# Can You Start Your Own Town?



## HagonNag

ONLY if you had total control of people. 

The only time you're going to get a city exactly like you want it is to play SimCity. And even there, emergencies happen!


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## Saskia

Theoretically, you could buy a large property, build a selection of buildings and rent them out the people and it could similar to a town. But you'd still be restricted by the laws of wherever the property was, and wouldn't receive any funding for this town. 

Throughout history, many people have tried to make their own cities or towns. Often groups of like minded people get together. One that jumps out at me is Christiania, in Copenhagen, Denmark. This is a small village of sorts that was founded in the 70s (I think) when squatters took over an old army base. Over the years its often operated outside the laws of Denmark and has a very different feel to the rest of Copenhagen. It runs its own businesses, leadership, housing, etc, but its not independent from Copenhagen. 

If you could build your own town how would you make it? What would you change to be different from where you live now?


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## Joe4d

why not ? build the town sell/ rent the houseing, rent retail space, hire private security and fire protection, keep area under control of a home owners association, lots of people out there that will stupidily agree to sign over all their property rights and agree to give you money every year. Eventually within the laws of where every you are you can incorporate. Lots and lots of towns across the US were privately started. Usually by a large industry.


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## HorseMom1025

A guy did just that here in Texas. He had a truck stop on 35 dead center between Dallas and Waco. He incorporated and set up a city charter and became his own town. It still there. For a while it was known as Willie's Place (Willie Nelson) and offered bio diesel. Look up Carl's Corner Texas if you're interested. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer

Unless it's privately owned property you can't just throw up some buildings, make up rules, and have it be a town. A commune or cult sure, but an incorporated township? There are state and local rules, regulations, and laws that every incorporated township has to follow.


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## DancingArabian

Easier to just buy an island and move there.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Chokolate

DancingArabian said:


> Easier to just buy an island and move there.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


That reminds me of when my sister and I were younger and we hunted all over Google Earth for an 'unclaimed land with potential'. Forget towns, forget cities, we thought we could begin our own country there. We actually found one that we wanted and that, technically, we could claim.

Somehow I don't think that plan would have worked out too well...

To the OP, lots of people _have done that in the past, but even if you did buy a property, build some houses, and rent them out, it wouldn't actually be a proper town, I'm afraid. It would still be a part of whatever town the property was located in._


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## jumanji321

Haha, Speaking of making your own country. Anybody heard of Molossia?


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## Chokolate

I hadn't, so I googled it and found not only the government website but also a google map for it!

This is absolutely hilarious. I am SO doing that when I get a house of my own (but maybe not to the extent His Excellency the President went to.) 

From Wikipedia:

_The Republic of Molossia is a micronation, founded by Kevin Baugh humorously as a "dictatorial banana-republic" and headquartered solely from a tiny home near Dayton, Nevada.

It consists of Baugh's house (known as Government House), backyard and front garden, about 1.3 acres (0.5 ha) of land, as well as another property surrounded on all sides by Nevada. It formerly claimed a property in Pennsylvania as well. According to author John Ryan, Molossia is "a hobby... that has been pushed... to the nth degree."[2] Originally established as a childhood project in 1977, Molossia subsequently evolved into a territorial entity in the late 1990s.

The name Molossia is derived from the Spanish word morro which means "small rocky hill". Baugh has stated that the ancient Greek tribe of Molossians is unrelated.[3]_

Hmmm...What do you think I should call my micronation? What would you call yours? I'm thinking I shall be Her Majesty the King of Hoofsylvania, what do you think?

(Sorry, that was totally off topic.) OK, you can continue talking about making your own town now...


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## EvilHorseOfDoom

You can create your own country if you want to! They're called micronations and we have quite a few here in Australia. There's a Wikipedia article on them here. Following that logic you can create your own town (well, the country has to have a capital!). You can also create your own constitution, and set yourself up as a king, maharajah, president or whatever (although emperor would be a stretch as you kind of need an empire to be one). You can have your own stamps, write your own by-laws and fly your own flag. Whether or not it'll be recognised as a sovereign state by the "host" country is an entirely different matter...


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## Chokolate

Can you imagine the look on Julia Gillard's face when she reads all about how a large cattle station in WA has declared itself a new nation and refuses to pay tax?...


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## EvilHorseOfDoom

Chokolate said:


> Can you imagine the look on Julia Gillard's face when she reads all about how a large cattle station in WA has declared itself a new nation and refuses to pay tax?...


Hahaha! To be fair, John Howard did far better and more theatrical "horrified" faces than Julia does, she's pretty phlegmatic.


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## Chokolate

I was only in Year Four (or around that time) when John Howard was voted out, so I never saw them :-(. I will go Googling again now...


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## SouthernTrails

.

Why not?

Buy your own town or island - CBS News


How to buy a town: Have plenty of cash


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