New SorGun

[vivapanda 422]

Okay, seriously this is just perfect!

And I know I say this at about every update of yours, but that doesn't mather since it's actually true

*Edit: welcome to page 10!*

  Edited September 14, 2012 by vivapanda  

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Hooray for economic prosperity

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

Could this be a mega reply incoming?

New SorGun Job Opening

Are you tired of big city life? Can't get that horse $#%& smell out of your clothes? Is San Francisco just not your cup of tea?

Are you ready for a taste of the real frontier life?

Lyhoko Eruf: Yes, that's why Lyhoko is starting out with a small town! No needing to build for hours on end trying to build a city all at once! No horses, though... There's some gutarxaen, though. They look like dinosaurs. Lyhoko doesn't particularly want to think about gutarxa $&#$.

If you have big business ideas, and want to start your new enterprise, New SorGun wants you!

-Business experience in the Barbary Coast is a must

-Management and hospitality experience is highly recommended

-A progressive outlook on morality is assumed

Lyhoko: Eh... maybe that's not for Lyhoko. Never mind the time travel that Lyhoko would need to do...

Of the 10 ladies, 9 made the trip to New SorGun (One decided that San Francisco was as much ‘wild frontier’ as she was willing to take).

San Francisco circa 1860

Lyhoko: Maybe try searching in more rural regions, so it won't be quite as much of a change for them?

Unfortunately, Shiner’s second trip was less than successful. Recruitment went well at first, but a large east coast paper got hold of the story and sabotaged his efforts with tall tales of ugly old hermits paying for young brides. Most of Mr. Shiner’s clients weren’t mathematicians, but when the young entrepreneur returned with less than 40 girls, it didn’t take a genius to realize that many men were going home with a broken heart and a lighter wallet. Needless to say, some of the less fortunate suitors were ready to run Shiner out of town on a rail.

Lyhoko: And maybe they wouldn't of heard of the propaganda, then...

Fortunately, Mr. Shiner wasn’t the only industrialist on the frontier. Benjamin Sprague, captain of the “Gin Palace Polly” delivered women (along with wine and music) to the many logging camps that dotted the Pacific Northwest. This traveling brothel brought smiles to the hard working loggers, but their bosses were less enthusiastic – a visit from the boat could easily set work back two or three days. The Gin Palace Polly’s days were short lived, as the captain ended up spending two years the state penitentiary for selling liquor to Indians (and on Sundays). *true story*

Lyhoko: Interesting...

In the fall of 1865, a solution to the gender gap presented itself in the form of a single man with big ideas. Eastman T. Finch debarked from a San Francisco lumber schooner at Yarahi’s Pier. Tall, saturnine and suave, wearing a fashionable waistcoat and a plug hat – he was the image of a man ready to transform New SorGun.

Lyhoko: Throw some Ancaron into the mix. Then everyone will be to confused to worry about the gender gap, especially if they can't even tell if the new arrivals are boys or girls!

Mr. Finch got to work immediately, purchasing a small plot of land near the mill, across the street from the famous Kitty Saloon (run by Miss Kitty herself). Eastman had no degree, but he understood economics – and with 10 men for every 1 woman, he knew there was a demand to be fulfilled. His solution was the ‘Illahee’ - a place where men could enjoy the comforts of home… for a price.

Lyhoko: ... yeah.

Yes, in the spring of 1866, New SorGun was home to the first brothel in the region. As you may have guessed, such a house of sin did not agree with everybody in town. But Mr. Finch was as much a public relations mastermind as he was a shrewd businessman. His first employees were Indian maidens from the local tribes. Most Indians at the time were poor, either living near town in shacks or on tribal reservations.

The maidens were provided with food, modern housing, fashionable clothing and education – and they brought home an honest day’s wage. Some would say Mr. Finch introduced the first anti-poverty program to New SorGun. But he didn’t stop there. The town received an annual licensing fee of $1200 which was invested in a school house the first year. (New SorGun’s total yearly budget was less than $5,000 at the time)

Lyhoko: Well, that's one way of attracting employees...

To the business owners in town, Eastman was a saint. The loggers and other lonely men living in the region suddenly found New SorGun THE place to visit. They would stop by Gary’s Gun Shop, Walkers General Store and the Miss Kitty Saloon during the day, and spend the rest of their money at the Illahee that night.

Despite the economic woes resulting from the Civil War (inflation, stalled westward migration), by the spring of 1867, New SorGun was enjoying the greatest economic expansion it had ever seen. Even the farmland to the south of town, which had been deserted since the Indian War, was being revitalized.

Lyhoko: Yay!

As summer turns to fall in 1867, the little frontier town of New SorGun is expanding more rapidly than ever before. New businesses, including the Illahee, have opened up shop and the town is gaining recognition as the commercial center in the region. Not everybody is happy with the new changes, and growing pains are sure to ensue, but New SorGun is open for business and folks in the western states and territories are finally taking notice.

Lyhoko: Looks like it's going to be interesting!

[SimCoug 5,972]

@Schulmanator: Miss Kitty will be running this town in no time

@Fox: I actually was very happy with how that picture turned out too - The original photo didn't reveal too much except for the courthouse, so I was super nerdy and looked at the original map to get an idea of how the area looked back then. I think I got pretty close

@packersfan: Thanks for the compliment. You definitely have the talent, everybody just has a different play style. As for your question, yes, it is my goal to bring New SorGun up to the present day - but at the rate this is going, that may take a while

@vivapanda: Thanks for stopping by!

@Emperordaniel: where there's a will, there's a way...

@Lyhoko Leaci: Wow, New SorGun's first mega reply. I'm honored

A little teaser until the next full update:

It's back to the northern swamps - We'll check in on Porthaven and see how Mr. Delin's settlement has grown over the past 10 years. Stay tuned

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Nicely done. And it would seem odd to say a swamp looks good, but it does!

[simlink 1,098]

The flora around the swamp is fantastic, especially the driftwood. Nice work!

[jacksunny 741]

That's like the perfect picture, I wouldn't even know where to begin making something like that.

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

Lyhoko: Any leeches in the swamp? Can't wait for more!

[emperordaniel 1,281]

That swamp...unbelievable.

[SimCoug 5,972]

@Schulmanator - They are beautiful on the inside...

@sim_link - Thanks! That driftwood is by nbvc - I think he will be releasing a full set on the STEX soon.

@jacksunny - Thank you! Not too long ago I was saying the same thing - but when it comes to MMPs, practice makes perfect.

@Lyhoko Leaci - Yes, leaches and other fun critters. Watch where you step.

@emperordaniel - Thank you - I had some fun 'painting' it.

Name that Fort!

The United States Army needs your help. After the completion of the fort near Porthaven, the Civil War erupted and the Army never got around to a proper name. Now is your chance - your name can be a part of New SorGun history. Simply reply with your fort name, and if you wish, feel free to share a back-story of where the name came from. Not feeling creative? No problem - just rep up your favorite entries. The Army will have final say, but will consider rep points when making a decision.

Don't worry - The next full update is near completion, and the new fort name will be included. Thanks for participating!

[Benedict 3,119]

I suggest Fort Valiant.

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

I'll chip in a name, but Fort Valiant is pretty nice too.

I say keep it simple and recognizable: Camp Sorgun (It can later grow into a true fort, akin to how "Camp Jackson" grew into Fort Jackson, SC)

[SimCoug 5,972]

@Benedict: Excellent suggestion - The Army went with Blunders entry, but I will keep that in the future name file

@daTSchikinhed: Simple, but it was right up there with the final contenders. Thanks for you input!

Update 21

A Blacksmith in Porthaven

Summer 1868

Over 10 years ago, a man by the name of Anthony S. Myers was the lucky individual who won the and gave Porthaven a name the townsfolk could stand behind. Mr. Delin followed through and gave away two acres of pristine land, near the water and not too far from town.

At first, Mr. Myers could only let the land sit – as he needed to save up his earnings from the lumber mill where he earned a reputation as a hardworking individual who was very handy at fixing the mills machinery.

After a few years, Anthony had enough saved to build a home on his land and move his growing family out of the cramped shacks in town.

In 1866, the Army engineers at Fort Sunset completed a road running from the fort to the town of Porthaven. (highlighted in red)

Traffic along the road was growing every day, and Mr. Myers decided it was time to put his skills to use. With a small loan from the town bank, his entire life savings, and all the guts he could muster, he got to work on his future dream.

In the spring of 1867, after months of hard work, Anthony opened the first blacksmithing business in the town of Porthaven.

Business was good – Porthaven was growing steadily each year, which meant more customers – and the garrison at Fort Sunset often required his services as well.

Speaking of the growing town – Porthaven has seen steady growth over the past 10 years.

The main street in town was home to a number of shops, including a popular pub called Murphy's (The owner is an Irish immigrant - one of the first in SorGun).

Mr. Delin was practically giving away lots in order to attract new pioneers. Because of the , westward expansion during the last 10 was almost non-existent. But nearly free land and a steady job at the lumber mill meant neighborhoods were slowly taking shape.

The war also had severe effects on Mr. Delin’s investments, as well as his political connections. As Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party slowly gained power, many of the politicians who once held sway were looking for new jobs. Despite his financial troubles, Mr. Delin kept up appearances and built the finest home in town.

Fortunately, the logging business was still red hot and the Porthaven Mill was as busy as ever.

Because of creative, hardworking citizens like Anthony Myers, Porthaven has weathered the storm. But like any town reliant on a single economy, Mr. Delin’s dream could come crashing down at the drop of a hat. As long as San Francisco, San Diego and other growing west coast cities continue to rely on lumber from the northern logging towns, Porthaven’s future would remain bright.

The truth was, boom and bust cycles were the norm in the western US in the late 19^th Century – and while times were good in the SorGun region, smart pioneers knew it was always necessary to prepared for the future storm.

(Click for full size)

Credits:

I'd like to thank daTSchikinhed for submitting the winning town name and helping me develop the character of Anthony Myers. Check out his awesome CJ – .

I'd also like to thank Blunder for coming up with the name for Fort Sunset – his reasoning for the name was quite poetic.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you enjoyed this little update.

  Edited September 21, 2012 by SimCoug  

[packersfan 666]

MMPs!!!! Great work. Such attention to those little little details, very good.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

You definitely have the look of this style CJ down to a fine art! More awesomeness!

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Porthaven sounds like an awesome place to be right now.

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

Over 10 years ago, a man by the name of Anthony S. Myers was the lucky individual who won the and gave Porthaven a name the townsfolk could stand behind. Mr. Delin followed through and gave away two acres of pristine land, near the water and not too far from town.

Lyhoko: There's some nice looking land there.

After a few years, Anthony had enough saved to build a home on his land and move his growing family out of the cramped shacks in town.

Lyhoko: More space is nice.

In 1866, the Army engineers at Fort Sunset completed a road running from the fort to the town of Porthaven. (highlighted in red)

Lyhoko: Fort Sunset. Lyhoko likes that name.

Traffic along the road was growing every day, and Mr. Myers decided it was time to put his skills to use. With a small loan from the town bank, his entire life savings, and all the guts he could muster, he got to work on his future dream.

Lyhoko: Hopefully it goes well.

In the spring of 1867, after months of hard work, Anthony opened the first blacksmithing business in the town of Porthaven.

Lyhoko: Ah, so that's what it is.

Business was good – Porthaven was growing steadily each year, which meant more customers – and the garrison at Fort Sunset often required his services as well.

Lyhoko: How many people currently live in the area?

The main street in town was home to a number of shops, including a popular pub called Murphy's (The owner is an Irish immigrant - one of the first in SorGun).

Lyhoko: Hopefully nothing bad happens there.

Mr. Delin was practically giving away lots in order to attract new pioneers. Because of the , westward expansion during the last 10 was almost non-existent. But nearly free land and a steady job at the lumber mill meant neighborhoods were slowly taking shape.

Lyhoko: Modern-looking houses!

Fortunately, the logging business was still red hot and the Porthaven Mill was as busy as ever.

Lyhoko: That's good.

Because of creative, hardworking citizens like Anthony Myers, Porthaven has weathered the storm. But like any town reliant on a single economy, Mr. Delin’s dream could come crashing down at the drop of a hat. As long as San Francisco, San Diego and other growing west coast cities continue to rely on lumber from the northern logging towns, Porthaven’s future would remain bright.

Lyhoko: There's certainly quite a bit of brightness there now.

(Click for full size)

Lyhoko: Quoting seems to work just as well for getting the full size.

[Benedict 3,119]

Fantastic gif showing the natural growth - it is really something watching the footpaths/trails being organized into streets. Hopefully in the future we'll see another one of the dirt streets becoming paved.

I don't think I've seen logs being rolled on the water in a CJ before - brilliant touch.

  Edited September 21, 2012 by Benedict  

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

I love this. I simply love this.

[Liszak 48]

I'm getting out of words which I can use to describe the awesome ammount of creativity and awesomness seen in this CJ. Great, great and great again as usual! I can say with clear mind that this is best CJ I have ever seen.

[coolwiththecool2 827]

this so far ahead but...how is New SorGun going to take the Great Depression and WWII

Nice CJ though! To bad I can't be in Porthaven right now.....

  Edited September 23, 2012 by TayMay27  

[crazychickensc12 84]

Some truly fantastic work this page! The mosaic at the top of the page is gorgeous, and I love watching the rest of the land develop!! The seasonal mosaic at the last update is also stunning! Looking forward to the next update!

[SimCoug 5,972]

packersfan: MMPs!!!! Great work. Such attention to those little little details, very good.

Thanks! I think I'm addicted to MMPs

Schulmanator: You definitely have the look of this style CJ down to a fine art! More awesomeness!

Thank you... thank you very much.

emperordaniel: Porthaven sounds like an awesome place to be right now.

Yes, they have beer, so what's not to like?

Lyhoko Leaci: Lyhoko: How many people currently live in the area?

Porthaven and Fort Sunset are home to 489 people right now - but a full census of the region will be forthcoming in the next update

Benedict: Fantastic gif showing the natural growth - it is really something watching the footpaths/trails being organized into streets. Hopefully in the future we'll see another one of the dirt streets becoming paved. I don't think I've seen logs being rolled on the water in a CJ before - brilliant touch.

It will be a little while before paved roads make an appearance... some well traveled roads in town may get brick pavers someday. Many of the roads back then were corduroy roads, but it is hard to depict that in SC4 - and they were covered in dirt and sand, so they end up looking like dirt roads anyway

daTSchikinhed: I love this. I simply love this.

Thanks!

Liszak: I'm getting out of words which I can use to describe the awesome ammount of creativity and awesomness seen in this CJ. Great, great and great again as usual! I can say with clear mind that this is best CJ I have ever seen.

Thank you very much - I am embarrassed by such a nice comment.

TayMay27: this so far ahead but...how is New SorGun going to take the Great Depression and WWII. Nice CJ though! To bad I can't be in Porthaven right now.....

Well, the Depression and WWII had a widespread effect across America, and there's no doubt that New SorGun will be greatly affected - but we still have 50 years of progress to make before those events make an appearance.

crazychickensc12: Some truly fantastic work this page! The mosaic at the top of the page is gorgeous, and I love watching the rest of the land develop!! The seasonal mosaic at the last update is also stunning! Looking forward to the next update!

Thank you for the kind comment - I'm working on the next update and it will hopefully be out soon

Now, a little preview of what's to come...

It's 1870! A new decade! And that means... Census time. We'll travel the entire region and get caught up on all the stories, characters and developments. Stay tuned!

[simlink 1,098]

Appears it's census time around the CJ-universe lol.

[coolwiththecool2 827]

can't wait! and nice pic btw

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Wonder what the census is going to dig up...

[crazychickensc12 84]

Nice little camping site there! Looking forward to the census update, taking a tour around this beautiful landscape will be awesome!

[SimCoug 5,972]

@sim_link: Yes, and thanks to Benedict for giving me the idea to steal

@TayMay: Thanks

@Emperiordaniel: Scroll down for the first course

@crazychickens: Thanks - and now, time for the tour...

Update 22

1870 Census – Part 1

Summer 1870

1870 has arrived, and according to the US Constitution, a census is required every 10 years to determine the current population of the country. Fredric Stevens was tasked with overseeing the count in the SorGun region.

Stevens began his journey at the small pier in Materburg.

Materburg, which sits at the end of Mater Creek, has grown steadily over the past 10 years. Stevens assessed the town’s population at 684, making it the third largest town in the region.

The town now expands all the way from the coastal pier, to the big bend in the creek. The forests have been cut back extensively in the past 10 years to make more room for farms and houses. Mr. Stevens didn’t see what the town looked like a decade before, but he could appreciate how much growth has occurred in this little farming town.

(click for full size)

Downtown Materburg is home to more two and three story buildings, as well as a sprouting commercial district.

Stevens walked door to door, counting each home as was required by the census. He noticed the new blocks of houses were only a rocks throw from the farms that were the economic engine of this community.

He could tell that folks took pride in their homes and lively hoods out here in the wilderness.

The biggest news in town was the newly constructed bridge spanning Mater Creek on the eastern edge of town. Finished last fall, folks could now easily get from town to the farmland that hugged the creek to the east.

Just over the bridge, Mr. Stevens found more farms where great evergreens once stood.

The journey up Mater Creek was aided by a newly constructed road, one of the longest and nicest in the region.

At the end of the road, nestled between two hills, he found himself in the middle Arrow Ridge – a little town that had sprung up in the last ten years.

Arrow Ridge, named after the hills that aided pioneers on their journey to New SorGun, began as a resting area for wagon trains making the long Journey north to New SorGun. A man by the name of Theodore Green founded the town when he constructed some Spartan looking shacks and charged travelers looking for a place to stay with a roof over their head. It has since grown into a small hamlet of 154 people, according to Mr. Stevens.

(animation)

Like the wagon trains in years past, Fredric Stevens pushed on, making his way to the Rannug river and the old abandoned town of Junction.

Junction was one of three remaining population centers before Mr. Stevens would arrive in New SorGun, where his real work would begin.

The history of the destruction of Junction was told to Mr. Stevens over some beers in a saloon he visited while staying in Arrow Ridge.

(click for full size)

Surprisingly, upon his arrival he found 18 hardy souls picking up the pieces and attempting to salvage something from this lost town. Who knows what this building graveyard would look like ten years from now.

Pushing on, Stevens arrived in a farming community known to the locals as “Ben’s Bend”.

Farmer Ben has been working this land since the early days of New SorGun’s founding. Over the years, he’s hired a sizable workforce, and with the help of additional farmers the area has turned into one of the larger agriculture areas in the region.

(click for full size)

While working the fields isn’t a ticket to fame and riches, it does pay the bills and most of the residents in the area have their own cabins and small homes.

While Mr. Stevens was busy counting the local population, he was lucky enough to meet Mr. Ben and learn all about his farmhouse. The huge evergreen on Ben’s property is always a conversation starter, and Stevens learned that the farmer found the tree while surveying one of his future fields – Being a farmer, Ben was always fascinated by nature and he couldn’t bring himself to take down the largest tree on his property. So, there it stands – a beacon for locals who sometimes get lost in the fields.

Nug’s Hill was Mr. Stevens last stop before he would reach the town of New SorGun.

Old man Nug is the quite type, but that hasn’t stopped him from being busy over the last 10 years.

Old man Nug and Farmer Ben got together a number of years ago and realized that they could both benefit by building a landing along the river in order to facilitate a quicker way to get people and goods to the town of New SorGun. Around harvest time, the wharf is especially busy.

And on quiet days, it becomes a great place to fish.

Finally, Mr. Stevens learned why Nug was interested in building a wharf near his hill. The quarry was still in it’s infancy, but already the stone was being used across the region, including just down the river in New SorGun. After meeting the old man, Stevens wasn’t sure he could even spell geology, but it was obvious that Nug knew his land – and he ran the quarry like a pro.

(Massive Mosaic! Click for full size)

The next morning, Mr. Stevens would board one of the barges at the docks and finally reach New SorGun, his toughest job yet. To be continued.

Authors Note: Well, it looks like I got carried away again. I was planning on 10-15 images, and I ended up with about 25. Woops. Hope you enjoyed it. Part 2 of the census will continue next time. Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to comment – I always enjoy hearing what you think.

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Looks great ! And I like the animation - you did a great job with it both technically and the pix themselves.

[McLaren_Racer 2]

I really like the feel of your towns/region. Keep it up, this is awesome!