2. Gridded Lives
Karaganda, Kazakhstan and Billings, Montana show great similarities
Products of the end of the industrial age
Both cities utilize the gridded street system
Both cities’ land was formerly considered worthless
Karaganda is fairly isolated in a vast area of uninhabited steppe
Billing’s is an ancient lakebed which has a flat land base for miles
Both Karaganda and Billings had railroads heading towards the center, thus centralizing them as railroad towns
Major differences of Karaganda and Billings
People migrated to Billing’s under the assumption it was going to be the next boom town
Prisoners and families were forced to move to Karaganda by the Russian government
3. Gridded Lives
When Karaganda’s mining capabilities were discovered in the early 1900’s, the Russian government
sent thousands of prisoners to work in the mines
Also During this time, the Russian government displaced thousands of native Kazakhstan people to different areas, many of
which died from famine
The Russian government also forcefully sent thousands of families to work in the fields to produce
crops to feed the prisoners who worked in the mines
The original city of Karaganda was moved due to the Russian government over mining the area
The new location of Karaganda is currently the fourth largest city in Kazakhstan
Modern day Karaganda
4. Gridded Lives
In 1881, the land which Billings stands on today was considered worthless
Billings was a barren, waterless alkali flat with only an oasis here and there of sage brush
The Yellowstone river runs on the outskirts of town and provides minimal drinking water for its residents
Frederick Billings mislead the future residents of Billings into thinking it was a beautiful forest, with
endless resources and capabilities
Billings attracted thousands of people from all over the world because of the false description Mr.
Billings painted
Families who had come to Billings had no other choice to stay and farm what they could because they
had already spent all their money on their property, most simply could not afford to leave
Now, modern day Billings is a successful city, and is the largest in Montana
Modern day Billings
