Boroughs of Fairgeth (2)

[Continued from Blog Post 06/30/09]

The Pipes: While now the manufacturing and industrial area in which Fairgeth’s water treatment plants reside, the Pipes got their name in the 19th century for the opium dens and tobacconists among the Oriental and Dutch settlers prevalent in this area. The neighborhood remains a crime-riddled area known for wars (over drugs, money, turf, or respect) among the smaller crime lords in this region.

First Appearance/Mention: “The Pipes Play Hokus Pokus,” by Carson Cullen, OCCULT THRILLS #188 (July 1929); “The Scarlet Pearls of Siam,” by A.J. Soltare (4th ACE BARRIGAN story, links the Pipes to Fairgeth), OCCULT THRILLS #279 (February 1937)

Sawgeth: “South Fairgeth” is the first part of the city not hemmed by the Poole River or Algeth Bay. Modern highways and tollways mark its boundaries now, though their erratic paths trace the former walls around this once-autonomous town. Now the city’s theater and restaurant district, Sawgeth only remains relatively safe due to the diligence and control of the Dinetti Mob.

First Appearance/Mention: “Seven Roses for Mother,” by Carson Cullen (1st DINO STILETTO story), GANGLAND THRILLS #30 (January 1928); “Skeletons Make a Racket,” by A.J. Soltare (8th ACE BARRIGAN story (short novel); puts DINO STILETTO and the Dinetti Mob in South Fairgeth or Sawgeth), OCCULT THRILLS #300 (November 1938)

Newfields: The “new fields” that gave this borough its name grew from settlers who chafed under the leadership of the Algeths in the 18th century. Founding a new colony with their own protestant religious community, “New Fields” farmers eventually saw their lands subsumed by graveyards for the larger communities to the west and south. Newfield University is a top-ranked college that rivals the best Ivy League schools, and its campus defines Newton on the west as do the many graveyards and cemeteries on its east.

First Appearance/Mention: “Adrift on a Melody,” by Stan Plymouth (3rd THE CHANTEUSE story), OCCULT THRILLS #269 (April 1936); “Green Tablets & Goldbricks,” by Carson Cullen (Professor Hermegist of Newfield University’s only appearance, linked to Fairgeth), OCCULT THRILLS #300 (November 1938);

The Spires: Like other boroughs, the Spires is the historical name for this borough, so named for the bell towers of First Church built in late 1737. While the church grew in size as did the neighborhood, many of Fairgeth’s buildings collapsed during the April 1906 earthquake. The area name remained and now refers to the abundance of skyscrapers in the city’s heart and its financial district. The Venture Towers (built in 1932) were once the tallest buildings on the west coast and remain the tallest in Fairgeth at 99 floors.

First Appearance/Mention: “The View from Above,” by Stan Plymouth (8th THE CHANTEUSE story, 1st appearance of the Spires), OCCULT THRILLS #312 (November 1939)

Barton Village: Nestled between the skyscrapers of midtown and the Post Tollway is Barton Village, the bohemian sector of Fairgeth. Once an extension of the warehouse district, it became home in the 1920’s for many English, Irish, and Americans who fit uncomfortably in other boroughs. There are more taverns per capita in this borough than in any other city west of the Rockies. Bowman Investigations (and its owner ACE BARRIGAN) nestles three stories above the ground-floor “Spate of Aces” saloon in the Archer Building.

First Appearance/Mention: “Six-Spell-Shooter,” by A.J. Soltare (the first ACE BARRIGAN story), OCCULT THRILLS #264 (November 1935); “One Night Only!,” by Stan Plymouth & A.J. Soltare (6th THE CHANTEUSE story/6th ACE BARRIGAN story), OCCULT THRILLS #290 (January 1938)

Editors’ Note: All material above excerpted from Fairgeth on File: Travelogue of a City without Shame (Bulwark/Prospect, 1988) by Norman Crenshaw, Charles Pherris, and Edward Ullers.

© 2009 by Steven E. Schend. All rights reserved.

July 5, 2009  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,   Posted in: Genre-Detective Fiction, Genre-Horror/Weird Fiction, Genre-Mystery Fiction, Medium-Audio/Radio, Medium-Books, Medium-Comics/Graphic Novels, Medium-Electronic Games, Medium-Magazines & Pulps, Medium-Role-Playing Games, Medium-TV/Movies, World-Bulwark Pulps, World-Seven Cities

2 Responses

  1. Taylor J. Beisler - July 13, 2009

    Hi Steven, it seems you’ve closed the comments on your last post, so I’m going to comment here if that’s all right! :) I found your blog via a google alert that I set up…I receive any blog news about fantasy-fiction book topics and new writers/etc. :) I think you’re doing a great thing by posting your tags and categories underneath each post of yours.

    God bless you on your writing endeavors,
    Taylor J. Beisler
    http://www.impossiblewriter.wordpress.com

  2. Steven - July 13, 2009

    Hm. The WP setup seems to have defaulted and closed comments on me. I’ll have to reset that and leave things open (even though I’d rather move the comments over to my forums).

    Thanks again, Taylor, and I hope you find the rest of the site interesting enough to stick around and dig through the older material (or the newer like “Being Played” in the anthology GAMER FANTASTIC now on sale at bookstores.

    Steven

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