The 38th State

Above, is the image of an America we never got to meet. A 38 state, straight talkin', no nonsense America, where famous places such as California and New York don't exist, but are replaced with names that make more logical sense, and are relative to the geography of the vast lands. This image was a proposed 'new map' drawn up by 70's geographer C. Etzel Pearcy, who fancied that the idea was more 'organic'. Personally, I think he's half right. The new states would read 'Mohawk' for north-east part where the native American tribe were mostly associated with. Alamo for the seemingly unforgettable mission in San Antonio, a landmark in Texas. Bayou, Erie, Hudson for the water systems, lakes and rivers. Prairie for the sweeping, romantic grasslands of the great plains. The general idea was that America had a lot of personalities, the states had a lot of associated traits, so why not cut the division created by north/south territories and state lines, why not divide by what you see, or history. I think the idea is actually rather noble, many of the new states are named after famous native American tribes, a fitting tribute to the country's past, and what we know as California and Nevada is turned in to El Dorado, a mythical lost city, lost kingdom of gold, perhaps reminiscent of the many gold rushes, or representative of the just out of reach beauty of the west coast. Pearcy seemed to imagine himself as the a new founding father of a land that would seem to embrace its geographic and cultural diversity, 38 states of wild beauty of his own creation. Significantly, notice how only Plymouth is the only English, old world sounding place name on the map. This could imply a move away from New Hampshire, New England, new everything, and Pearcy's interest in crafting a new American image, one free from Anglo-American founders, an optimistic excitement of what this new country could mean, much like in Letters from an American Farmer.