Geography: Not Just Dots on a Map

Sure the Miss Teen USA contestant from South Carolina this year, Caitlyn Upton, seriously botched her answer to the judge's question, "Why can't twenty percent of Americans find America on a map?" but despite her sad answer, there is a valid secondary point to the question (though not obvious to some) that should be addressed both in schools and by the public at large.

I receive The Denver Post via the driveway every morning and I know that there's no such thing as the Newspaper Fairy but it feels like it. I love to sit down to read my paper and consume as much news as I can. I have to admit, the idea of not having that hard copy to go with my coffee in the morning would be a sad day as there is something physically satisfying about the experience rather than sitting here in front of my monitor. I digress...

Often in the news, even in Colorado news, a place name comes up and I am not clear as to where it is located. I feel I am well-versed on my Colorado geography but at times I draw a blank and while reading a news piece, for an article to make sense, I need to know its location. Most recently it was Creede, Colorado's location that I found myself confused about since the author wrote about rural voters and how national politicians sidestep rural communities during campaigns.

While reading it I popped out my trusty Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer to give the article some reference for better understanding. It turns out that Creede is in Mineral County, Colorado, which is one of the least populated counties in our state. It's located in the southwestern quadrant and is surrounded by mountains. This is important in a state like Colorado as it is virtually cut in half by the mountains leaving plains towns completely different than towns in the mountains and the desert areas of the northwest in how issues are addressed. When I think of rural areas in Colorado I often think more along the lines of the plains towns and counties so I wanted some clarification.

For example, Creede is considered high altitude (8,852 feet), mountainous and surrounded by Bureau of Land Management property. Little to no agriculture exists there, mining was the primary source of income for the area and since the closing of the last silver mine its economy has shifted to tourism. Comparing the rural area of Creede to say Cheyenne Wells, Colorado (located in Cheyenne County which borders Kansas at 4,219 feet) where the primary source of income is agriculture, is comparing apples to oranges despite their common rural status. Granted the population of Cheyenne Wells is greater than that of Creede but since the two rural towns are so diverse, this gives me a better understanding as to what voting, even on a national level, might do to impact the two different towns.

While the article in the Denver Post never mentioned Cheyenne Wells, it made me think of how various geographical areas are affected by the decisions made through various government entities. Both are rural but they aren't impacted equally by the same legislation. Water legislation is a contentious subject since Colorado is the headwaters for some of the nation's most important water sources. Given the water issues here in Colorado, new laws brought down by either the federal government or the state government can have a huge impact on both towns' economies but in different ways. Also, use of public lands designated for wilderness, drilling and other activities can have tremendous implications on our state and local economies.

Since Creede is located where the tourist economy is number one, water's primary use in the area is for recreation. Fishing, rafting, camping and other recreational activities thrive when water is abundant. Restricting water usage downstream and maintaining current land use benefits Creede in an economic way that may not benefit Cheyenne Wells.

In Cheyenne Wells, wheat is king. While the area does use ground water to irrigate their crops, when surface water rights are restricted or challenged, during times of drought their crops can be sacrificed in the name of conservation that can actually help towns like Creede survive even in dire times. Legislation that would encourage limitations on public lands, however, will have little impact on Cheyenne Wells since important public lands are not in the immediate area and are not vital to the local economy.

In this instance, understanding the geographical locations of the two towns would help me make an informed choice as to how I might support or oppose water concerns and land use even though I don't live near either town. The voters in the biggest cities on the Front Range of Colorado where I live have the largest impact of any smaller cities and towns in the state. Having that knowledge gives me a reasonably educated position on issues for the greater good, which would indicate that the Colorado voting population as a whole should have a comprehension of at least basic Colorado geography.

It sounds old-fashioned but I keep the Colorado atlas, a United States atlas and a world atlas near my reading spot rather than rely upon online maps. They quickly help me understand a news article, why the author thinks the subject matter is important and how it may impact us as a whole.

Geography is more than a dot on a map to signify a location. Unfortunately many think it is "just a dot on a map so who cares?" The reason we all should care is geography impacts political, social, environmental and economic issues that face us on a daily basis. To be ignorant or at least not to try to know where these places are that make news only leads to greater misunderstandings of key decisions that are made all the way up to the top levels of government.

I happen to think that geography is a fascinating subject. It has many facets that connect the dots; it is to see the relation of things and spurs me to think about other aspects of how our world is intertwined. If you don't have an atlas of the world, your country or your state and you enjoy reading news go get yourself one today. It really helps put things into perspective.

Some information presented:

Creede Chamber of Commerce
Town of Cheyenne Wells
Wikipedia - Colorado Counties