1. In my introduction to the second section of the course I described intra- and interurban patterns as our foci for this part of the middle section. In this week I begin the interurban focus. This section has a significant amount of overlap between lecture and text because it is both important and complex.

2. Think about your own shopping patterns. Where do you shop for a whole range of items? Your trips for shopping help define urban trade areas, trade areas for shopping centers, and for individual stores. (See "hinterland" discussion on page 309+) You can trigger your recollection/imagination by going through the Yellow Pages of a phonebook. Look at the various functions and see where they are offered. This should reveal both of the fundamental concepts of hierarchy and of threshold.

I like cars. If I'm shopping for a new Ford where can I go? How many choices do I have? There are over 100 new Ford dealers in the state and probably 20 within 45 miles. Now, what if I'm looking for a new Porsche? There are only 5 dealers in the state and only 1 within 45 miles. What does that say about hierarchy and threshold?

Have you been to the new Eastwood Mall, off of 127 and Lake Lansing Road? Where do you think the customers for this mall will come from?

3. Walter Christaller’s Central Place Theory is a seminal interurban theoretical structure. Although he relied on several unrealistic assumptions (all theories do) his theory has permitted others to explain the number, size, and spatial distribution of cities and their hinterlands. Be familiar with all 3 "principles" of Christaller’s theory but especially his so called "market principle." (page 315 and lecture).

4. Once again, vocabulary is important for you to understand this theory. See the list at the end of Chapter 7 and the one in the syllabus.

5. The section of reading titled "Evidence in Support" (page 319+) is NOT merely justification of a theory. These applications are important in their own right. Notice how the applications are at differing scales.

6. Assume an urban hierarchy with the following levels:

Hamlet 200 - 800 people
Village 800 - 4,000 people
Town 4,000 - 20,000 people
Small City 20,000 - 100,000 people
Large City 100,000 – 500,000 people
Metropolis over 500,000 people

Starting near your home look up places (in an atlas or on a good map) which satisfy these size cutoffs. Have you been to these places? Have you shopped in them? What services were offered in each?

7. If a first order central place trade area, in a K-3 system, is 4 square kilometers, what is the trade area of the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th order places in the system?

Commentary on the seventh week readings:

In my opinion this Chapter does a pretty good job of presenting the theory of Walter Christaller, central place theory. It begins with the basic concepts and terminology, which, as mentioned above, is important to its understanding, and then, proceeds to more complex aspects of the theory. It is also important to realize that Central Place Theory is only one theory explaining cities.

I will cover further evolution of the Central Place model in class (the work of Losch and Isard in particular). The book does a good job with the extensions of Christaller by Borchert, page 319; Berry, page 323; and Rushton, page 326; as well as the applications. So right here you should make a note: Christaller is the first guy; Pigozzi adds Losch and Isard while the book adds Borchert, Berry and Rushton - - lots of names, all connected with central place theory !!

This is a dense chapter.