Duckburg's Location

Rob Klein bi442 at lafn.org
Sat Apr 28 20:26:43 CEST 2001


Regarding the location of Duckburg: 

I talked with Carl Barks many times about the location of Duckburg.  He
indicated to me that he never really considered its ACTUAL geographical
location in the "real world".  Just as he never considerered the continuity
of his stories, he never considered athorough consistancy in the Duckburgs
of his various stories. He considered the "Universe of the Ducks" an
Universe parallel to the existing one (known to the science of human
perception).  He DID tell me:  "I considered Duckburg a MAGICAL place where
ANY TYPE OF WEATHER could occur."
In some stories you could not view a seacoast (where one should have been
able to see it).  In some other stories, Duckburg was all flat (where one
should have been able to see the Black Forest leading up towards high
mountains).  In short, Barks considered each story on its own and used the
geographic elements he needed for each individual story without regard to
consistency of his canon.

However, being a Barksist, Donaldist, scientist/geographer and
university-trained City Planner, I am compelled to espouse a theory on this
subject:

Calisota must certainly be on the WEST coast of a continent of North
America (significantly changed from the actual).  As snow regularly occurs
at sea-level, and yet sub tropical plants, such as palm trees survive
there, it cannot be placed at a latitude close to Central California. 
Calisota must be immediately north of california, and perforce, immediately
south of Oregon.   This stands to reason, as Barks stated that Uncle
Scrooge went to "Webfoot Tech" (university).  Yhis would have occurred in
his youth, (possibly  just for a few years between establishing his first
money bin in the early days of Duckburg, and moving on to Africa in the
Boer War.  It is reasonable that he would attend university in calisota or
a nearby (adjacent) state (Oregon).  Barks did mention that the town of
Webfoot was in Oregon (The Gilded Man).  Also, having Duck family relatives
there (Donald's non McDuck family) provides a clue to the potential
location of the initial meeting of the two families (Calisota, or nearby
Oregon). 

The actual climate of coastal extreme southern Oregon and extreme northern
California is the best fit for the climate Barks gave to Duckburg.  It is
the only west coast in North America where snow could fall regularly at sea
level, and support the growth of palm trees.  I did see a few palm trees
growing in rural portions of southern Oregon!!!!  (actually, much to my
dismay and horror! - I prefer temperatures below the freezing mark of
water).

I also believe Minnesota must be placed northeast of Calisota; preferably,
with at least a segment adjacent to Calisota.  Although Barks did have a
few inconsistancies and controdictions in his overall geography, a
reasonable geography of the Ducks' world can be inferred.  The coastal area
has rugged beaches to its north, a natural harbour (Duckburg Bay) west of
most of Duckburg, and more gentle beaches to the south coast (where
Boomtown lies).  There is a lush farm area inland from the beaches both
north and south of the City. Eastern Duckburg's hills slope down towards
the seacoast (west).  These hills abutt the start of The Black Forest, east
of Duckburg.  Some of this forest rises from forested foothills into a high
mountain massif.  Some of the forest, on the more southeasterly side, is
more flat.  That area abutts Dismal Swamp, on the other side of the Tulebug
River.  The Tulebug River enters the sea on the southern boundary of
Duckburg, rising in the mountainous area between Duckburg and Goosetown. 
It flows a bit east/southeast into Goosetown, then curves full south and
then west towards Duckburg, and ultimately, the sea.  The Duckburg River
flows out of high mountains in northeastern Calisota, southwest through
flat Boreal forest land (of the Peeweehgahs) (similar to that of
Idaho/Montana/Alberta or Scandinavia/Finland).  Then, it flows through lush
areas of farmland, finally reaching Duckburg, and ultimately, Duckburg Bay.
 Tuleville, Hentown and Cattville are in the farm areas. Tuleville is on
the shore of Tule Lake. That is where the "Tule Lake Taters" that Donald
was peeling in 1959, for his "mess duty" in Barks' "Under the Polar Ice
Cap". Tule lake is an actual (very large) lake with is contained partly in
Oregon and partly in California.  This is more evidence that Barks placed
the general home area of the Ducks in an area that is adjacent to (or
nearby) both Oregon and California.
The Duckwallow River, where Scrooge goes to find the salmon, starts in
Oregon.  It flows southwest to the see inside the very northwest corner of
Calisota.  Barks referred to other counties adjacent to Duck County
(generally shown on board signs located at their boundaries with Duck
County).  Squash County, ((Don't Picka Da Punk! (pumpkins)) must be located
southeast of Duck County, as the land is all flat and all farmland.  There
are no stands of forest left showing; so I must conclude that the climate
is a bit milder than on the north side.  That is generally true of west
coast climates in the Northern Hemisphere.
Goose Egg County should be mainly east, and possibly, a bit south of Duck
County, as it should logically include Goosetown as its seat of government
(as duckburg is for Duck County).  Webfoot County should be northwest of
Duck County - along the coast and going inland through large mountainous
and boreal forests.  Squawbunion County should also be made up of mainly
flat farmland, and also be southeast of Duck County (as is Squash County). 
 The Desert areas to which Donald drives his auto to, or takes a reasonably
short train trip to, should be located in the very southeast of Calisota,
or further in that same direction, just beyond the State's boundaries. 
Such a change in climate could be explained by the "Rain Shadow Effect" of
the high mountains catching all the rain and snowfall on their western
sides.  They would be similar in the northern portions of very southeastern
Calisota to the "High Deserts" of eastern Oregon and northern Nevada.  The
terribly dry Deserts that Donald reached must be much further south, in
states immediately south of Calisota. 

As to the postal code of Duckburg in the 1950s. Based on the information
Barks provided, it must be concluded that Duckburg was a "middle sized
city".  Therefore, it WOULD HAVE had a two number zone.  So, we can
conclude Barks only let us seethe portion of the dialogue BEFORE the postal
worker voiced the zone number (or else he forgot to add that). 

I have drawn professional - quality maps of Calisota, Duck County, Duckburg
(complete street map) and Duckburg Centre.  I submitted them to Egmont, but
the editors there wanted only a map which should the landmarks physically,
as a photograh, not representaionally as proper symbolic maps.  I hope to
submit these maps to VNU for printing in some form, which is why I will not
place them on a website for DCML members, nor publish them in a fanzine,
first.

I'll be intersted to see comments on this subject from other members. 
Groetjes, Tschuss, Hilsen, Au Revoir & Ciao, - Rob Klein









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