First and Second Century Roman Busts, Cleveland Museum of Art, September 2018

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The Selection Process

I have rules for selecting Backseat Cities.

• According to 2019 Census Bureau estimates, the MSA (metropolitan statistical area) has an approximate population between 250,000 and 2.5m people
• It’s not a widely recognized tourist destination, and is not particularly close to one
• In general, if you tell people you’re going there on vacation, they make a face and ask why
• Exception to the rule above: If you live near the city in question, it’s common to visit for the day or a long weekend
• It’s not a beach town
• My choices allow for balanced geographical distribution in the United States

Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY. Aug 2018

Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Lafayette, LA. Oct 2018

I have visited the Backseat Cities for Book 1. I've written 52,800 words: an introduction, plus chapters on Rochester and Lafayette. Finished manuscript should be 95K words.

Populations below are 2019 estimates for the MSA.

Book 1

City	Population	MSA Rank
Cleveland, OH	2,048,449	34
Rochester, NY	1,069,644	52
Boise, ID	749,202	78
Lafayette, LA	489,207	114

Tentative follow-up projects:

Book 2

City	Population	MSA Rank
Milwaukee, WI	1,575,179	39
Richmond, VA	1,291,900	44
Wichita, KS	640,218	94
Tuscaloosa, AL	252,047	190

Book 3

City	Population	MSA Rank
Indianapolis, IN	2,074,537	33
Tulsa, OK	998,626	55
Spokane, WA	568,521	99
Lincoln, NE	336,374	152

State Capitol, Boise, ID. Sep 2019

Book 4

City	Population	MSA Rank
Kansas City, MO	2,157,990	31
Grand Rapids, MI	1,077,370	51
El Paso, TX	844,124	69
Chattanooga, TN	565,194	100

Guidelines

I followed these guidelines when visiting a Backseat City:

• Visit at least two museums of any kind
• Visit at least two historical sites or monuments
• Go to a market, if there is one
• Do the most touristy thing there is
• Do something stereotypically [city name here]
• Do something you think you will dislike or find boring
• See the oldest thing in the city
• See the newest thing in the city
• Eat where there is live music
• Eat the local specialties in different neighborhoods
• Play games
• Read local newspapers or magazines
• Participate in one of your interests with locals
• Visit parks or gardens; sit on benches and watch people
• See a government building
• Walk as much as possible

Read more

• About Backseat Cities
• The Selection Process

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