MEGACITIES INTO MEGALOPOLISES: A CIRCULAR VOYAGE ROUND BOSWASH

Boswash?

BosWHERE! – the name produces a baffling reaction to a place not officially in the atlas. 

But as the above map illustrates, what were formerly separate cities and entities are getting bigger and bigger.

So now it’s a megalopolis: a series of huge independent cities linked by suburban zones to form interconnectivity, geographers describing this fast-growing area of 400 miles long as Boswash – that’s Boston down to Washington DC.

It’s larger than Tokyo; and the population of New York City/Jersey region is 24 million, followed by Baltimore/Philadelphia/Washington at 17 million.

And the remaining 9 million from adjoining towns, cities and suburbs move as Western society always does: bigger houses, more roads, more airports, etc – for example, the biggest shopping mall in Boswash is American Dream, at East Rutherford, New Jersey with floor space of 3 million sq feet (by contrast, Liverpool ONE’s retail space is just 160,000 sq feet)

An awful lot of urban sprawl at American Dream; nonetheless, Boswash as a whole is the largest megalopolis by economic output worldwide and accounts for 20% of US gross domestic product.

Unbridled economic growth such as this is light years away from 1623 when the Pilgrim Fathers’ landed at Providence, Rhode Island. Religious followers who were persecuted in England for heresy, the community escaped to Providence and, according to many, are believed to be the original migrants into north-eastern USA.

But for the historians amongst us the 16th century Pilgrim Fathers’ first winter in a foreign land was dire and had Native Americans not provided food, then the colony would have starved.

Scant data is found for the next few hundred years except that the settlers lived peaceably alongside locals, growing crops, rearing animals and raising children.

And it seems they were good neighbours as land was purchased further supporting an agrarian economy.

Which abruptly changed in the year 1829 when industrial ingenuity from England constructed water and steam power, and Providence’s surrounding areas – increasingly known as New England – soon earned the appellation of ‘America’s Industrial Birthplace’ with a focus upon cotton spinning, weaving and lumber cutting by machine.

There was also insatiable demand for more territory and a realisation that opening up America’s interior was unlikely to start from Providence, the river there being navigable for only eight miles inland.

So there were coastal ports especially Boston, Massachusetts which initially developed from lumber and whaling industries, but had a huge boost from Irish immigration after 1850. 

The ports were strung along the coastline from Massachusetts Bay to Long Island, all trading primarily with Europe with increasing volume, but limited facilities.

However, in New Amsterdam (now New York City) and situated on a natural harbour and two rivers – the East River and the Hudson – canny planners realised this was the obvious choice for American expansionism, which changed the face of America.

Anyway, that’s the history of it all. In the 1990’s I was happy to be signed on a tanker trading to Providence, Boston and all ports in between.

It was hardly a Christopher Columbus-type of discovery – after all I’d sailed into America before – but these places  are a living legacy to the founding of their nation.

The names connect with the Old World: although Providence was named after God’s Mercy in delivering the settlers from starvation; New Bedford, Boston, Manchester-by-the-Sea and New Haven are easily identifiable to Britain.

Chatting to locals in the towns, revealed many were proud to declare that they were of British heritage – moreover, they were proud to be Americans – after all to be the world’s wealthiest country after only 250 years is no mean feat.

Still, despite their resilience in living in New England (winter snow is extreme) many expressed a desire to move out West, sometimes for a warmer climate or to escape crowded eastern cities, but something else that seemed to be part of individuality and the restless American spirit. 

Yet others relocate to New England. New Haven especially has fine pedigree as home to Yale University rated as one of the best in the world, whilst New Bedford has a forward-looking liberal ethos and was one of the first towns to lobby for abolition.

And throughout history, north eastern democratic ideals were matched by inventiveness and hard work – these traits a legacy from the early Puritan settlers.

But of expansionism the only way westward was by sea and river, and New York City – population in 1740 only 25k – beckoned as a potential world port.

Due to massive immigration and investment, by 1900 the population increased to 3.5 mn (as of 2023 it is 8.5 mn). (1)

But the plan was to connect NYC by water to Albany NY and through to the Great Lakes (this was before the railroads).

The Hudson was already there to navigate to Albany – beyond a canal was needed to reach the Lakes, the farmland of the mid-West and stockyards of Chicago.

So the Erie Canal was opened in 1825 and immediately boosted NYC’s status as a world port, the canal  only declining in use after 1902 when the Mohawk and Hudson railroad maximised efficiency.

Alongside the railroads the New York State Thruway follows the same line of penetration as the tracks and the canal which connects Lake Erie to NYC.

The Big Apple as it’s sometimes known is an all-singing, all-dancing city of commerce, culture, banking and everything else a city is supposed to be.

Described as the most-important city in the world is appropriate considering it’s where Wall Street’s investments are made and lost.

Both sailors and tourists love New York – most folks have heard of Broadway and Times Square – there is something for everyone and despite some downturns, it’s considered safe for visitors even if it has had a bad press over the years.

Much involves the myth of a big bad city, but Mick Jagger’s 1978 scornful put-down of NYC in the song ‘Shattered’ :  ‘go ahead, bite the Big Apple, don’t bite the maggots’ (2) summed up the city’s relentless 1970’s crime wave.

NYC however, isn’t the State Capitol. Instead, it’s Albany which was commercially successful long before the Big Apple – in fact at 300 years old it precedes the 1776 US Constitution.

Albany expanded as a fur-trading capital due to vast numbers of beaver and river otters; originally a backwoods business, traders exchanged manufactured goods with Native Indians, but soon huge sums were made in a cash economy.

The furs were valuable in Europe and made Albany prosperous, although no-one considered the plight of the animals.

At this point, by ship from NYC to Albany has to rate as one of the best and most scenic river voyages in the world.

After embarking the pilot at Sandy Hook on the New Jersey shore, it’s 135 miles upstream to Albany through rolling hills, lush forests and pretty Dutch-colonial towns.

Vessels to Albany were chartered by the Delmonte fruit company and imported tropical fruit from the Caribbean. Such charters were always well-received by ship’s crews due to Albany being a friendly community.

It’s also a classy town with art galleries and theatres and with a population of around 100k, Albany warranted the expression ‘small enough to care.’

Of course this was before 9/11 and International Ship and Port Security Convention when townsfolk could just drive to the ship, park up and be invited aboard for a beer – they can’t do that now.

Indeed, British ships were popular in Albany and bearing in mind we were living in a pre-Tinder dating site world, girls would roll up to the ship and take the guys round the bars.

Many relationships were formed with nice letters exchanged at various ports thereafter – a welcoming town, for sure.

Downstream of Albany and on the starboard side of NYC is the blue collar town of Bayonne, New Jersey. A gritty neighbourhood which is reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s songs; indeed, ‘The Boss” was born and raised in Freehold NJ, a few miles distant.

The best place for beers in Bayonne is Chubby’s Sports Bar and Grill – that’s if you’re lucky to get ashore on a container ship visit.

Most vessels dock at the huge container terminal which was rapidly developed during the containerisation revolution of the 1970’s – still, it’s a further example of America’s interconnectivity.

Sailing further south with Boswash megalopolis on the starboard side, the lights of the resorts of Atlantic City and Ocean City shimmer at night. Traditionally vacation land to New Yorkers, the permissive gambling laws of New Jersey casinos are reachable to most north easterners due to fast road links.

For ships southbound from NYC, the course would resemble a U-turn in degrees as the vessel swings starboard after Cape Charles, then navigates the Chesapeake northwards to Baltimore.

The Chesapeake is two hundred miles long from the Susquehanna river at its headwaters, and from there the Chesapeake’s estuary turns fresh water to brackish and eventually to salt water where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Forming the the southern limit to Boswash, Baltimore is 202 miles road distance from NYC; by sea the journey usually takes a day and a half. Because of that the port is better connected to the rest of the northeast by rapid rail, road and air services.

Furthermore, the city connects back to New Jersey through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, a short traverse enabling ocean ships to sail to Philadelphia.

And sailing through the Chesapeake Canal is a refreshing experience after a sea voyage along Chesapeake Bay for after embarking the pilot, there’s a fine view of Maryland and Delaware communities viewed from the ship’s deck.

It’s a series of Main Street, USA, with firstly a Jeepdealership, fast food outlets, fine houses and churches, etc,  just a few hundred yards away. The star-spangled American flag flutters from almost everywhere.

Most impressive though is that this 14-mile canal connects with the Delaware river and thence to Philadelphia. And on to New York without sailing south again.

In the city of Baltimore much portrayal has been by Hollywood in ‘The Wire’ (2000) – a six-part TV drama of the narcotics gangs and corrupt cops hell-bent on destroying communities.

And although the film industry has a big responsibility to accurately represent communities, ‘The Wire’  instead chooses to play the dark side.

Nonetheless, although ‘Wire’ is a fictional account it is true that 100,000 manufacturing jobs were lost between 1960 and 1995 and that the docks have suffered a long decline over decades. So maybe social problems have led to drug misuse in Baltimore.

But the city looks ahead in that optimistic American way and continues to expand its service industriesthrough corporations, young entrepreneurs and city hall.

And during a stopover in Baltimore in 2008, as crew members we found folks in the downtown area convivial enough.

Furthermore, there was evidence of tech industries moving into the city although slow industrial change meant that brownfield sites were still a blot on the landscape.

There were the usual warnings about visiting certain areas late at night – all the same, similar cautions apply anywhere in the world.

Anyway, a friendly longshoreman (dockworker) who upon hearing of our discussions about visiting Washington DC, offered to drive us there one Sunday afternoon.

The United States Capitol is only forty miles drive from Baltimore (‘it’ll give me and the wife a break from our teenage kids’ he beamed.

The trip was great: we travelled in the couple’s Chevy minivan and got within camera distance of 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue (the White House), but what impressed me was that generosity – that much praised American attribute – was indeed alive and well, for our hosts refused any offer of gas money.

Instead we took them to an upmarket restaurant, bought meals for all of us and traded stories of our respective families, life at sea and so on, but also about Baltimore and surrounding areas – how the two cities continue to overlap, for example.

So by now it’s 102 nautical miles to Philadelphia – to reach there a ship will steer immediately to port on entering the fresh water of the Delaware river.

The city is one of America’s oldest and is historically significant due to the 17th American Revolutionary War of Independence. Founded by Quakers and home to the Liberty Bell, an timeless icon of American freedom, the city has a historical feel to it which is absent in Baltimore and NYC.

Manufactured goods from hinterland cities such as Harrisburg and Bethlehem PA, have long been shipped through ‘Phillie’.

But transportation links improve and tentacles of railroads and Interstate highways render sea transport increasingly inefficient. To make it worse for Philadelphia’s declining docks, shipbuilding has also slumped, although this situation has been partly reversed by investment from Norway’s Kvaerner Group. (3)

From Philadelphia it is 197 nautical miles to NYC and the passage along the Delaware river can only be described as grand panoramic: river and coastal wetlands, farms and townships.

On the New Jersey side especially, wetlands seem to go on forever with flocks of geese, ducks and wading birds.

Soon the river flattens out to form Delaware Bay’s flood plain and it’s another hard turn to port past Atlantic City – a real short cut back to New York City.

At this point there were plenty of opportunities to reflect upon other crew members’ views of America: some impressions were long lasting especially of the courtesy of Americans; friendliness, openness and cultural diversity were rated highly, as well as personal freedoms.

Secondly, came applause for the efficiencies of business – for us especially (because some stores will even deliver purchases to the ship!)

There were one or two grumpy crew amongst us who gave a thumbs down to American foreign policy. But as we reminded them, who safeguards world trade and keeps the oil flowing? – the US Navy, of course.

Anyway, opinions are subjective and returning to Boswash, sea transportation opened up the dynamics of trade as we know it. It did so in 1825, but since then the modern dynamics of road and rail have now superseded shipping in most areas.

Probably because of that, the cities of Boswash continue to expand and merge.

Some cities such as NYC and Philadelphia have massive population increases and continue to encroach, but others such as Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts hardly register increase in numbers at all.

And so back to Providence RI which is familiar to some as the residence of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, but the majority of Americans know enough of Providence to celebrate the last Thursday of November asThanksgiving Day, a time when the first settlers met and received food from Native Americans.

Perhaps if they hadn’t done so, the landscape of north-eastern USA would be a different place today.

REFERENCES:

1) http://www.macrotrends.com >net>states>population 25.05.2020 (accessed 27.12.2023)

2)http://www.songfacts.com>facts>shattered 06.03.2021 (accessed 23.12.2023)

3) Bloomberg.com 13.07.2022, Kvaerner in Philadelphia (accessed 27.12.2023)