Smallest Cities with skylines

bhj867 · July 29th, 2009, 09:30 PM

I was born and raised in this town. Downtown sits on top of a 100 foot tall sandstone bluff and The skyline is somewhat dramatic when coming in from the east. Especially when you cross the saline river and then top the levee.

HARRISBURG, ILLINOIS
CURRENT POPULATION: 9,860
PEAK 1930: estimates between 16,000 - 20,000

Summary: The biggest of three Cairo and Vincennes Railroad Coal Mining boomtowns in Saline County. Boasted one of the largest downtown districts outside of Chicago and Springfield, with the second tallest building in Southern Illinois next to the Spivey Building in East St. Louis. This was during the roaring 20's. The City (the whole county really) has been dying a slow death since the 1937 when a massive flood from the Ohio River (just 15 miles east) wiped out a few thousand residents and then a massive downturn in the 1960s - 1980s when US legislation decided High Sulfer coal was useless. Coal mines have been shutting down left and right with only 1 or 2 left in the entire county. The City has been barely maintaining hundreds of gilded age manors located around the old downtown combined with tearing down historical landmarks left and right, with no preservation district to save anything on it's once bustling town square built beautifully on a sandstone bluff, parking lots are quickly becoming the reign and shopping strips are being haphazardly built in the flood plain below the city. In April 2008 another flood took out 71 businesses in the city.

hudkina · July 29th, 2009, 11:52 PM

I don't know if I would call that a skyline. I would say there needs to be at least half a dozen buildings over five stories, with at least one or two above ten.

hudkina · July 30th, 2009, 12:14 AM

Jackson, MI is a good candidate. The city has a population of less than 35,000.

Here are a few pics from Flickr:
image hosted on flickr

© exithacan

image hosted on flickr

© metalwhirlwind

image hosted on flickr

© CriticalOne

image hosted on flickr

bhj867 · July 30th, 2009, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hudkina

I don't know if I would call that a skyline. I would say there needs to be at least half a dozen buildings over five stories, with at least one or two above ten.

Harrisburg has two buildings at 8 stories, two at 4 stories, and about 7 or 8 at 3 stories. The city also has a 503 foot tall TV tower, Two clock towers around 60 feet. which I dare say is pretty impressive for a town of only 9860 people.

(that second picture is too old to tell the tall structures that have been built post 1950.)

robk1982 · July 30th, 2009, 03:57 AM

Well, that didn't work out.

robk1982 · July 30th, 2009, 04:00 AM

I'm surprised that no one ever mentions Mt. Clemens, MI (pop. 17000) in these types of threads (or How Many Skylines in your City/State?). My mom grew up in this area, so this was one of the first skylines that I remember seeing, besides Flint and Detroit. Always thought the population was higher, too.

image hosted on flickr

flickr.com/photos/99026951@N00/514052026

http://media.photobucket.com/image/d...C00438.jpg?o=2

hudkina · July 30th, 2009, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhj867

Harrisburg has two buildings at 8 stories, two at 4 stories, and about 7 or 8 at 3 stories. The city also has a 503 foot tall TV tower, Two clock towers around 60 feet. which I dare say is pretty impressive for a town of only 9860 people.

(that second picture is too old to tell the tall structures that have been built post 1950.)

There are thousands of small cities and villages with plenty of buildings under 5 stories and probably hundreds with buildings of ten or more.

For example, Houghton, Michigan has less than 7,000 people, yet has a decent skyline (primarily due to Michigan Tech).

cmj2k2 · July 30th, 2009, 07:32 AM

Mankato, MN has a decent skyline for a city of 31k.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures at the time

MilwaukeeMark · July 30th, 2009, 05:42 PM

Nissan has a pretty good skyline:

Jschmuck · July 30th, 2009, 10:14 PM

lol

***Jaybird*** · July 31st, 2009, 06:21 AM

Jackson definitely gets my vote, great skyline for a city of 31,000. Kudos to Mt. Clemens, too. You can see a skyline when travelling on I-94.

weava · August 1st, 2009, 05:41 AM

Branson, Mo (Pop 6,050) has a few taller buildings for its population but all the buildings are to spread out to create a skyline

image hosted on flickr

Oshkosh49 · August 1st, 2009, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeMark

Nissan has a pretty good skyline:

What is the population of Nissan anyway??? HA! Stupid, I know.

Paule · August 1st, 2009, 08:28 PM

Wausau Wisconsin, pop. 38,000

Lmichigan · August 2nd, 2009, 06:39 AM

I guess it depends on what small is relative to. My definition of a small city also includes the urban area and how small it is, and I'd say anything under 250,000 would be "small" by my definition.

Michigan has quite a few small city skylines. Here's a few more...

Battle Creek: ~53,000 (city), ~79,000 (UA)

image hosted on flickr

Roxy2135

image hosted on flickr

Roxy2135

Kalamazoo: ~72,000 (city), ~188,00 (UA)

image hosted on flickr

c.f. mason

Saginaw: ~ (city), ~141,000 (UA)

image hosted on flickr

g.s. george

Traverse City: ~14,500 (city), N/A

image hosted on flickr

Jon-O

minneapolis-uptown · September 25th, 2009, 03:03 AM

Rochester, MN pop:85,806

Duluth, MN pop:84,397

progressisgood · September 25th, 2009, 04:01 AM

Does Superior have a competing skyline to Duluth's skyline?

qwerty44 · September 25th, 2009, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by progressisgood

Does Superior have a competing skyline to Duluth's skyline?

Not really, no. It has one, but nowhere near as big as Duluths

rmg1204 · September 25th, 2009, 05:50 AM

Escanaba, MI (pop 13,140):

skylinedude · September 25th, 2009, 07:02 AM

Manitowoc, WI Population 33,169

July 29th, 2009, 09:30 PM	#1
bhj867 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3 Likes (Received): 0	Smallest Cities with skylines I was born and raised in this town. Downtown sits on top of a 100 foot tall sandstone bluff and The skyline is somewhat dramatic when coming in from the east. Especially when you cross the saline river and then top the levee. HARRISBURG, ILLINOIS CURRENT POPULATION: 9,860 PEAK 1930: estimates between 16,000 - 20,000 Summary: The biggest of three Cairo and Vincennes Railroad Coal Mining boomtowns in Saline County. Boasted one of the largest downtown districts outside of Chicago and Springfield, with the second tallest building in Southern Illinois next to the Spivey Building in East St. Louis. This was during the roaring 20's. The City (the whole county really) has been dying a slow death since the 1937 when a massive flood from the Ohio River (just 15 miles east) wiped out a few thousand residents and then a massive downturn in the 1960s - 1980s when US legislation decided High Sulfer coal was useless. Coal mines have been shutting down left and right with only 1 or 2 left in the entire county. The City has been barely maintaining hundreds of gilded age manors located around the old downtown combined with tearing down historical landmarks left and right, with no preservation district to save anything on it's once bustling town square built beautifully on a sandstone bluff, parking lots are quickly becoming the reign and shopping strips are being haphazardly built in the flood plain below the city. In April 2008 another flood took out 71 businesses in the city. Last edited by bhj867; July 29th, 2009 at 09:44 PM.

July 30th, 2009, 12:14 AM	#3
hudkina Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Detroit Posts: 4,570 Likes (Received): 8	Jackson, MI is a good candidate. The city has a population of less than 35,000. Here are a few pics from Flickr: image hosted on flickr © exithacan image hosted on flickr © metalwhirlwind image hosted on flickr © CriticalOne image hosted on flickr © Kevinrussom1960

July 30th, 2009, 03:57 AM	#5
robk1982 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Flint/Detroit Area Posts: 52 Likes (Received): 0	Well, that didn't work out. Last edited by robk1982; July 30th, 2009 at 04:04 AM. Reason: oops

July 30th, 2009, 07:32 AM	#8
cmj2k2 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 432 Likes (Received): 0	Mankato, MN has a decent skyline for a city of 31k. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures at the time __________________ I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. -Thomas Jefferson http://www.randpaul2016.com/

July 30th, 2009, 05:42 PM	#9
MilwaukeeMark I claim to be staff. Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 2,309 Likes (Received): 26	Nissan has a pretty good skyline: __________________ Check out my flickr page. Contact me for prints.

July 29th, 2009, 11:52 PM	#2
hudkina Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Detroit Posts: 4,570 Likes (Received): 8	I don't know if I would call that a skyline. I would say there needs to be at least half a dozen buildings over five stories, with at least one or two above ten.

July 30th, 2009, 04:00 AM	#6
robk1982 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Flint/Detroit Area Posts: 52 Likes (Received): 0	I'm surprised that no one ever mentions Mt. Clemens, MI (pop. 17000) in these types of threads (or How Many Skylines in your City/State?). My mom grew up in this area, so this was one of the first skylines that I remember seeing, besides Flint and Detroit. Always thought the population was higher, too. image hosted on flickr flickr.com/photos/99026951@N00/514052026 http://media.photobucket.com/image/d...C00438.jpg?o=2

July 30th, 2009, 10:14 PM	#10
Jschmuck Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Green Bay Posts: 498 Likes (Received): 5	lol __________________ MilRockee/Green Bay

July 31st, 2009, 06:21 AM	#11
*Jaybird* Making Detroit look good! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Mitchell, Ontario Posts: 3,889 Likes (Received): 20	Jackson definitely gets my vote, great skyline for a city of 31,000. Kudos to Mt. Clemens, too. You can see a skyline when travelling on I-94. __________________ I'm a kind of person feeling like living back in the 1950s, one who favors and enjoys the Golden-age, rust-belt cities of Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Detroit, and the Gothic skylines of New York and Philadelphia. In my eye, they have more character, soul, and history to be pictured than today's world-class, cosmopolitan, and sprawling cities. Jaybird's ZENFOLIO Photo Galleries Jaybird's PBASE Photo Galleries

August 1st, 2009, 05:41 AM	#12
weava Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 880 Likes (Received): 13	Branson, Mo (Pop 6,050) has a few taller buildings for its population but all the buildings are to spread out to create a skyline image hosted on flickr Last edited by weava; August 1st, 2009 at 05:47 AM.

August 1st, 2009, 08:28 PM	#14
Paule Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wausau Posts: 2,001 Likes (Received): 4	Wausau Wisconsin, pop. 38,000

August 2nd, 2009, 06:39 AM	#15
Lmichigan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 2,726 Likes (Received): 6	I guess it depends on what small is relative to. My definition of a small city also includes the urban area and how small it is, and I'd say anything under 250,000 would be "small" by my definition. Michigan has quite a few small city skylines. Here's a few more... Battle Creek: ~53,000 (city), ~79,000 (UA) image hosted on flickr Roxy2135 image hosted on flickr Roxy2135 Kalamazoo: ~72,000 (city), ~188,00 (UA) image hosted on flickr c.f. mason Saginaw: ~ (city), ~141,000 (UA) image hosted on flickr g.s. george Traverse City: ~14,500 (city), N/A image hosted on flickr Jon-O

September 25th, 2009, 03:03 AM	#16
minneapolis-uptown Registered User Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 804 Likes (Received): 1	Rochester, MN pop:85,806 Duluth, MN pop:84,397

September 25th, 2009, 04:01 AM	#17
progressisgood progressisgood Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 152 Likes (Received): 0	Does Superior have a competing skyline to Duluth's skyline?

September 25th, 2009, 05:50 AM	#19
rmg1204 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: St Paul, MN Posts: 15 Likes (Received): 0	Escanaba, MI (pop 13,140):

September 25th, 2009, 07:02 AM	#20
skylinedude Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 216 Likes (Received): 2	Manitowoc, WI Population 33,169

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