A MAP of modern Eden City

As a service to our clients and interested parties, we bring you a very brief introduction to Eden City. While Eden City cannot be called idyllic, we believe she is one of the greatest cities on Earth, despite the issues she shares with many other great metropolitan areas in the world.

Eden City History

Founding

The area that was to become Eden City was inhabited first by the Munsee branch of the Delaware Indians. Seventeenth century explorers discovered many small villages around the Stewart River. Sometime after the initial exploration of the New York coast and 1803 the Indians moved on for reasons unknown.

In 1803, the explorers Emil Eden, a merchant, and Andre LeMastre, an expatriate Frenchman, made a thorough exploration and purchased the land from the government. LeMastre, a self-taught architect, was responsible for the initial layout and planning of the city, which was to be established on the north bank of the Stewart River. Between 1803 and 1804 the families of Eden & LeMastre settled along with other prominent Edenite families including the Bankhursts, Fraziers and Willoughbys.

The laborers who built the town from scratch had started to call the town Edenburg and the name stuck.

Nineteenth Century

From 1803-1812 the town of Edenburg gained a reputation as a vital port along the Eastern Seaboard. During the War of 1812 the British sent a force to capture the town. The Redcoats were slowed down by Revolutionary War hero Christopher Caldwell and the Edenburg militia, who staged a stand at Caldwell's fortified home. They were able to hold out until a larger force arrived and pushed the British army back. The house has been preserved and is known as Caldwell's Stand. It is one of the few remaining houses in the downtown area.

In 1823, just a week before the death of Emil Eden, the city changed its name to Eden City. At this time most of Eden City was located north of the Stewart River, but the first southern settlements began to arise on the South Bank. In 1837 the Stewart and Delaware River Canal was finished making the city even more valuable as a center of trade. Until the outbreak of the Civil War factories and company towns started to spring up on the South Bank. The Civil War slowed the growth of Eden City's population, but increased the amount of manufacturing.

1867: The Eden City Riots

After the war an enclave of African-Americans known as Freetown was established on the South Bank. The newly freed blacks in this shantytown competed with European immigrants for the worst low-paying factory jobs. Several scuffles broke out between the desperate poor of Eden City, and crimes real or imagined were blamed on the "Negro Invaders".

A white supremacist group known as the White Riders attacked Freetown in 1867 causing a violent melee to ensue. Each side blames the other for the fires that spread to the North Bank and caused 100 buildings to burn to the ground. For several weeks after reprisal attacks occurred. Eventually some Freetowners left for good, rather than be persecuted.

The need for cheap labor during the Industrial Revolution helped calm matters, and all of the industrial company towns, including Freetown were absorbed into Eden City. It was during this time that Eden City began to develop its crime-ridden reputation, as ethnic gangs and organized crime began to take hold in the neighborhoods.

The Flood of 1878

Heavy rainstorms for the season, combined with the fact that most of Eden City existed in low lying areas, results in the worst flooding to date. 23 people are killed in the floods and numerous buildings are literally washed away.

The Independence Day Fire of 1895

Drought conditions and low water supply caused by an inadequate water system took their toll in 1895 when faulty fireworks exploded in a Gadsden neighborhood warehouse on the North Bank. High winds fanned the flames, which crossed to the south side, and caused the fires to burn for several days before they could be put out. Seventy-five percent of Eden City was burned or damaged by the fires.

In the wake of the disaster, the city fathers created a Grand Rebuilding Scheme. So-called bad neighborhoods were razed, winding streets were removed and a state of the art sanitation system was laid down. Many of the damaged buildings weren't rebuilt, but rather the remains were covered and built over. Even today, urban archaeologists are called in when someone digging a new foundation or laying new pipe unearths remains of the old city.

Of all the innovations brought to Eden City after the fire, the most lasting is the Eden City Rapid Transit Company, now known as the ECRTD (the D standing for "division"). The ECRTD began digging underneath the town and by 1913 the main lines of the Eden City Underground were completed and working.

The Early Twentieth Century

From the time of the fire until after World War I, Eden City saw steady growth as an industrial center, peaking during the war. This prosperity lasted through the 20s and 30s. For some reason the city didn't feel the sting of the Great Depression as badly as other places.

Prohibition-Era Eden City

During this time of prosperity, the Mafia and other organized crime, fueled by the Volstead Act of prohibition, rose sharply and the ECPD could not compensate. An unusual wave of vigilantism seemed to distract the city's Mafioso as a mysterious individual, calling himself Raven, put a great deal of pressure on the Mafia to cease their violence. His lovely assistant, the Velvet Phantom- after which "The Velvet Lady" night club was named, and a group of helpers calling themselves the Midnight Brigade seemed to be prepared to end the reign of the Mafia in Eden City. Though they did not drive them out completely, their efforts did much to staunch the flood of violence that threatened to drown Chicago & New York and their intervention doubtlessly saved numerous lives. The police did not look kindly on this intervention and they were on their most wanted list.

World War II

The war brought an end to much of the focus on the crime of the era, as the citizens of Eden City turned their attention the war effort. There were many stories of Nazi spies in the city, while other fantastic tales of strange weapons and enemy troops walking the streets persist to this day. Once again, great profit came to Eden City, as the manufacturers churned out materials for the war.

The 1950s-70s

Eden City struggled through this period of recovery and seemed to suffer under a new surge of crime and poverty. The best efforts of the ECPD failed to control the criminal element of the city and it seemed that darker times lay ahead for all it's inhabitants. Finally in the late 60s, a new group of concerned citizens, including several of the city’s wealthy, funneled funds into a clean-up project for the city. Led by Adrian Ravenscroft, the Betterment and Amendment of Eden City League or B.A.E.L., made great progress in restoring Eden City to its former glory and was awarded laurels by the state and local governments. May members and supporters of BAEL were appointed and elected to positions in Eden City's government and things looked much brighter. Disaster ended the influence of BAEL in the 1980s, however. A mysterious fire claimed the lives of many founding and key members and quite a few of the supporters of BAEL inexplicably withdrew their support of the program and initiated new programs to restore the city.

One incident stands out during this time, the 100th anniversary of the Eden City Riots. A peaceful march of remembrance turned into a three-day orgy of violence when racists attacked the marchers. Twenty-one deaths and millions of dollars of damage were the results. Throughout the 70s white flight to the suburbs combined with mafia and tong crime caused the city's already tarnished image to deteriorate further.

The 1980s to Present

The high crime rate that started in the 70s continued in the 80s, fueled by the drug trade. With the mafia hamstrung by RICO laws, new ethnic crime by the Russians, Jamaicans and Japanese started to take over. Gang warfare became resurgent with several different rivals competing for turf. Lucias Drake, a European noble, attempted to raise funds and help Eden City create a new anti crime program but he was assassinated by unknown parties before he could make a lasting change. Rumors of corruption and underhanded deals are always circulating, and several minor skirmishes between criminals and law enforcement personnel occur around the city each night.

Eden City Neighborhoods

Ardmore

Just to the northwest of LeMastre Park, this neighborhood is filled with brownstones, townhouses and condominiums. Recently a few more houses have sprung up as Ardmore gains a reputation as a safe area for young professionals to raise a family.

Bankhurst

The Downtown of Eden City. Here is where you'll find the tall buildings and offices of the high and mighty in town. The west end of Bankhurst, known as Westhurst, has some old historical mansions and high priced living for people with six figure incomes.

Bayside

The docks of Eden City. Cargo and fishing ships fill the piers, along with the roughnecks and sailors who work on them. A dozen little dives house rowdy men after a long day's work. In the extreme west of the neighborhood developers have bought old warehouses to convert into lofts, but there isn't much in the way of housing besides a few squalid tenements.

Blackbridge

Located just north of LeMastre Park. This neighborhood is best known for the Eden City Convention Center (ECCC). Most residents live in brownstones and high-rise apartments, but there are a few apartment complexes and houses in the area.

Chinatown

Chinatown is actually four distinct Asian neighborhoods lumped together by stupid "round-eyes" who wouldn't know a Chinaman from a Korean. It is located directly on the South Bank of the Stewart River.

Chinatown Proper

The western end of Chinatown is where the actual Chinese population lives. They use the term Chinatown interchangeably to refer to this portion of the neighborhood or the whole Asian district, which causes confusion to everyone but themselves.

Koreatown

The northeast portion of Chinatown, most of its residents are from Seoul with the remainder from the rest of South Korea. Of all the Asians, they keep to themselves the most.

Little Saigon

This neighborhood is in the center of Chinatown. It developed in the 70s as the Vietnam War was winding down. Most of the residents are Vietnamese, but there are also Laotians and Cambodians who call this area home.

Little Tokyo

Located on the southeast of Chinatown, this neighborhood is settled by 2 groups: Upper-class professionals who long for a bit of the old country and the working poor just trying to get by. Authentic Japanese architecture is juxtaposed with American pop influence.

Crown Point

Just to the east of Chinatown on the South Bank, Crown Point was once the center of manufacturing in Eden City. After WWII business began moving out and housing developers moved in. Now mostly residential, the last decade has seen an influx of Middle Eastern, Indian and Pakistani immigrants. Crown Point's two main interests are the Paradome, where football is played, and Ashwood, the heart Eden City's GLBT community.

Eastwood

The most northeastern neighborhood of Eden City was once home to sailors and longshoremen. It developed a seedy, rough and tumble reputation due to the daily violence and run-down housing conditions. Gradually it is becoming a relatively safe place to live as the shipping industry dies down and developers swoop in to build expensive beach-front homes where old piers and warehouses used to be. Still, the ECPD spends many man hours making sure things stay quiet.

Elmview

A working-class neighborhood on the south side of town. This neighborhood has lower and lower middle-class residents who live in refurbished tenements or tall apartment buildings. Everyone here dreams of moving up and moving out to places like Guilford or Gadsden.

Forsyth

 

Freetown

 

Gadsden

 

Guilford

 

Highlands

 

Irishtown

 

Lafayette

 

Latin City

This section of Eden City is a vibrant area that is full of many different types of people. From the title of the neighborhood, one might think that it would be full of Latinos, but in actuality, it is a very wealthy enclave of Portuguese and Brazilian families. The Main business district is called "Rua de Sao Novo Eden ", and has designer stores like Versace, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. The average home in this neighborhood is about 6,000 square feet, three or four levels, and has at least 1/2 an acre of land, with an average selling price of 12 Million. Each home has beautiful city and water views due to the high elevation of this section of the city.

LeMastre Park

 

Little Italy

 

Mint Ridge

 

Moscow West

 

North Elmview

 

Pierpoint

 

Red Hill

 

Riverside Hills

 

Worthington

 

Suburbs