The Changing South

The South is known as a very distinctive region of the United States and is shaped by various factors.  The people of the South are proud and have a deeper sense of the land that they live on.  They have been greatly affected by the practice of slavery and their way of living reflects it's impact.  They are also famous for their plantations, cotton textile industry, and Southern values.  Much of the south remained rural to the mid 20th century.  The population is heavily African-American and their history has shaped the culture of the South as a whole.  San Diego, California never had to face the difficult past that residents of the South endured but still had their fair share of issues throughout history.

Slaves picking cotton in the South

Ethnic Influences:
The South has been greatly impacted by it's ancestry.  From the slaves in the 19th century to the Cajuns in the 18th century, they have all contributed to the atmosphere of the south.  These contributions can be seen in Southern people's diets, preference for music, and speech patterns.  Fried Okra, grits, gumbo, and craw fish are staples of the Southern Diet.  They also prefer jazz, gospel, and country music rather than the modern genre.  Southerns have a identifiable speech pattern shaped by early slaves and creoles.

Paula Dean "fixing" to make some fried okra

California also has been influenced by it's descendants.  Signs of Mexican culture are apparent throughout the city from Hispanic street names to the name of the city itself, San Diego.  Various restaurants can be found throughout the city offering authentic Mexican cuisine.  Multiple seafood restaurants are also available for your dining pleasure.  The sounds of Mexican music can be heard on the local radio and from Mariachi bands inside of cantinas.  The influence of Spanish architecture is prevalent amongst the buildings of San Diego.  The most obvious example would be the San Diego Mission de Alcala.

Spanish architectural influence- Balboa Park

Other differences:
The South supports a conservative population and the most prevalent religion is the Baptist Church.  They are highly religious individuals and faith plays a central role in their daily lives.  As previously discussed, San Diego is liberal and the Catholic church has the highest number of patrons.  While religion still is important to Californians, it is not as celebrated and is more diversified.  The way of life in the South is far slower than the hustle and bustle lifestyle of a large urban city like San Diego, California.  The South's economy is heavily supported by agricultural pursuits influenced in the past by large-scale plantations.  San Diego is more reliant upon technology, defense, and manufacturing.  Cities in the south are definitively more rural than in Southern California but they are slowly becoming subjected to urbanization.

Appalachia and the Ozarks

Appalachia and the Ozarks is a region in the United States that is characterized by it's rugged landscape, steep slopes, and mountainous areas.  This region encompasses all of West Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.  Sadly this region is also generally know as an economically poor area and most of the residents who inhabit Appalachia and the Ozarks are stereotyped as "hillbillies."  The residents of this area are highly isolated and there is few occupational opportunity beyond mining.  San Diego, California has little to nothing in common with this region when it comes to culture, topography, and economic opportunity.

A Glimpse into Appalachia

Mountain Areas:

Appalachia and the Ozarks region is famous for it's extensive mountain ranges which contribute to isolation and economic depravity.  San Diego also is nearby a few mountain ranges but they enhance economic opportunity, beautify the landscape, and are not a barrier to residents.  The Cuyamaca Mountains are located to the east of San Diego County and run northwest to southeast.  The are part of the Cleveland National Forest and several small towns can be located within these mountains including Julian and Pine Valley.  The Cuyamaca Mountains were known as a gold mining region during the gold rush era but once the gold rush ended the mining site was shut down and is now a museum.  The Laguna Mountains run along a section of eastern San Diego County for approximately 20 miles.  They are bordered by the Cuyamacas on the west and Colorado Desert on the east.  There is a small village aptly named Mount Laguna within the mountains with a population of about 80. 

Cuyamaca Mountains

Laguna Mountains

Population Differences:

The Appalachian and Ozark area is comprised of predominantly white residents who are conservative both politically and religiously.  San Diego is much more diverse to say the least.  This city is intermixed with Caucasian, Mexican, African-American, and Pacific-Islander residents.  San Diego is also very politically liberal and supports a large gay community.  Hillcrest, an area in San Diego County, is a well-known homosexual community.  San Diego's population is predominantly Catholic (67%), followed by the Mormon Church (3.8%), Southern Baptist Church (2.2%), and the Presbyterian Church (2%).  About 17% of the population is classified as other.

Hillcrest- neighboring gay community

Economics:
The residents of states within Appalachia and the Ozarks are very poor and have the largest amount of poverty of any predominantly white area in the United States.  San Diego is generally a wealthier area but still boasts a 14.3% poverty percentage in all of San Diego County according to www.city-data.com.  There is not much educational or occupational opportunity in Appalachia past a high school diploma and working in the mines.  In San Diego there is significantly more occupational opportunity and 35% of the population has a Bachelor's degree or higher and 13.4% has a Master's degree or PhD.

Stereotyped "Hillbillies" in Appalachia

Surfers

The Bypassed East

The Bypassed East is comprised of the Atlantic Provinces of Canada, northern New England, and the Adirondacks of New York.  While this region is near major transportation routes it actually is not on them.  There are only a few large urban areas and about 50% of the cites are urban and 50% of the cities are rural.  New York, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire can all be found within this region and the topography is characterized by a series of mountain chains including the Green Mountains, White Mountains, Mountains of the Atlantic Provinces, and the Adirondack Mountains.  San Diego, California does not share many similarities with region but rather exhibits more differences.

The Green Mountains

Adirondack Mountains 

Climate:
The Bypassed East's weather patterns are often cold and almost always damp because it is exposed to continental wind systems.  The coastal water is extremely cold, there is heavy precipitation and they also experience a great degree of fog.  The climatic disparity between the Bypassed East and San Diego is notable.  Native San Diego resident would have difficulty adjusted to the frigid temperatures in the East because they are acclimated to a Mediterranean weather classification which translates to mild weather all year long.  The only similarity between the two is the presence of fog but the fog is thicker in the Bypassed East.

Winter in Maine

Winter in San Diego

Population:
Much of the population in the Bypassed East is concentrated in the lowlands and as previously stated, the land is equally constituted of rural and urban areas.  Most of the urban areas are not even substantial.  San Diego on the other hand, is highly urban and does not contain any rural areas.  It is densely populated while the Bypassed East is only highly populated in it's southern section.

Population Density Map

Industries:
Fishing, forestry, and mineral production are the primary industries in the Bypassed East.  The individuals employed in the fishing industry either engage in inshore or deep-sea fishing and usually go for lobster and cod.  As discussed in the previous blog, San Diego is more known for it's technological and defense industries.  The average per capita income in San Diego is significantly higher than the average income in the Bypassed East.

Logging- a big industry in the Bypassed East

The Workforce:
Most of the Bypassed East's work population is employed in fields such as farming, fishing, logging and mining.  Unfortunately, these jobs are also among the lowest paying occupations in the United States.  The majority of San Diego's workforce is employed in the United States Navy, education, and various healthcare fields.  These jobs are traditionally higher paying which corresponds to the higher standard of living.

United States Navy 

Transportation:
There is inadequate access to urban areas in the Bypassed East which contributes to the high transportation costs.  San Diego promotes a highly attractive transportation system.  This city offers accessibility via car, bus, trolley, train, boat, air and even "bike buggies."  It is also in close proximity to neighboring urban towns.

Bike Buggies

The Manufacturing Core

The manufacturing core of the United States consists of the Northeastern United States and the Southern section of Ontario.  According to Regional Landscapes of the United States and Canada, this area produces one-half of each country's steel and approximately 71% of the total number of manufactured cars (90).  Ten of the nation's biggest metropolitan areas are also located within this region.  The manufacturing core is loosely banded together by three locations: the Ohio River Valley, Megalopolis, and the Great Lakes.  These central areas are where most of the manufacturing occurs.  A manufacturing core generally has multiple large cities with even more medium sized cities, numerous industrial concentrations, great ethnic diversity, and a large quantity of migrants.  This area in the United States is most known for it's steel, automobile, and textile industries.  It is also notable for it's accessibility resources: interaction between locations, roads, railroads, airports, and navigable waterways which provide for cheap, convenient transportation.  San Diego, California also contributes, in a lesser degree, to the manufacturing industry but specializes in different categories.

The Manufacturing Core

This is a video of the inter-workings of a Steel Industry in Ohio in 1944

San Diego may not be the manufacturing core of the United States but it's industries still bear importance.  This beautiful city has always been known for it's military and defense industries but is now involving into a far more eclectic area in California.  The biotechnology industries in San Diego are thriving and even beginning to spawn some international competition.  Several small technology firms can be traced within San Diego's city limits.  Residents of San Diego are beginning to manufacture what is currently in global demand such as wireless cellular technology.  According to www.sandiego.gov the top 4 industries in San Diego are:

1.  Manufacturing
2. Defense
3. Tourism
4. Agriculture

There are also 6 additional clusters that San Diego focuses on:

1. Biotechnology/Biosciences
2. Defense and Space Manufacturing
3. Electronics Manufacturing
4. Business and Finance Services
5. Software 
6. Telecommunications

Many other industries in San Diego are beginning to rapidly develop such as environmental, transportation, recreation goods, and international trade.  Qualcomm, a wireless telecommunication company, was founded and is headquartered in San Diego.  A company entitled Websense is also located here and it specializes in web security gateway software.  San Diego's economy is primarily based upon it's port which is also the site of some of the only shipbuilding and submarine yards on the West Coast.  It houses the largest naval fleet and is the headquarters for many national defense contractor including General Atomics and NASSCO.

Qualcomm's next generation smartphone

Launch of navy ship by NASSCO in San Diego

MeGaLoPoLiS

Megalopolis is located in the Northeast portion of the United States and consists of the area from New Hampshire to Washington D.C.  This area was the first region to become urbanized in all of the continental United States.  Metropolitan areas such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore are major cities which are all urban centers on the east coast.  Megalopolis has an apparent urban theme and shares common urban forms such as; dense patterns of streets and buildings, industrial centers, retail clusters, and government complexes.  San Diego, California is not geographically located in Megalopolis but it shares many similar characteristics and qualities...

Map of Megalopolis

Similar Characteristics

• A site characteristic of Megalopolis is it's coastal location and harbors.  San Diego also occupies a coastal location and contains harbors.  The only difference is it is on the west coast rather than the east coast.
• San Diego has dense streets in certain areas, industrial centers, retail clusters and government complexes similar to some of the major cities in Megalopolis.
• San Diego also shares a similar topography with Megalopolis.  They both have a relatively flat coastal plain and portions of hilly landscape.
• Both areas also share exceptional accessibility and are good locations for trade and immigration.
• The rapid growth of the major cities in Megalopolis in the 1800s is paralleled by the rapid increase in population in California, more specifically San Diego, in the mid to late 1900s.  

Downtown San Diego

Metropolitan Boston

Differences

• Megalopolis experiences moderate climate while the climate in San Diego, California is consistently mild or Mediterranean.  Their winters are considerably colder and summers are hotter and more humid.
• A defining characteristic of Megalopolis is the close proximity of cites.  California in general is more spread out and while the cities are relatively close, it pails in comparison to the proximity of cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.  They are all in separate states yet still within in driving distance.
• Both areas experience high levels of immigration but San Diego has a higher percentage of Mexican immigrant and Megalopolis has a higher degree of African American immigrants.
• Megalopolis and San Diego are both dense in regards to the number of people per square mile but Megalopolis is expansive in it's density while San Diego is concentrated.  California is much more spread out and does not have a large, consistent area of population density like the northeast coast.
• New York, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston have merged to form a single urbanized region over recent years.  California's most productive counties (Los Angeles, San Fransisco, and San Diego) are still relatively independent of each other.  Even though they are all located in the same state, they serve different functions are not to the merging level of Megalopolis.

Climate Chart for San Diego

Climate Chart for New York City

Chapter 3: Foundations of Human Activity

The stereotypical image of the blond haired, blue eyed native Californian is well ingrained into the minds of foreigners and many Americans who have never experienced our state first-hand.  San Diego, a certified beach town, is no exception to this common assumption.  In all actuality, San Diego is a city rich in ethnic diversity which adds an electric feel to the atmosphere.

"Typical Californians"

Settlement history:

Before California was officially California, it was inhabited by Native Americans over 10,000 years ago.  These first inhabitants were prominently hunter-gatherers and lived in small tribes widely dispersed over a large area.  The Spanish were the first European based explores to "discover" California in the mid 1550s.  California became part of Spain's North American holdings and over the course of several years Spain built several missions along the west coast spanning from San Diego to Sonoma.  In 1769, the Presidio of San Diego was established  and around that same time Mission San Diego de Alcala was founded.  During the late 1700s, the once thriving Native American population began to dwindle due to the ravaging effects of European disease.  California was seized by the United States in 1846 and officially became a state in 1850.  The city of San Diego became incorporated into California soon after but did not experience a large population boom until 1890.  A strong military presence soon began in 1901 and hosted two World's Fairs in 1915 and 1935.  This leads us to the modern day San Diego that we have all come to know and love.

San Diego Mission de Alcala

Modern Day San Diego:
San Diego currently ranks as the second most populous city in all of California.  In 2009, the population of San Diego was approximated to be 1,353,993 by the US Census Bureau and is expected to continue to increase in the coming years(City of San Diego Demographics).  San Diego's residents make up about 43% of the total population of San Diego County.  It is also the economic center of San Diego county and constitutes for over half of the county's jobs and three-quarters of the regions large employers.  According to Figure 3.3 in the text, San Diego boasts 300-2,999 people per square mile by county (53).

Recent Statistics (As of 2009) according to City-Data.com

• 50.4% Males and 49.6% Females 
• Median age of a San Diego resident is 32.5 while the average age of a Californian is 33.3. 
• Estimated median family income: $59,901
• Median price of a household: $445,500
• Ancestries: German (10.8%), Irish (8.7%), English (8.0%), Italian (4.6%), United States (3.2%), French (2.4%) 

Breakdown by Race

• White- 615,495 (47.1%)
• Hispanic - 373,573 (28.6%)  
• Asian alone - 185,716 (14.2%)
• Black alone - 82,885 (6.3%)
• Two or more races - 36,242 (2.8%)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 7,220 (0.6%)
• American alone - 2,383 (0.2%)Other race alone - 2,713 (0.2%)
 

Distribution of Races in San Diego

Chapter 2: Geographic Patterns of the Physical Environment

Topography:
San Diego, California is located in the Pacific Mountains and Valleys region of the United States.  The Pacific Mountains and Valleys region runs from the California Pacific Coastline all the way up north to Washington.  It is characterized by numerous mountain chains and abrupt changes in elevation.  The Coast Range is an extensive area in California with peaks reaching 3,000 meters.  This range is 840 miles long and it rises from the shore in steep cliffs ad terraces.  This physiographic region is also famous for it's abundance of sandy beaches.  There is also a major fault zone running along Southern California which is a source of frequent earthquake activity.

The San Diego Ranges, also know as the Peninsular Ranges, are comprised of the Aqua Tibia, Laguna, and Vallecito Mountains which extend southward into Baja California. San Diego encompasses 70 miles of coastline and is known for it's hilly geography.  It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and has miles of lush, sandy beaches.  Metropolitan San Diego is crossed by five west flowing rivers and several streams.  These geographic features aid the creation of San Diego's canyons, gorges, and mesas.  The city of San Diego rests upon steep canyons and hills which effectively separate it's mesas.  The San Diego River, another distinguishing geographic feature of the the city, runs directly through the center of San Diego.

Overview of the Topography of San Diego

The San Diego River

Climate: San Diego, California is known for it's idealistic weather conditions.  The sun shines for the vast majority of the year and the weather is fairly consistent when compared to other regions in the United States.  The climate is officially classified as Mediterranean which means that there is moderate precipitation in the mild winters and the summers are fairly warm.  The weather in San Diego is mostly sunny and the presence of severely cold or scorching hot weather is highly unlikely.  The average temperature in Fahrenheit in January is about 57.3 degrees and in August it is 72.5 (rssweather.com).  There have been incidences of temperatures exceeding 90 degrees during the hottest summer months although these occurrences are rare.  The precipitation rate is less than 12 inches per year which makes San Diego a borderline arid city.  San Diego is prone to floods and droughts and is also plagued by the Santa Ana winds.  Out of the 125 years of weather recording, there has only been five reported days of snow falling.  Overall, San Diego's weather is perfect if you enjoy the laid back atmosphere of leisurely, sunny beach living.  Here is a video of the typical weather forecast in San Diego during July:        

Vegetation and Soils:

The southern region of California is classified as sclerophyllous vegetation area.  According to enclyopedia.com, sclerophyllous vegetation is typically scrub, but also forest, in which the leaves of the trees and shrubs are evergreen, hard, thick, leathery, and usually small. These adaptations allow the plants to survive the pronounced hot, dry season of the Mediterranean-type climate in which sclerophyllous vegetation is best developed.  Different types of vegetation that thrive in this area include: pine trees, oak trees, citrus trees, manzanita schrubs, sagebrush, and fig trees among numerous others.  San Diego is classified under the highland soil category which is generally unproductive but mollisols and alfisols can also be found in this region, which are both very productive soils.  Here are a few examples of the beautiful vegetation that grows on San Diego's home turf:

Purple Ice Flower



Southern Red Monkeyflower







Chapter 1: Regions and Themes

San Diego is the epitome of a typical Southern California city.  It is located in the California region of the nation and is the most southern city in California.  The City of San Diego is the second largest city in California and the sixth largest in the nation.  According to www.sandiego.gov, the population, as of 2009, is 1,353,993.  San Diego is highly industrious and it's four main industries are manufacturing, defense, tourism, and agriculture.  The economy of San Diego is dependent on these four industries and is a highly urbanized area.  Not only is it an expansive city, but it also is the center of San Diego County which is made up of several cities including Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Mesa, and Coronado just to name a few.  The county of San Diego is the fifth largest in the nation and is also among the richest counties in the country.  Here is map of the complete list of counties in the County of San Diego:  

Regions/Areas of San Diego, California:

• The Airport, Point Loma, and Ocean Beach- Point Loma is a well known Peninsula which is bordered by the Pacific Ocean and is famous for the Cabrillo National Monument within which is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.  The San Diego International Airport is located near Point Loma and is the busiest single-runway commercial service airport in the United States.  Ocean Beach lies on the Pacific Ocean at the estuary of the San Diego River.  It is directly north of Point Loma and is a popular beachfront in the City of San Diego.
• Old Town San Diego- Old Town San Diego area is just north of downtown and is most famous for Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.  This area is the original location of San Diego's foundation and was first settled by the Spanish in 1769.  This settlement portrays the Mexican and early American years of 1821-1872 with historic buildings and adobe homes.  In this area you can also find the Wells Fargo History Museum, Old Town Plaza, the Serra Museum, and the Seely Stables Museum. 
• Downtown San Diego/The Gaslamp District- This section of San Diego is a unique blend of old-time flavor with new modern renovations while still preserving it's ethnic neighborhoods such as "Little Italy."  The downtown area has a vast array of restaurants, several retail stores (including Horton Plaza), Petco Stadium, and a vibrant night life.  Nearby is the famous Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo.
• Mission Valley- Mission Valley is located in central San Diego.  This region flourishes due to it's many businesses, an upscale shopping center, and its cornucopia of hotels, especially those lining Hotel Circle.   You can find Mission Bay in the center of Mission Valley which is comprised of two islands, many coves, and inlets.  This area is famous for Seaworld San Diego and Belmont Park, a historic beachfront amusement park.  Hotels dot the beachfront and many tourists flock to this area due to the allure of the authentic beach life and variety of fun activities that if offers.

Old Town San Diego

The Gaslamp District

Mission Bay

Old Point Loma Lighthouse