Megalopolis

The Megalopolis that has formed on the upper East Coast in the US is a full, bustling center of economic opportunities, overpopulation, and has the ability to trade with countries across the world easily. Sacramento, is nowhere near being (or ever becoming) part of a Megalopolis. Here are some of the reasons why Sacramento could never become one.

Map of Northern California
(Source: http://www.californiabrazil.com/images/map-of-northern-california.gif)

The main reason behind binding the cities together that are now known as the Megaopolis is due to the access that each city had to different trade routes to both Europe and the Caribbean. Even though Sacramento has two large rivers that flow through its city (which both eventually come together), and the one larger Sacramento River they form flows out to the ocean, the boats that are permitted to go through these areas are simply not large enough to be able to transport items across the Pacific Ocean to countries such as China or Japan, while still making a profit. These trade routes are better suited for other cities, such as Los Angeles, which has the largest port system in the entire country. Also, due to the large mountains and valleys that sit on the West coast, California lacks the same amount of quality harbors that the East coast has, making it much harder to dock and transport goods to and from boats.

The next issue stems from the lack of large metropolitan cities around Sacramento. When viewing the area's between city-to-city, California and Oregon lack the ability to match the same amount of cities that their East coast counterparts have. The closest city to Sacramento is San Francisco, which is about 76 miles away. From there, smaller cities are sprinked in between San Francisco and San Jose, which is about 50 miles away (but is not on the coastline). From there, the next major city is Los Angeles, which is 339 miles away (making it too far to be part of the Megalopolis cluster without having cities in between.)

Residents of Sacramento playing in a Christmas orchestra
(Source: http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2010/12/11/17/SANTAPARADE_GALLERY.27..standalone.prod_affiliate.4.JPG)

The third reason Sacramento could not be part of a Megaopolis is due to its small population. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Sacramento's estimated population in 2006 was 453,781. Though this is a large number, it does not compare to the larger cities which make up the Megalopolis. The smallest central city within the Megalopolis is Washington D.C, with a population of 572,059 in 2000. However, the city does have space for rapid expansion surrounding it if the population grew to a larger size, thanks to the rural agricultural areas which surround Sacramento.

Sacramento Lightrail System
(Source: http://www.eastsiderailnow.org/sacramento_1b.jpg)

However, even the idea of rapid expansion through a population shift is not feasible without be able to expand the cities' transportation options. As of now, the only transportation options that are available to people living in Sacramento are walking/biking, driving, and public bus and limited light-rail transportation. In order to support a larger population, the city of Sacramento would have to implement more light-rail systems, or a subway system underground in order to ease traffic and other issues.

In conclusion, even though Sacramento could not become part of a large Megalopolis, it does not mean that the city does not already serve an important purpose already. Its function as our state's capital is more than enough reason to keep Sacramento the way it is today.

Foundations of Human Activity

Captain John Sutter
Source: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-california/John%20Sutter-2-275.jpg)

Sacramento's history on how it became established in the United States, though short, is still extensive. The city was founded by Captain John Sutter, who traveled to the area from Switzerland in 1839. In 1849, his son John Sutter Jr. helped establish Sacramento as a city, before California was even established as a state. In 1850, California was established as an official state of the union, and Sacramento was declared as the state capital in 1879.

Sacramento in 1850
(Source: http://yesteryearsnews.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/gold-rush1850-sacramento.jpg)

Sacramento's growth was mainly influenced by the gold that was found in the multiple mines around the city, and the ability to pan for gold in both the Sacramento and American rivers. Further expansion of the city occurred through the San Francisco Bay, which is directly connected to Sacramento through the Sacramento River. Both rivers made it easier to export and import goods in and out the city to different locations both in California and near the border of Oregon.

The Sacramento River, near Old Sacramento
(Source: http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/sacramento-ca341.jpg)

However, before Sacramento was established, it is believed that Indians lived on that same land. According to CityByLight.com, it is believed that tribes such as the Valley Miwok, Shonommey and Maidu lived around the area where Sacramento is today for thousands of years. These indians were used by Captain John Sutter as labor when he was to build Sutter's Fort, the first building built within Sacramento which still stand's there today. (CityByFort.com) Eventually, however, negative relations between these tribes and the Mexican settlers of the time caused the indian tribes to flee for other lands.

Sutter's Fort
(Source: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~npmelton/sut.jpg)

Today, Sacramento is still seen as a successful city, with a mixed ethnicity base. According to the 2000 Census Bureau, Sacramento's population is composed of 48.3% White, 21.6% Hispanic, 16.6% Asian, 15.5% Black, and only 1.3% Native American. Statistics also show that 20.6% of people who live in Sacramento are foreign-born.(Census.gov) This means that 1 in every 5 people living in the city are from another country, explaining that even though the flow of foreigners has slowed down, it has certainly not stopped.

Geographic Patterns and Qualities

Though its only about 360 miles or so outside of Los Angeles County, Sacramento and Los Angeles are different in quite a few ways! Here are some redeeming geological qualities that make up Sacramento.

A flood in Sacramento during the 19th century
(Source: http://www.placergop.org/media/sacflood.jpg)

Sacramento, like Los Angeles (and most of California,) is situated in the Pacific mountains and valleys region of North America. The city's elevation is about 30 feet above sea level, and both the Sacramento and American rivers running through the city. Because of its low elevation, in the 19th century the then-young city was very susceptible to flooding, until the city was raised in order to prevent such a measure from happening anymore.

Generally, the weather in Sacramento is mild, with a temperature range of 62 degrees Fahrenheit per year. The average highest temperature is 93 degrees Fahrenheit, while the average lowest temperature falls to 37 degrees Fahrenheit. (Climatetemp.info) Sacramento is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada and Siskiyou Mountains, and the California coastline.(city-data.com) These ranges cause heavy winds to blow through Sacramento during the summer, and rainy weather during the winter. In some rare occasions, snowfall has occurred in Sacramento, but only if the city has an unusually cold winter (which, sometimes it does, as seen by personal experience!) Although the nearest coastline is 100 miles away, the ocean breezes still reach the city, keeping the temperatures moderate, but still dry.

Eldorado National Forest
(Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/2798883494_9737b94db1.jpg)

Sacramento does not have any forests or wildlife surrounding its city; the closest forest to Sacramento is the Eldorado National forest, which is approximately 45 miles away from the city. The California coastline is also far away from Sacramento, with the closest public beach being around 105 miles away. Both the Sacramento and American rivers are supplied with water from melting snow from the Sierra Nevada. In the 19th century, these two rivers were heavily panned for gold during the Gold Rush. However, the two rivers still have a supply of gold within them, and there are places where one can stop off to try to pan for gold outside of the city.

Typical farm found in California
(Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2744/4431116423_f17de174c2.jpg)

Many farms surround Sacramento, due to the Mollisol soil found in the area surrounding the city. This soil makes it easy for farmers to grow their yearly crops, and the temperatures around the area make it easy to control burn and chill factors, resulting in quality fruits and vegetables that I have found sold in multiple parts of the nation. The same soil can be found in Napa Valley, located about 65 miles away from Sacramento, and home to some of the most famous wineries known in the United States.

Regions and Themes

Hello, and welcome! I hope you enjoy my blog featuring information about the traits and wonders that create Sacramento.

Sacramento is approximately 97.2 square miles wide, and is located in Northern California, about 72 miles away from San Francisco. According to the US Census Bureau, the population of Sacramento in 2008 was 1,394,154, making it the 7th most populated city in California. Sacramento was the first established city in California in 1849, and was pronounced as the state capital in 1879. Sacramento popularity first grew in the mid-1800's due to the gold rush, due to both the American and the Sacramento rivers running through the city (City of Sacramento).

I chose Sacramento for my location due to the fact that I lived here for two years while I was growing up. The apartment where I lived was located in a section known as Old Sacramento, which represents how the city was during the gold rush era. Here, the standard pavement has been replaced with cobblestone in most areas, with horse carriages that walk down the road carrying people from one side of 2nd street to the other, and the majority of buildings within the town having an old, historical look to them (though, the majority of buildings were rebuilt due to the fact that the original buildings were flooded so badly that the entire town had to be raised from its original level, since it sits next to the Sacramento River.) The actual city of Sacramento reminded me of a miniature New York back then, mainly because the streets in Sacramento mainly consist of one-way streets, which I had only seen in a trip that I had taken to New York when I was a child. The theme that stuck out the most with me in Sacramento was politics; it seemed like no matter where you went in the city, people were always talking about state or national politics, regardless of whether or not any elections or changes were being implemented.

I hope that this blog will further expand your knowledge on the city of Sacramento, and that you will enjoy what I have to say about this vibrant and live city.