3 controversial maps

[n2doc]

If George Etzel Pearcy had his way, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s famous song would have been called “Sweet Home Talladego.” In 1973, the California State University geography professor suggested that the U.S. should redraw its antiquated state boundaries and narrow the overall number of states to a mere thirty-eight.

Pearcy’s proposed state lines were drawn in less-populated areas, isolating large cities and reducing their number within each state. He argued that if there were fewer cities vying for a state’s tax dollars, more money would be available for projects that would benefit all citizens.Because the current states were being chopped up beyond recognition, part of his plan included renaming the new states by referencing natural geologic features or the region’s cultural history. While he did have a rather staunch support network—economists, geographers, and even a few politicians argued that Pearcy’s plan might be crazy enough to work—the proposal was defeated in Washington, D.C. Imagine all the work that would have to be done to enact Pearcy’s plan: re-surveying the land, setting up new voter districts, new taxation infrastructure—basically starting the whole country over. It’s easy to see why the government balked.

more:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/17550

[Ian David]

1. I object to having any state called "Superior." And don't get me started on "Big Horn." n/t

[realisticphish]

3. He should have called South Dakota "Wounded Knee" nt

[realisticphish]

2. ok

the redrawing thing, yeah, whatever.

But, the NAMES. What the hell was this guy thinking?

I mean, how do you take 4 large quadrants of states, which include Chicago, and call it "Dearborn." WTF?

Also, Alamo? Bonneville?

SHAWNEE? The Shawnee were from Oklahoma now? Cascade, Bitterroot, Albemarle. These sound like street names in a housing development.

[Ian David]

4. Each state should be given a new name each year the same way we name huricanes. n/t

[realisticphish]

6. haha

[RoyGBiv]

14. Shawnee ...

I caught that one instantly too. Just dumb.

[baldguy]

5. How come the state of Erie doesn't touch Lake Erie?

[realisticphish]

8. as per the comments on the article

it may be referring to the Erie Indians, not the lake.

but it's still stupid

[baldguy]

11. ''...lived from western New York to northern Ohio on the south shore of Lake Erie."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_Indians



Maybe the guy was just stupid.

[Ian David]

9. Maybe they didn't know that back in 1973?

I know that I didn't know that in 1973.

But I was 3 years old at the time.

[nerddem]

7. i like how he separates south and north jerz. nt

[Ian David]

10. That makes sense. But why does Alaska need to be two states? n/t

[Warpy]

12. While I'd find the name "Cochise" easier to write on an envelope

there is no way NM should be forced to accept all the right wingers, looneytarians and FLDS types that live in Arizona.

Forget it. It would just never work. This state likes being an island of sanity in a red, red west.

[NNadir]

13. You could only do something like this in a California State University in the 1970's.

Everywhere else on the planet people had real lives.

[semillama]

15. It's interesting that he puts the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan

in a separate state from the western part - wonder what the reasoning is behind that? Culturally, I can kind of see it, as folks from across the western part of the Lake Superior basin are fairly similar in their ways, but the eastern UP is still more "UP" than it is "LP" to me.

It's also interesting that the pattern of small states in the east versus big states in the west is retained.

[Jim__]

16. If you have fewer states, how can you reduce the number of large cities within each state?

I know there is Kansas City spanning Kansas and Missouri. Is that a common occurrence? And if it is common and this is how he reduces the number of big cities, you have to be increasing the size of the large cities that a state has to support, so I'm not sure you'd be reducing the total amount of dollars being vied for by the now larger city.

I guess I'd have to read his plan to see what it is supposed to accomplish.

[Greyskye]

17. I like it

I'd be living in the town of El Dorado Hills, in the county of El Dorado, in the state of El Dorado. Now if we can just change the name of the country as well...

[pokerfan]

18. Bitterroot should be called Columbia

Columbia River drainage: