceries.

This general store was also the first photograph taken in Jefferson.  (NOTE: All commercial buildings, and some select other buildings will be PLOPPED!)

The first church in Jefferson was built in the fall of 1872.

On June 17, 1873, the first session of class in the new elementary school was held. One boy reportedly got hit with a ruler for being 20 minutes late to class.  During the spring of 1875, the first doctor's office opened.  The doctors weren't too competant, but many remarked ,"hey, its better than nothing!"

Meanwhile, several stores had opened in downtown.  By 1875, Leland decided not to run for mayoral re-election.  Joseph Leland felt that his town had been a success.  Leland would die in 1903, almost a decade before he could see the town dispose of its roots and become a major city.

Looks peaceful, doesn't it?

I would like to thank the makers of the NAM, the SAM, and the RH Building Plop for making this city journal possible.

And that ends my first post.

[tahill79 13]

i like the photoshop on the pix. its nice and just a lil different. keep it up

[Schulmanator 5,793]

A nice start to your work. thanks for posting and welcome to the world of CJs.

[aaglo 0]

Cool start, when I saw the first picture I just though "Who would grid the forest?"

Haha, didnt notice the other picz.

Good work though!

[suplado! 23]

cool pics, really like the cool added effects....

[N106 10]

I didn't use Photoshop.  I used this neat program called Paint.net.  Anyways, I think I should offer a teaser for my next update.

Thank you for all of the great comments, everybody.

[N106 10]

I am really glad that you all like my city journal.

Okay, here goes the second update:

Incorporation as a city

As of 1878, there was still no way to cross the river without a boat.  If a solution wasn't found, this could be the end of the fledgling town.  Mayor Thomas Phillips appointed a small commission that spring to build a bridge.  The bridge was built that fall.  It was never very dependable, though.  The wood in the bridge would frequently rot, and the bridge itself was prone to flooding.

Still, despite the bridge's shortcomings, people in Jefferson were happy to even have a bridge.

In 1880, James Morgan rigged the election against Thomas Phillips.  Morgan won, and quickly began to take from the people's wallets.  By the spring of 1881, the people decided "enough is enough".  They gathered up a mob, some tar, and some feathers, and ran James Morgan out of town.  Morgan was later convicted of election fraud and hung.

However, that left Jefferson with no government.  The people discussed a course of action, then Joseph Leland arrived at town hall.

"We need government for our community to survive!  We need democracy!  I propose that we have a small commission of people write the new government for the town."

Several people volunteered.  It took 1 month to  write the form of government, then 1 week to get everyone to vote on it, before it stuck.  Thomas Phillips became the first mayor of the new government.

He responded to a petition for a civic cemetary by building one in Jefferson.

The opening banquet at the cemetary had a low attendance, though.

In 1882, a Boston businessman named Harold Johnson arrived.  2 years later, he created Jefferson's first newspaper, the Daily Herald, and built the first Herald Building.

The first building would last until 1919, when it would be replaced by Jefferson's first skyscraper.

Today, the Herald is seen by 2 million people.  In 1885, it was seen by about 2,000.  So, it would be reasonable that the headquarters would have to be larger after some time.

In 1886, Jefferson built its first fire station.

The next year, the first power plant was built in Jefferson.  It was a coal plant.  (in case you're wondering how I made it without power, there is a nice little maxis-provided cheat called 'fightthepower' which removes power requirements from buildings.)

In 1888, the first railroad was built through the town.  The original train depot would stand until the early 1920s.

In 1889, Liberty County Courthouse was completed.  Thomas Phillips was happy to see the new courthouse on his last year as mayor.  Downtown generally grew around the courthouse once it was built.

By the late 1880s, downtown had become a unique district of stores, and even a few offices.  Because Jefferson was the only town in the region, many would flock from all over during weekends to shop.

Jefferson was growing slowly and steadily.  In 1880, 2,479 people lived in the town.  By 1890, only 3,383 people lived in Jefferson.  One of the local rich people described the town best: "there is an absolute lack of class around this town."

[Artur_001 4]

Cool update. Well done. Keep it up.

[sc4portugal 10]

Very good!

[Tomasneto 20]

Nice start! Many effects and more! I adore this...

[spore415 5]

I LOVE THIS!!!! speacilyy that bridge!!! man, this has got to be one of the best Cj's i have ever seen

[N106 10]

Here's a teaser for my next update...

[Sternkrieg72 0]

Not a fire! This is a great way of showing this CJ, and it most certainly looks 1880-ish. Well done.

[N106 10]

Turn of the Century

By 1890, Jefferson was a small town.  Things were peaceful in Jefferson, and things rarely ever happened.  The town was so quiet that when gambling was legalized, and pro-reading and sports ordinances passed, all that anybody heard from it was a footnote in the Herald.
However, in the summer of 1891, things were different.  The new mayor, Samuel Jones, was having a love affair.  It evolved into an all-out political scandal that made the front pages of the Herald for 2 weeks.  Samuel Jones survived the scandal, but would not win re-election in 1895.
In 1892, the city waterworks was established.

One of the most memorable days of Jefferson's history was August 7, 1894.  A group of bandits arrived in Jefferson, and shot 8 people.  They stole $2,000 from a local bank before setting it afire and burning it to the ground.

The building burned to the ground.  Later, the new area bank, a much larger building, replaced the old bank.  The bandits left town when they realized how little Jefferson could give to them.
In 1895, the first high school was completed.  It was Thomas Jefferson High School.  The first classes were held in September, and the school mainly served the rich of the area.

In the early days, the wealthy settled north of downtown, well above the river, which frequently flooded.

By 1900, 5,784 people lived in Jefferson.  The town was still growing steadily.  The mayor from 1895-1899 was Andrew Benson.  Benson did a bad job as mayor, and was impeached in 1899.  The people managed to convince Joseph Leland to be mayor again until 1903, at Leland's death.
By the late 1890s, downtown had grown, and there was even a paved road.

Jefferson would continue to grow slowly and steadily until the Great Fire of 1910.

[fabsies55 5]

it looks oretty cool like a town in the countery.

its good.

[De Ja Vu 117]

The pics are cool but maybe a little too photoshoped (or edited). The story is cool, it's very interesting to read. Keep it up!

[N106 10]

Transition into a new century
In 1903, the famed Joseph Leland died.  Before his death, relatives reported that he had gone crazy.  Leland was screaming about a fire that would burn down the town.  It would start in the poorer neighborhoods, then sweep northwest to engulf most of downtown.  By the next morning, the city would be in ruin.  Joseph's son Jacob became mayor after Joseph's death.
In 1901, the first county fair was held in Jefferson.  By that time, about 6,000 people lived in Jefferson, and about 10,000 in the county.  The Herald advertised the fair.  When Joseph Leland had the dream, the Herald discarded it, saying "this county fair is more interesting."

In 1903, the river overflowed, and caused some damage to the fairgrounds and the power plant.  Fortunately, the county government had proposed a dam up the Liberty River.  It was ratified, and the dam was completed in 1905.

(Sorry if the dam looks like a crappy earthen dam.  I don't have Jeronij's walls or anything that would help with that. )
After the dam was built, the river stopped over-flowing.  In 1907, the county deemed it safe to build in the flood plain.  Farms soon developed there.

The first factories in Jefferson opened in 1907.

In 1906, a major earthquake hit San Francisco.  Within 3 days, most of the city was burnt and destroyed.  Jefferson only experienced some light shaking and some small objects dropping, and all of the damage was cleaned within a week.  Because Jefferson was at a safe distance from the faults, a large amount of people began to go to the city.
In 1908, the state fair held a ballooning event.  A photographer went on one of the balloons, and captured the first ever aerial image of Jefferson.

By 1910, 11,212 people lived in Jefferson.  Everything was going alright.  The downtown had become so attractive that some came from out of the county for shopping.

Jacob Leland was surprised how easy Jefferson was to manage.  In July 1910, he was unaware that he would soon face the city's greatest crisis.

Thank you for all of the great comments, everybody.

[N106 10]

The summer of 1910 had been unbearably hot in the Liberty Valley.  By June, small fires were constantly breaking out all over the city, occupying the fire-fighting force.  On July 21, a wildfire broke out south of Jefferson.  The city's entire fire-fighting force went to keep that fire from spreading north to the valley.  They had the fire 90% contained by sunset on July 23.  The fire-fighters were blissfully unaware of the disaster that was about to happen.

It all started in this neighborhood...

The man who started the fire was Lars Ulysses.  Lars was at home, and he lived alone.  He accidently knocked over a lantern, setting some furniture on fire.  Lars saw the fire spread through the kitchen, calmly went to his bedroom, gathered his stuff, and climbed out the back window.  A crowd began to gather around his house as it was engulfed in flames.

There was a soft northwestern breeze.  The fire spread to a neighbor's house.  Because the fire was not yet that serious, many stood on the street, laughing, and watching the fire like a fireworks show.  A few more sensible quietly slipped away and went towards downtown.

The fire began to spread slowly.  It could not be contained, for the mayor was asleep, and the fire fighting forces just finishing with the wildfire south of Jefferson.

People began to walk away, calmly.  Most went to downtown.  Many downtown business-owners saw a chance to make money, and opened their stores.  Meanwhile, the fire spread unchecked.

The fire was spreading northwest towards downtown.  The wind began to pick up, and the fire began to spread quickly.  At about this time, Jacob Leland woke up due to the commotion in downtown.  Those in downtown were un-aware that the fire was spreading rapidly in their direction.

Many in the houses between downtown and the blaze were still asleep, and were caught by surprise as their neighbors began to panic.  They got up, got dressed, saw the fire rapidly approaching.  Some barely got out with their lives.  In downtown, a panic started as the fire ignited several shops.  Many were trampled.

The courthouse was one of the few buildings that would survive in downtown.

Meanwhile, Jacob Leland was seeing the fire rapidly spread.  He worried that the Leland Estate would be hit.  Leland gathered his family, got on his automobile, and drove around town to the swamps about 1 mile west of downtown.

Central Avenue was packed with people and vehicles as the fire spread.  Most of the deaths that night were on the crowded Central Avenue.  200 people would burn to death, and another 500 would be injured.  The survivors of Central Avenue were scarred for life.

The Herald Building ignited, but managed to survive the blaze.  However, the building would be in a permanently damaged state, and that would be a reason to replace the old building in 1919.

At about 4am, 8 hours after the blaze started, the fire began to pass downtown.  Its spread was slowing down.  Many could easily out-walk the fire.  Nobody was taking any chances, though.

As dawn arrived, the blaze began to die out.  The firefighters had arrived at about 4:30am, and managed to keep the blaze from destroying the high-school or wealthier parts of Jefferson.

By 7am, the fire that had started 11 hours earlier 1 mile southeast was no more.  30% of the city was in ruins.  300 were dead, 700 injured, and 2,500 homeless.  Many began to survey the damage, and found themselves in a state of shock.

Jacob Leland returned to his home that afternoon.  For a week, he was quiet, in a state of shock.  On July 30, Jacob began to take action.  He appointed a commission to rebuild the city.  He started the clearing of rubble.  Jacob Leland was never the same.

And neither was Jefferson....

[flyinbird93 2]

this looks great! Lots of variation in your images i like that.

[gabetx 1]

Great CJ and storyline! I cant wait for more. Keep up the good work!

[jacqulina 162]

very nice start my friend excellent first pics

[squiggles35 1]

Excellent update and historical information.

The fire reminds me of the Great Chicago fire for some reason.

Keep up the good work!

[shaylan221 0]

Very Interesting. I'm glad to finally see a CJ made to look like Phoenix. Epecially since that's my home city & where I currently live now!

[N106 10]

Thank you for all of the great comments, everybody.

Up and coming is a vital chapter in Jefferson's history:

Rebuilding After the Fire

Throughout August 1910, the Rebuilding Commission was cleaning up the ruins of Jefferson.  Originally, they just wanted to rebuild Jefferson the way it was.  But, some of them drafted a master plan involving a civic square centered around the courthouse.  The plan included the location of parks and parkways that connected the parks.  It was sent to Jacob Leland for approval.

Leland let the plan sit for 9 days, and then, decided to have a vote.

His speech: "This master plan insures that the fire won't happen again, and will attract growth to our fine town.  But, the price of that growth will be our small-town backgrounds.  If you vote for this plan, you have to be willing to give up our charming little town in exchange for a sprawling metropolis.

The majority voted yes on the plan.  In October, the work started on laying out the new roads.  By March of 1911, the rubble was cleared, and the plan laid out.

The plan was designed on a topographical map of the Liberty Valley, and room was made for expansion as Jefferson grew.

A few businesses began to open, but many people were still scared and staying away from Jefferson.

The next step of the project was constructing the Civic Plaza.  The construction of it began in the summer of 1911, and was finshed by the fall of 1912.

By 1913, it was clear that Jefferson was on the rise.  New houses were being built all over.  The downtown was beginning to grow.  Jacob Leland, however, was left with the guilt of allowing for his father's dream of a farming town to unravel.  He was no longer mayor in 1915, and died in lonliness in 1924.

The next mayor was Peter Falon.  He would be mayor from 1915-1920, and would help finish Jacob Leland's reconstruction efforts.  When Peter took the oath of office, a boom had begun, and the average wealth level of Jefferson was increasing.

Meanwhile, an industrial district began to develop along the riverfront.

Work on Jefferson's park system began in 1913.  The first and largest park is President Park, 1 mile west of downtown.  It was once a murky and unusable swamp.

It took 3 years to build the park.  When it was completed, President Park was the city's largest and most beautiful park.

The parkways connected all of the major parks to the west and north of the main city.  Both parkways were completed by 1918.

Jefferson was growing rapidly after the fire.  It was "rising from the ashes".  A few took one look at the growing town, and thought to themselves "opportunity."  The most notable of them would be the three known as the "big three" who would develop Jefferson's most remarkable buildings throughout the 1920s.

[flyinbird93 2]

great update!  That road network looks great!

[Nexis 1]

I like reading your cities history , its so interesting , anyway keep up the great work

[ktxus05 0]

wow, that looks great! i thought the small town (before the fire) looked awesome, but i guess its for the best that you starting changing it into a city. by the way, how do you make your pictures black and white? im going to be making a city starting in victorian times and black-and-white pictures would be useful

[88fordwayne 19]

I think you got the building blocks for a great town in progress.. keep it up! (And don't neglect it like I did mine LOL)

[Jawzz 0]

A bit to photoshopped for my taste but great anyway!

[N106 10]

Entering the 1920s
By 1915, Jefferson was on the rebound, and growing quickly.  While President Park was completed in 1916, work had begun on Senator and Justice Parks.  Senator Park was the larger of the two, completed in 1917.

After Senator Park, the smaller park, Judge Park, was completed in 1919.

In 1917, the University of Jefferson opened.  Back then, it wasn't impressive.  It was nothing compared to the sprawling campus it is today.

Development began on the south shore of the Liberty River in 1920, with some factories.  South of the river, though, the land was not suitable for agricultural growth.

Some say that Jefferson turned from a farming town into a sprawling metropolis during the 1940s, but the farms were already in decline in the region by 1920, and industries were growing rapidly by 1915.
During the 1920s, there were 3 major developers.  They were known as the "Big Three".  They were Thomas Smith, Albert Johnson, and Patrick Leland (it seems like the name "Leland" is appearing alot, doesn't it?)
Patrick Leland was a cousin of Jacob Leland.  He was born in 1889, and was disinterested in his cousin's town of Jefferson.  But, in 1913, Patrick saw a rapidly growing boomtown, and moved into Jefferson.  In 1918, Patrick completed Leland Field, a minor league stadium that ended up generating a huge fortune for Patrick.

The next member of the Big Three was Thomas Smith.  Smith was born in 1883, in Jefferson.  Smith inherited Smith's drugstore from his father in 1908, only for it to burn down in the Great Fire of 1910.  Smtih rebuilt his drugstore in downtown in 1912, then saw a growing tourist industry.  In 1915, he completed the Smith Hotel, the first hi-rise hotel in Jefferson.

The third of the Big Three was the son of the founder of the Herald, Albert Johnson.  Albert's brother Frederick inhertied the Herald in 1903 when their father retired.  Albert had no interest in Jefferson, and was trying (but failing) to found a business in San Francisco.  But, when Jefferson burned to the ground in 1910, Frederick was crushed trying to escape along Central Avenue.
Albert got a letter from his aged father giving him the herald.  Albert decided to move to Jefferson, reluctantly.  Because of the population boom and his father's death in 1914, Albert inherited a vast fortune.  He built the Johnson Estate in 1916.

In 1919, Johnson noticed the Herald Building's declining conditions.  He took out a loan and rebuilt the Herald Building as Jefferson's first skyscraper in 1920.

By 1920, all three of the Big Three had established themselves, and become close friends.  They would build all of the bigger buildings during the 1920s building boom.
The construction of the Park System in the 1910s had left Jefferson broke.  As a result, Peter Falon took out a large loan (only after making sure he could pay it off).  The loan was completely paid off by 1921.
The mayor of the 1920s would be Vlad Powers.
By 1920, Jefferson had grown to hold 29,286 people.