Covington - Update 61 "Chestnut Hills and South River Bend"

[Jmouse]

Once again, Jon, I thank you for starting with not one but two very helpful overviews! Pic 12.03 is especially inviting - or could "charming" be the word I'm looking for? It speaks so clearly of the "quiet town with a good bit of historical charm" that dots the American countryside from sea to shining sea!

Also, I continue to admire the open green spaces you've included which are so typical of the neighborhoods I'm used to seeing. And 12.09 is just soothing and relaxing to the eyes! You've done a remarkable job on the farms, too. Such layouts are time consuming and not as easy to create as they may seem to folks who have not had the experience of doing so.

Overall, a very good update!

Later...
Joan

[TopCliff]

These last updates have been great dude. Sad to say, I've forgotten what I was going to say so long ago. I do have an idea though. Let's say Covington was founded around a fort. Fort Covington, perhaps? Wait, I think I remembered it . . . I'm not quite sure if it was a water park or not . . . Anyways, keep up the great work dude.

[bat]

Another very good update there! Also with nice overviews!

[oldrogue]

Jon, I sure can't argue with what everyone else has said....wonderfull update....I've lived all over the country and you have captured the feel of foothill farming so perfectly....the littlevillages that serve as a focal point for the surrounding area are perfect.....and the way the farms mimic the transport and flow with the geography instead of ravaging it.  I am really intested in seeing what you are going to come up with for the rest of the northern section.  Thanks for sharing
Duane

[Pat]

Jon you have soo out done yourself here with this update sir!!! I just dont know what more I can say here but at least I could follow Paul's example and pic on some pics lol...

12.01: Still A great transportation map and fits well with so far of the area Jon!!! and also looks alot like to pic 12.11 of the google map area!!!

12.02: Riedsville is looking real nice there jon and so grand too, Just that highway would soo make me sick lol!!!

12.03:

The local church adds a nice backdrop to the shops lining Boone Street.

Also you cant forget the water tower to lol....

12.05: How many employees does Gratiot Moters employ eaxactly???

12.08: Hey I Jon I think I heard the story why Pisgah Church is soo big!!!  It was at one time part of a real rural fundimentalist church sect and they had a grand campus that was spraling of the area then slowly but surley folks left the camp and settled the area around away from the church and then that is when the new community came about...  So thats the story from one of the local fire fighter...

12.09: One thing I find rather funnie there if you look on Spa's lot there the Limo is trying so hard to ram that fence lol....

As always I will await that next update!!!!

[spa]

Hey JB,

I have been following this journal pretty closely, even if I haven't commented much. You're doing a great job. It all seems very realistic. About the large church. When you speculated about how it was so big even though it was only in a small community I immediately thought it must be a Catholic church. Here in Altantic Canada you can tell when you've driven into an Acadian community (French catholics) because even though the settlement may be just a small village, they'll still be some huge old stone church that is far bigger than the community could possibly need.

[JBSimio]

Matt:  Thank you!  I hear that your summer is off to a very warm start so far.  I hope you can get your job worked out.

Dustin:  Thanks!  To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how true I was being until Adam asked.  I laid the farms out in ways that made sense in my head and also looked nice to me... the accuracy was really a bonus more than anything.

Simpson:  Thank you!

Paul:  Wow... thank you!  I honestly don't have any updates in waiting right now, so you're seeing everything as I finish it at this point.  Yes, the close ups can suffer, but it's a trade that I knew and accepted early on.  I've been keeping an eye on the FAR project as well and will be interested to see how it comes along.  Churches like that definitely exist in the US, although more often they would be made of brick rather than stone.  I think I had the dead end mod on my other computer, but I made a mistake when copying files from that one to this one... and I'm trying to avoid downloading any mods for fear of messing things up when I switch back.  I suppose there could be any number of explainations for Pisgah Church Grove.  The random huge church in the middle of nowhere does happen here, but not very often.  Thank you for such a well considered response... I really appreciate all the thoughts.

Joan:  Thank you!  I think it's safe to say that there will be some type of overview in every update, so I'm glad you find them useful!  The open spaces, at least in the smaller towns, are simply a result of leaving small pieces alone.  I don't like to zone the small towns entirely in the beginning so that I can come back and have areas to fill in later.  So instead of zoning 4 1x2 lots on a block (for example)... I'll just zone 2 of them and leave the other two spots empty for now.

Topcliff:  Thank you!  A fort, you say?  Interesting idea... I may have to think about that one. 

Bat:  Thank you as always!

Duane:  Thanks!  I'm chipping away at the north east sections as we speak... so I hope you'll enjoy the next update!

Pat:  Thank you!  I agree that anyone prone to motion sickness might have some problems driving in my region.     Gratiot Motors was made by Nofunk (I'm pretty sure!) and I think it provides just under 700 jobs... I'll have to look it up to be certain though.  (I confess that I'm terrible when it comes to remembering where I got things from)  I didnt' even notice that car balanced on the edge of the foundation there... I guess we now know who really pays attention around here! 

Spa:  Thank you for stopping in!  I think the early settling missionaries were quite good at that sort of thing.  They built these seemingly huge churches... some of them ended up with cities growing up around them and others didn't.  Kind of a historic version of building on speculation, I suppose.   

Hmmmm... I guess I can't put the official red update sign up today.  The reason is quite simply because I don't have an update ready yet.  I'm really here to catch up on replies right now.  One reason is because y'all are so kind and keep leaving so many responses... for which I am certainly grateful.  The other reason is because I have a feeling that update 13 will be fairly large.  You can look at the teaser and get a pretty good idea of what is on the way... but beyond that, I'll just say that we'll be staying in the rural areas for the next two updates.  Speaking of teasers...



More to come soon...
JB

[threestooges]

Well you've been busy. I'll be looking forward to these updates. The weather around here has been... warm. I think the other day it hit 95 F or more (35 C). It's not too bad at all, but it's unusual to sweat while just sitting there. I don't know why but I've always been a fan of the cloudier days (65-70 or so, the kind of day right before it rains) but this isn't too bad either. Good surfing weather. I'm sure I'll find something before the summer is over, though it's always a strange feeling not knowing quite what you're going to do. I am signed up for a summer class too though, so I know I'll have something to do. Hope you're well. Are you still doing the hotel thing or have you already moved yet? Either way, take it easy and I'll keep an eye out for the next update.
-Matt

[Pat]

Hey Jon someone has to keep an eye out on you and pay attention to whats going on here lol.... I cant wait for update 13 to hit!!!!!

[thundercrack83]

As always, your region looks beautiful, Jon! Love the teaser!

I'll be looking forward to Update 13!

Dustin

[BigSlark]

Hello Jon, I've missed replying to a few updates, but I assure that you I've been lurking. I must say you capture the feel of North Carolina very well, it reminds me of the time I spent in Winston-Salem a few summers ago. I really, really like your farms, they're what complete the feel of the region.

I'm looking forward to update 13!

Cheers,
Kevin

[paroch]

Looking good there Jon - I am impressed with the speed you're filling up those quads.  You'll have the region done in a month's time at this rate!

As for the dead end barrier mod - I added it reasonably recantly and it gave no probs - now if only I could remember where I downloaded it from!

Paul

[oldrogue]

Hey Jon...you are such a tease!   ......forgot to ask you earlier...... where that auto parts factory is from....neat building.....Looking forward to the next update as always.......oh, and is hitting an even 100 (F) here in Arizona today....brrrrrr.

[bat]

That part of the region is looking wonderful! And looking forward to it in the next update...

[JBSimio]

Matt:  I'm still living in the hotel...    It's a long story that I'll go into another time, but it will all work out eventually.

Pat:  Wait no longer, my friend!

Dustin:  Thanks!

Kevin:  Thank you!  I spent a fair bit of time in Winston-Salem during my life down there as well... I hear all three cities in the Piedmont basically run together now.

Paul:  I think I'll be at it a lot longer than a month, trust me!  Filling in the farm tiles is initially fast (comparitively speaking anyway)... but as the region grows, I'll be revisiting them quite often to make adjustments and let the growth happen.

Duane:  The factory is by Nofunk and should be on the STEX somewhere.  All the heat seems to be stuck in the southwest right now... I don't even think we topped 65 today!   

Bat:  Thank you!

Update Time!!!

I think I mentioned that this would be a fairly large update, didn't I?  OK... good.  Because it will be.  Fortunately, the good people at Deadwood's service station have kindly donated a full tank of gas so we won't actually have to pay for all the driving around we're about to do.  Let's have a look at the map and see where the roads will take us tonight.

13.01


From Pisgah Church Grove, we'll head east on Pisgah Church Road.  (That really is a road name I saw once and is honestly the basis for the names I gave that entire area... just in case you're curious).  We'll pass the I-85 exit and cross the Riedsville River before curving north and decending into Devil's Wash.

13.02


As you might guess from the name, Devil's Wash has a pretty unique story behind it.  Like many towns we've seen so far, this one also sits in a valley.  The major difference is that the hills completely circle the town, leaving run off water from the hills with very few places to go.  Flooding has always been common here, but people stubbornly continued to settle in the village and it thrived over the years.

13.03


A closer look at the business district shows that despite the occasional hardships, Devil's Wash has done fairly well.  A number of restaraunts line the streets, and Redeemer Lutheran recently finished their first permanent church building. 

13.04


This is mainly a farm town and there is really no industry to speak of here... so there isn't actually a whole lot more to see.  However, I took this closeup of the local housing to illustrate for Joan (and anyone else who might want to know) the open spaces she mentioned last time.  I also just thought it looked nice!    Lets drive out of Devil's Wash on the same road, although it is now called Harper Hill Road, heading north east towards Boone.

13.05


Just south of town, we turn left onto US 311 (anyone remember that highway?) which takes us into Boone.  Located on Bear Lick Creek, Boone is primarily another farm town, although it does have a couple things which set it apart.  This local area was actually settled by German immigrants way back before I was alive to see it happen.  While today's population is much like anywhere else in the county, the town has retained some of its original heritage and has grown into a bit of a tourist draw.

13.06


Tourists flock to the many shops and restaraunts lining Main Street (NC 46) where the merchants gladly sell them everything from homemade fudge and candy to clothes and tea.  Perks, KOD, Aunt Millie, and Tiffany all have shops here.

13.07


Factory tours are also an oddly popular thing to do while in Boone.  What good is a true German experience (at least the watered down, American tourist version) if you can't watch cheese being made?  And if you don't like cheese, you can just head across the street and watch them make sausage.  Now honestly... who could pass up something like that?

13.08


Heading east from Boone on 46, we cross this bridge and become instantly jealous of the guy who lives in that house.  What a great view he must have...  the jerk!  My apologies... I'm honestly happy that he's done so well for himself.

13.09


Shortly after crossing Bear Lick Creek, I realize that there isn't anything to see in that direction and that I totally went the wrong way!  So, we turn around and come back into Boone, which just gives us a good excuse to take in another view from the water tower.  This time we'll head south on US 311, bypassing Devil's Wash, crossing Walnut Creek, and ultimately coming to Walnut Grove.

13.10


Walnut Grove sits (suprisingly) along the banks of Walnut Creek.  Not only that, but it also sits at the base of the Walnut Hills State Park.  Us 311 actually forms the western border of the park, but we're not talking about that yet.  We're talking about the town.  NC 57, which ultimately becomes Cone Boulevard in Covington, meets US 311 here... making it a fairly decent commute for those bedroom comunity types.

13.11


Contrary to popular belief, Walnut Grove was not named in honor of Laura Ingalls or anyone else in from the books (you did know there were books, right?) and to my knowledge Melissa Gilbert has never visited the town either.  If she had though, I'm sure she would feel right at home (or on set maybe?  I'm confusing myself now) with some of the more historic buildings that still anchor the business district.  Newer shops and small offices continue to mix in as more people move here from the city.

13.12


The same mix of old and new carries over into the local industries as well.  Some of these factories have been here for nearly a century, while others are very recent additions to town.

13.13


As we continue south on US 311, feel free to look out the back window for one more glimpse of the church and clock tower.  We'll follow US 311 south through the hills until I-40, where we'll head west for a couple miles to the next exit, which is Rickland Run Road where we turn south again.  (It's officially called Rickland Run, but most people always add the word "Road" out of habit.)

13.14


Ultimately we cross Rickland Creek and enter the village of Rickland Center.  It's a pretty tiny place, but we might as well look since it's on our route anyway.

13.15


See?  I told you there wasn't much here.  Rickland Center was built around a flour mill that took advantage of the creek.  The mill no longer exists, and the village really never grew up.  There are a few shops, but for the most part, it's just another pretty farm town.  We'll veer right onto Burlington Road and continue south.

13.16


Burlington is another small village without much going on just yet.  A new commuter station was recently built here, so that could change things in the future.  The line serves Raliegh and Covington and how much growth the station could bring depends on how popular rail commuting turns out to be.

13.17


On our way out of Burlington to our final (as yet undisclosed) location, I can't help but simply enjoy all the farms and open spaces out here.

13.18


Of course, it just wouldn't be a Covington update without this now would it?

Thanks for reading!
JB

[bat]

Wonderful new update of Covington there! And also fantastic overviews and map of your great region! Nice farmland!

[rooker1]

Hey Jon, this was one a my favourite updates so far.   
I think you have mastered the small town feel.  I have never been one to have so many farms in my region, but you have made it look so natural and right. 
Your choices of custom content all seem to fit with each other very well. 
And I love the shape of that river.  Your regional view is also very impressive.

Robin 

[Nardo69]

You really do know how to use your BATs! 

But I wonder how this will all look like if David's fractional roads are going to be available ...

That map is marvellous!

Take care (and don't forget to make backups!)

Bernhard 

[paroch]

Hi Jon,

What a great update there.  I really like the road maps you produce - I think I'll have to try and make one of those.

I like the feel you give to each of the small towns and villages.  I'll comment on a few "stand-outs" for me......

13.04 just looks a nice peaceful place to live and is a nice mix of houses that compliment each other well.
13.08 yeah, what a view from that house.
13.13 great composition of the picture.  The church and clock tower go well together.
13.14 I can imagine driving over that bridge and seeing the town ahead of you with the windmill behind it looking over the town.
13.18 It's becoming your trademark!

I look forward to the next update,

Paul

[Jmouse]

Wonderful update, Jon! I think the thing that stands out most to me is the way you're developing the region in harmony with the environment. How I envy your ability to create those small towns separated by farm land - your map could easily slide into any road atlas and no one would be the wiser!

13.04 is, indeed, especially appealing because of the small-town-America atmosphere of the neighborhood. I could live there happily ever after! And Boone is a work of art! Since I am wont to blame the SC4 game engine for my playing deficiencies, I maintain that it is difficult to spread neighborhoods out the way you have done in 13.05. From the very start, I've been conditioned to create too much density because of the power overlap. You have managed to break the pattern, though, and the result is stunning in its simplicity and realism.

Then Walnut Grove, Rickland Center and Burlington provide even more feasts for the eyes. And I love that little church in 13.11. You can bet I'll be "looking out the back window" for much time to come as I enjoy all this wonderful scenery unmarred by a single building more than four stories high!

Until the next grand tour...
Joan