What is Spatial Interaction?
![Picture](/uploads/7/2/8/7/7287850/8250418.png?250)
With increasing globalization due to innovations in technology, cities cannot be analyzed in a vacuum. This concept of understanding a city’s sphere of influence dates back to the early 20th century as urban growth began to increase exponentially. American cities began to see rapid growth in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s due to the Industrial Revolution combined with a significant influx of immigration from Europe. This growth was contained primarily to the urban core, creating crowded and unsanitary conditions. With the rise of the automobile fueled by Henry Ford’s innovative production line process, metropolitan areas began to widen out from the downtown. This phenomenon was coupled with a scientific desire to quantify the movement of people referred to as social physics (Hartshorn, 1996). Early methods of measuring a city’s regional dominance were rather rudimentary, as a city’s newspaper distribution area was used to indicate the level of influence (McKenzie, 1933). By the 1950’s, social scientists began to hypothesize that population and regionalism could be represented through formulas, leading to the development of the gravity model. This model was the first of its kind to be widely accepted in the geography and planning fields, as it stated that population and distance could determine the relationship strength between multiple localities. This model was taken one step further with Reilly’s Law of Retail Gravitation to explain trade patterns between cities (Reilly, 1953). Through this evaluation, it became easier to understand city’s financial role at both the regional and national levels, thus formulating a hierarchy of U.S. cities. Today, city notoriety can be linked to other random associations like professional sports, but the sphere of influence can be better analyzed by looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area, which takes into account the regionalized aspect of metropolises.
Richmond's Sphere of Influence
![Picture](/uploads/7/2/8/7/7287850/254338668.jpg?352)
When evaluating the spatial interaction of Richmond at both the regional and national levels it is imperative to understand the timeline of the city’s development, as that long history has such a significant impact. Due to its close proximity to the first English settlements in Jamestown and Williamsburg, Richmond became a notable city during the Colonial Era of the United States. It also helped initiate the key relationship between the city and the Hampton Roads region of Virginia (where Jamestown lies), which is only 85 miles southeast. It can be argued that Richmond’s standing on the national hierarchy of cities peaked during the Civil War, due to its role as the capital of the Confederacy. The city struggled to maintain its status as the South’s dominant economy during Reconstruction, as it was leapfrogged by other boomtowns like Atlanta, Nashville, and Charlotte (New York Times, 2009).
At the state level however, Richmond has always maintained a high level of regional dominance because it serves as the capital. Population wise, it is third in the state behind the Washington, D.C. suburbs and the Hampton Roads. Yet, what separates Richmond from these other two regions is its undeniable role as the core city. Northern Virginia is a conglomeration of many cities, the most prominent being Arlington and Alexandria, yet region is nearly always identified as Washington at the national level. Hampton Roads is similar in that it is made up of multiple jurisdictions like Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, and Hampton. So despite its lack of population prominence, it still remains the most identifiable Virginia city when viewed from a national perspective. Today, Richmond has a strong variety of spatial functions that not only have regional attractiveness, but national draw as well. History plays a strong role in the tourism draw with sites like the American Civil War Museum, The White House of the Confederacy, and various regional battlefield sites. For cultural amenities, Carytown, the Fan, and Shockoe Bottom offer fine dining, shopping and entertainment options, as well as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Two of the city’s largest regional draws are the Kings Dominion amusement park and the Richmond International Raceway. While it lacks a professional sports team to solidify the city’s national reputation, Richmond has a large and diverse collection of amenities, and its proximity to the Northeast megalopolis make it an attractive destination for millions of Americans (visitrichmondva.com).
At the state level however, Richmond has always maintained a high level of regional dominance because it serves as the capital. Population wise, it is third in the state behind the Washington, D.C. suburbs and the Hampton Roads. Yet, what separates Richmond from these other two regions is its undeniable role as the core city. Northern Virginia is a conglomeration of many cities, the most prominent being Arlington and Alexandria, yet region is nearly always identified as Washington at the national level. Hampton Roads is similar in that it is made up of multiple jurisdictions like Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Newport News, and Hampton. So despite its lack of population prominence, it still remains the most identifiable Virginia city when viewed from a national perspective. Today, Richmond has a strong variety of spatial functions that not only have regional attractiveness, but national draw as well. History plays a strong role in the tourism draw with sites like the American Civil War Museum, The White House of the Confederacy, and various regional battlefield sites. For cultural amenities, Carytown, the Fan, and Shockoe Bottom offer fine dining, shopping and entertainment options, as well as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Two of the city’s largest regional draws are the Kings Dominion amusement park and the Richmond International Raceway. While it lacks a professional sports team to solidify the city’s national reputation, Richmond has a large and diverse collection of amenities, and its proximity to the Northeast megalopolis make it an attractive destination for millions of Americans (visitrichmondva.com).
Borchert's Transportation Epochs
![Picture](/uploads/7/2/8/7/7287850/871994348.jpg?323)
In 1967, social thinker John Borchert created a theory that tied U.S. urbanization directly to transportation development throughout time. The four epochs, or time periods, identify the dominant form of transportation during the era and how it shaped American cities at the time. Given Richmond’s long history, the city’s growth is able to align accordingly with Borchert’s theory. The first stage is referred to as the Horse and Wagon Epoch (1790-1830), which is the era where most growth was centered along the Atlantic coast or its’ significant waterways. In 1790, Richmond was one of the largest cities in the United States, and it can attribute this to its geographic location (Vance, 1976). The James River’s access to the Chesapeake Bay and thus the Atlantic Ocean was the main reason why Richmond is located where it is, and this can explain its prominence during the Colonial era.
Borchert’s next epoch is the Regional Railroad (1830-1870) where most of the prominent coastal and river cities saw accelerated growth. It was during this period that Richmond staked its claim as the industrial powerhouse of the American south. It’s prominence in the iron and tobacco industries was due to its accessibility to northern cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York where goods could be traded easily by rail. This era also served as the city’s peak of the African slave trade, where it was the main access point for slaves to be transferred throughout the southern states (NPR, 2014).
From 1870-1920 the National Railroad Network Epoch was the period where Richmond was passed over in prominence by other American cities further south and west. Borchert explains that this was an era where river cities like St. Louis, Louisville, and New Orleans declined within the national urban hierarchy (Kaplan, Wheeler, Holloway, 2008). Regionally, Richmond was trumped during this period by the rise of nearby Washington, D.C., which grew considerably because of its role as the nation’s capital. This period was also a rebuilding phase for the city, as a significant portion was destroyed during the Civil War.
Borchert’s final epoch was the Automobile-Airplane Epoch (1920-1960) where the rapid popularity of the automobile and expansion of the highway network led to increased growth in the urban periphery. While Richmond was never able to regain the national standing it once had, it did experience significant growth (mainly in the suburban areas) during this period. The construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike in 1958 positioned the city along the I-95 corridor, linking it to cities from Miami to Boston. Locally, the highway helped define the city’s north-south linear form of suburbanization as well (Borchert, 1967).
Borchert’s next epoch is the Regional Railroad (1830-1870) where most of the prominent coastal and river cities saw accelerated growth. It was during this period that Richmond staked its claim as the industrial powerhouse of the American south. It’s prominence in the iron and tobacco industries was due to its accessibility to northern cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York where goods could be traded easily by rail. This era also served as the city’s peak of the African slave trade, where it was the main access point for slaves to be transferred throughout the southern states (NPR, 2014).
From 1870-1920 the National Railroad Network Epoch was the period where Richmond was passed over in prominence by other American cities further south and west. Borchert explains that this was an era where river cities like St. Louis, Louisville, and New Orleans declined within the national urban hierarchy (Kaplan, Wheeler, Holloway, 2008). Regionally, Richmond was trumped during this period by the rise of nearby Washington, D.C., which grew considerably because of its role as the nation’s capital. This period was also a rebuilding phase for the city, as a significant portion was destroyed during the Civil War.
Borchert’s final epoch was the Automobile-Airplane Epoch (1920-1960) where the rapid popularity of the automobile and expansion of the highway network led to increased growth in the urban periphery. While Richmond was never able to regain the national standing it once had, it did experience significant growth (mainly in the suburban areas) during this period. The construction of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike in 1958 positioned the city along the I-95 corridor, linking it to cities from Miami to Boston. Locally, the highway helped define the city’s north-south linear form of suburbanization as well (Borchert, 1967).
The Vance Mercantile Cities Model
![Picture](/uploads/7/2/8/7/7287850/691186923.jpg?382)
While Borchert’s theory looked at transportation’s role in American city development, the Vance Mercantile Cities Model examines the role of resource cultivation and trade in shaping cities during the country’s youth. For Richmond’s purpose, Vance’s third era, the emergence of farm-based staple production, will be analyzed (Kaplan, Wheeler, Holloway, 2008). During this period, central places developed based on manufacturing of American resources like tobacco and cotton and its subsequent trade with Great Britain. One of the critical points in Richmond’s development was the passage of the Warehouse Act in 1730, which initiated widespread tobacco farming along the James River. Coupled with easy access to the original English settlement of Jamestown, Richmond exemplified this era of the Vance Mercantile Cities Model because its growth was dependent upon the English desire for tobacco, a commodity that did not exist in Great Britain (Vance, 1970).
Part of what created Richmond’s national prominence from the late 18th century through the mid 19th century was the correlation between the city’s regional economic base and the national mercantile system. Richmond was extremely fortunate that it was located at the epicenter of the tobacco industry; a resource that also defined the American Colonies’ economic base at the time (nps.gov). While it was not the sole component of the city’s economic system, the tobacco farming and later manufacturing industry helped maintain constant growth for the region all the way into the 20th century. And while the Vance Mercantile Cities Model encompasses other eras of mercantile growth in the United States, it serves as a great tool for understanding Richmond’s early development, and its relationship to the national scale.
Part of what created Richmond’s national prominence from the late 18th century through the mid 19th century was the correlation between the city’s regional economic base and the national mercantile system. Richmond was extremely fortunate that it was located at the epicenter of the tobacco industry; a resource that also defined the American Colonies’ economic base at the time (nps.gov). While it was not the sole component of the city’s economic system, the tobacco farming and later manufacturing industry helped maintain constant growth for the region all the way into the 20th century. And while the Vance Mercantile Cities Model encompasses other eras of mercantile growth in the United States, it serves as a great tool for understanding Richmond’s early development, and its relationship to the national scale.