A Brief Overview of Economy & Geography
The Peninsula State is a small, mountainous finger of land which runs north-south off the mainland, with cliffs and beaches alternately along the shore line, limiting access to its different areas to ferries and a few key roads.   The Bay of Port Prominence is in the center of the small state, with an outlet to the sea on the east side, and mostly rimmed by cliffs except for a small port on the northeast side and Simdale Valley Beach, on the south end of the bay.  Locals are proud of their infamous historic figure, Captain Jack, who is said to have wintered and hid out in the heavily sheltered bay.  South of Port Prominence, the peninsula connects by a narrow range of high plateaus that extend from PSU Beach to southwest of Simdale Valley.

The sharp cliffs and mountain ranges of the peninsula state contributed to both the wealth and the perpetual small town feel of Simdale Valley, which is still the gateway to the peninsula.  Many visitors come to the peninsula for its research university, world class medical facilities, amazing beaches, and many natural wonders.  Simdale Valley couldn’t grow larger, because it is constrained to the north by the bay, and to the south by Lake Simdale, as well as being rimmed with mountains on the east and west.   However, Simdale Valley also owes much of its importance to its longtime mayor, Rihanna Michelle, who also became the mayor of Port Prominence and lobbied for Simdale Valley’s zoning to be protected by law for generations to come.  Residents of Simdale Valley are content for visitors to shop at Market Street, eat at Captain Jack’s overlooking his infamous hideout bay, and eager for them to catch the afternoon ferry to Port Prominence where lodging is affordable and plentiful. (Hence the lack of lodging in Simdale Valley).  Of course, tourists could avoid Simdale Valley by flying, or catching the once a day ferry from the mainland, to the east, but where would be the fun in that?

Many visitors to the Peninsula State are drawn by the abundant, breathtaking natural scenic wonder.   In the northernmost end, the peninsula ends with Mount Evergreen, which rises dramatically over Summerton and Cold Bay.  Cold Bay National Shoreline is graced with a beautiful lighthouse and white sand beach rimmed with majestic evergreens, and has a loyal but small following of nature-lovers who prefer a quiet beach.  Visitors and locals also enjoy the accessible, but pristine trout stream at Mountain Trout State Park on the road to Summerton.  Or, if they have time to stay and relax, they visit the Three Lakes region for trout fishing, either camping or staying at its famous mountain spas.

Summerton is a pristine, upscale town, and the northern-most town on the peninsula.  For those who want to get away from the busyness and high taxes of property in the main city, it is a haven.  It takes about three hours to reach Summerton, via the Port Prominence scenic highway (which actually provides scenic overlooks of Summerton and Cold Bay).  Summerton got its name in the days before air conditioning, when wealthy citizens of Port Prominence migrated yearly to their grand summer homes there.  Properties in Summerton, old or new, tend to be grand, with large lots, to this day.

 

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