Colonial Bay
From Champions MUSH
Colonial Bay (the primary setting of Champions MUSH) is a medium-sized city of about a million people nestled snugly on the western bank of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, on the east coast of the USA.
Colonial Bay is one of the oldest cities in Virginia, and has lots of landmarks and old historical sites. It is a tourist area in the summer, boasting a beautiful stretch of bay-side beach, and a historic park from a battle between the English and the French prior to the revolution, called White Marsh Battlefield (affectionately known to the local residents as 'Battlefield Park.')
Colonial Bay was founded during the initial settlement of the Virginia Colony. In the late 1700s, one of Virginia's earliest institutions of higher education, then called Colonial College, was founded, and since then Colonial Bay has been a typical college town. Colonial College became Colonial Bay State University in 1872, and currently has an enrollment of over 40,000 students.
In addition to the standard "college town" shops and businesses around the campus (coffee shops, bookstores, etc.), Colonial Bay has one of the largest malls in the Chesapeake Bay area, Boardwalk Mall, and of course, a nice beach and boardwalk.
The yacht club has a 5-star restaurant. There is also a port, which does much business with nearby Richmond and Washington DC, giving them both easy access to the sea. Finally, there is a historic old lighthouse on an island just off the coast of the city, which is visited by nearly 200,000 tourists a year.
City power is provided by two main sources. The Solsys Power company provides energy via solar cells to most of the residential neighborhoods in the city. The government offices, industrial, and commercial buildings have their power provided by the Chesapeake Nuclear Plant.
The city suburbs are located on the western side, and from there highways take travelers west towards and past the Appalachian Mountains.
The city has a good transport system, based around the a magnetic levitation urban railway, which connects with an external transport nexus as well as the TransMat terminal.
History
Colonial Bay was founded by settlers early in the days of the Virginia Colony. It figured prominently during the Revolutionary war, and was the site of the Battle of White Marsh between French and English forces. Shortly after the Revolution, Colonial College was founded, and eventually grew, in 1868, into Colonial Bay State University, one of the top-rated State Universities in the country. CBSU formed the hub around which the city grew up. With its well-situated port and large student population, Colonial Bay soon became a center of commerce.
Colonial Bay is part of Historic Virginia, and has many landmarks that draw history-buffs and tourists from all over the country. Its mild Virginian climate, with southern hospitality, nice beaches, and White Marsh Battlefield Park, also draw many visitors in the summer months.
Points of Interest
Among the many points of interest in Colonial Bay are the Old Prison and the Light House on Sandy Bottoms Island across Colonial Bay Bridge. Museums include science museum and art museum, and the old cemeteries are of historic interest. There is a large mall and amusement park by the boardwalk.
The Starguard facilities, while off limits, also draw tourists. Bustling Ming Street boasts of one of the largest Chinese communities in the nation.
