THE LESSON OF GALENA
INFRASTRUCTURE LESSONS FROM THE STEAM ERA FOR THE INFORMATION AGE
Prior to approximately 1860, Galena was the largest and wealthiest city in Illinois, having established itself as a river shipping hub and financial center. Founded as a product of the mining communities which sprang up around the natural deposits of lead, Galena soon became the center of commerce for the Midwest, feeding ore and goods to St. Louis and New Orleans via its access to the Mississippi River.
In the last half of the century, the railroad network, representing the newer interconnect technology, was beginning to compete with Galena's thriving and established economy based upon the river barge. Although a rail hub in Galena was the railroad's first (and logical) choice, Galena's monied interests determined that the new technology would not be welcome, both because it competed with the barge network and because it represented "outside" interests. What the citizens of Galena did not foresee was that the vastly increased flexibility and productivity associated with rail shipping, which could go east and west as easily as north and south, would soon render river barges obsolete. The regional rail hub was subsequently moved to Dubuque, the traffic was taken from the barges, Galena went into decline while Chicago, which was both a rail hub and a Great Lakes port, became the largest and wealthiest city in Illinois.
Extrapolating this history to 20th century communities, it is clear that any implementation decision made today concerning the access to trade and transport by educational institutions, government and businesses has the potential for enormous consequences to a community’s citizens and its financial health. In an information age, these arteries of commerce are represented by local and regional video, data and voice networks, which provide access to the world’s knowledge resources.
Failure to act on this telecommunications imperative by the communities of today will further widen the gulf between the technology-literate and the have-not states and regions, thereby increasing economic and social tensions. The information age brings the promise of the "quilting" effect, which pulls people of common interest together via logical peer groups, regardless of their location or economic status.
In a more optimistic view, this lesson can help cities grow as well as cause them to decline. For example, the city of Dover, New Hampshire has turned to computer networking to launch a former textile mill town into the twenty-first century. The city-wide computer network called "Dover-Net" will link schools, businesses, libraries and homes. Local officials expect the technology to lure industrial development and increase job opportunities for residents. In the district’s schools, vocational students have exchanged old machining tools for advanced design software.
Although the program in Dover is still young, a similar project in Blacksburg, Virginia has shown significant success. The city initiated the Blacksburg Electronic Village three years ago and, already, nearly 70% of homes in the town have Internet access. Also, most local businesses now have their own home pages, and nearly twenty businesses related to the Internet have opened shop. Modern telecommunications has proven to be an essential tool in business and at home. Now municipalities can use this exciting technology to grow and develop or risk losing ground to other, more innovative, districts.
Ralph E. Evans III
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