Ch 10. The Coastal South

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          The Coastal South region is consisted of all of Florida and parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. This particular region is part of the physio-graphic zone known as the Atlantic Coastal Plain (Hardwick 189). Like Solvang, the Coastal South were first visited by the Spanish who attempted to find a settlement. However, in Solvang, that did not last long, and the Danish colonists came in soon after.

          While Solvang is mostly populated by Caucasians, the Coastal South is shaped by African-Americans as well. Both regions, however, is characterized by tourism. Like we all know, Orlando, Florida attracts millions of tourists each year. The Universal Studios in Florida was the first one to open the Harry Potter Theme Park! The Coastal South is not only famous for its tourist attraction, but also for its military bases. 

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          Although Solvang is a small city compared to areas in the Coastal South region, it is quite popular among tourists for its Danish cuisine, annual events, architecture, cycling route, and more! It doesn't have any theme parks, but there are lots of art museums.

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There are also a lot of golf courses along with the famous Ostrich Land! 

Ch 9. The Inland South

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          The Inland South includes parts of Virginia, West Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Arkansas, southern Missouri, northern Louisiana, eastern Oklahoma, and east Texas. These are the states located along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. This region is characterized by a humid subtropical climate; summers are hot and humid while winters are mild with snowfall. It is very different from Solvang in that it has high precipitation (Hardwick 174).

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          Like most of the states in the United States, both Solvang and the Inland South were occupied by Native Americans in the beginning prior to the arrival of European settlers. However, both regions are different in that Native Americans in the Inland South were removed from their homes by the Indian Removal Act, which forced them to relocate to Oklahoma. This relocation became known as the Trail of Tears. In the area where Solvang came to be, Native Americans simply adopted the ways of Spanish missionaries and weren't really forced to move away. Solvang does not have any brutal history that led to suffering of a certain group of people. It was founded by Danish settlers who were seeking a suitable land to colonize in a rather peaceful way. 

          Unlike Solvang, which is characterized by the tertiary sector of the economy, the Inland South relies on agriculture; it is focused on the primary and secondary sectors. Although this region is also associated with tourism, it is different from Solvang because Solvang is primarily focused on tourism and nothing else. 

Ch 8. The Great Lakes and Corn Belt

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          The Great Lakes and Corn Belt refers to the area located near the geographic center of North America (Hardwick 151). The states in this region includes Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin  Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and small portions of several adjacent states. Much of southern Ontario in Canada is also a part of the Great Lakes and Corn Belt. 

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          There is a geographical barrier between the Great Lakes and Corn Belt region and Solvang, but both share a similarity in that both areas has a river nearby. There is a river south of Solvang called the Santa Ynez River, although it cannot compare to the many lakes and river networks in the Great Lakes and Corn Belt. The two regions are characterized by different climates; unlike Solvang, this particular region has a humid continental climate where winters are cool to cold and summers are hot with rainfall evenly distributed throughout the year (Hardwick 153). Also, the climate of the Great Lakes and Corn Belt is affected by the Great Lakes, but Solvang's climate is affected by the Santa Yvez Mountain.

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          The Great Lakes and Corn Belt region's economy is based on agriculture, whereas Solvang relies heavily on tourism. However, two can be related in that Solvang is well-known for its wine from more than 80 vineyards in the Santa Barbara County. Also, the first inhabitants of both areas were Native Americans. 

          Generally speaking, the two regions do not share a lot of similarities. Solvang is not as populated and much smaller in size in comparison.

Ch 7. Megalopolis

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          Megalopolis refers to the five major cities in the United States, which includes Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington. It is the most densely populated region of North America (Hardwick 129). These northeastern cities are considered to be the economic and political core of the nation with ethnic and cultural diversity.

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          Megalopolis and Solvang is different in many ways due to its geographic location; both are located on the opposite sides of each other, with a huge gap in the middle. This results in the dramatic difference in climate. Megalopolis is generally humid with precipitation occurring throughout the year, while Solvang has a nice weather almost all year long with little to no precipitation.

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          Megalopolis has both economic and ethnic diversity, while residents in Solvang rely heavily on tourism. Also, there is a huge difference in population as well. While Megalopolis is the five largest metropolitan areas, Solvang is a merely small city in California. However, the two share a geographical similarity in that both are located near the coast.

Ch 5. The Atlantic Periphery

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          According to the text "The Geography of North America", the Atlantic Periphery includes most of Maine and New Hampshire, along with Vermont and north-eastern New York in the U.S. Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick are also included as well (Hardwick 91). 

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          The Atlantic Periphery and Solvang shares little similarity. They're located on the opposite sides of the nation with both a physical gap and time difference. Regions in that Atlantic Periphery has cool to mild summers and cold, snowy winters, which is clearly different from Solvang. First of all, it does not snow in Solvang during winters. It is much colder in the Northeast than it is in California. As previously discussed, weather in Solvang is quite nice with plenty of sunlight 360 days of the year. 

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          The only similar aspect that the two share is a strong sense of place. The majority of the residents in Solvang are Danish, and their community shares a strong bond. They have gathered together since the days of the city's beginning as colonists until the city turned itself into a tourist attraction after World War II. Since it is a small city with a population of approximately 5000 people, it is quite different from the big city in that people share a more intimate relationship with their neighbors. Also, although it is not as dominant as it is in Solvang, tourism is also a source of business in the Atlantic Periphery as well. 

Ch 4. The North American Political Economy

          Solvang's economy is almost exclusively focused on the tertiary sector. After all, the architecture of the city was designed in a way that was suitable to become a tourist attraction! More than half of the city's economic activity is primarily based on retail, and accommodations and food services come next (City-Data). According to Solvang's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were all part of the service industry, such as The Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, Solvang Lutheran Home, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, and Root 246 (City of Solvang).

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          Solvang is one of the major tourism sites in California. It hosts a variety of events all throughout the year. The "Danish Days" event, held during the third weekend of September, consists of various activities such as the aebleskiver eating competitions, music, dancing, marching bands, singers, and more. 

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          Aebleskiver is a traditional Danish pancake that is served in most restaurants in Solvang. It has a distinctive shape that does not conform to the widely known "pancake"; it is a round-shaped ball of pancake that is served with raspberry jam and powdered sugar. It is almost a tradition for tourists to visit one of the many restaurants in Solvang to try aebleskivers. 

          Solvang is famous for its many wineries. The only night life is, in fact, is wine tasting! Since the early 19th century when the missionaries first planted grapes until now, the number of vineyards have increased to more than 80! When i visited Solvang last December, all the stores were closed except these wineries. Sadly, I couldn't enjoy any wine tasting since I was only 20 years old. Although I did not get the chance to see it, Solvang also has a  700-seat open-air Festival Theater that was built in 1974. It is the center of the performance of live arts in Solvang, supported by the local business community (Solvang USA). 

Ch 3. Historical Settlement of North America

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          Before Solvang was founded in 1911 by a group of Danes, the Santa Ynez Valley was inhabited by the Chumash. They were skilled fishermen and hunters. However, by the beginning of the 19th century, Spanish missionaries arrived and the Chumash adopted the Spanish way of life. Soon after, Mission Santa Inés created in 1804. It was located in the center of today's Solvang. The Mission, although built to serve as a seminary, was repaired and then renovated after its deterioration (Mission Santa Ines).

http://www.elverhoj.org/history.html

          During 1850 to 1930, a lot of residents in Denmark left their country to escape poverty. Soon after, Danish settlers decided to create a new Danish Colony with a dedicated Lutheran church and school on the west under the leadership of Benedict Nordentoft, pastor Jens M. Gregersen, and lecturer Peder P. Hornsyld. These Danish-Americans found Solvang at the suitable land that they found in the Santa Ynez Valley (Elverhoj Museum).

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          Solvang now became a town from a land with just fields. It had a store, a post office, a bank, and more. Later on, a folk high school was constructed to teach Danish-speaking students various subjects. The Bethania Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in 1928, and it resembled that of a 14th century church in rural parts of Denmark.

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          At first, buildings in Solvang were not built in Danish-styled architecture like we can see today. The only one that actually resembled a Denmark architecture was the church. However, after Wolrd War II, interests in the concept of a "Danish Village" increased as to create a new tourist attraction to bring economic activity. These efforts turned out to be quite successful, as more than one million tourists visit Solvang each year. 

Ch 2. North America's Environmental Setting

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          Two hours and a half from Los Angeles, Solvang is located approximately 15 miles north of the Pacific Coast. It is surrounded by the Purisima Hills to the north, and the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Santa Ynzez river to the south. Solvang is one of the communities that are located in the Santa Ynez Valley, along with Buellton, Los Olivos, Ballard, and Santa Ynez. The Santa Ynez Mountains on the south separate the Santa Ynez Valley from the Pacific Ocean; these mountains range in elevation from 800 to 2,500 feet (City of Solvang).

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          Climate in Solvang is mild with warm days and cool nights, and lots of sunshine throughout the year. Average temperature ranges between 54 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures can reach high 80's during summer and low 40's during winter. Rainfall averages 16 inches within the Santa Ynez Valley although it is variable from year to year. Fog also plays an important factor in the climate of the area. Santa Ynez valley is the only east-west running valley on the Pacific coast; this allows the flow of fog and offshore breezes to temper the climate (City of Solvang).





          

Ch 1. Introduction

Welcome to Solvang!

          Solvang is a city located in Santa Barbara County, California.It was founded in 1911 by a group of Danes who were traveling to establish a Danish colony in the west. Now, Solvang is a home to more than 5000 people according to the 2010 consensus. Oftentimes called the "Little Denmark," Solvang offers tourists the taste of Denmark through its many bakeries, restaurants, and gift shops. 

          The city of Solvang is referred to as "Little Denmark" because it resembles that of a Danish Village, with buildings of Danish-styled architecture. I took a visit to Solvang last winter for my birthday, and it was as if I had stepped into a world of fairy-tales. The street was clean and the houses were absolutely adorable. At night, houses with Christmas lights lighted the neighborhood and it was simply a wonder!