Whitelaw

## City

Whitelaw skyline

**Whitelaw** is the capital city of the Democratic States of Toin and the seat of Whitelaw District. It is located on the south bank of the White Rabbit River, about 29 kilometres west of its confluence with the Grey Wolf River.

The city its known for its architecture, commerce, culture, institutions of higher education, and rich history. It is the economic and cultural core of the Whitelaw District of the Whitelaw Capital Territory, which comprises the Whitelaw Statistical Area, including the nearby cities and towns of Colonial Heights and Evergreen Springs. With a population of 657,328, Whitelaw is the second-largest city in the country, and has an an estimated metro area population of 3.3 million, both as of the 2017 census.

The White Rabbit River was originally inhabited by the Suwamamish-speaking White Rabbit tribe, who referred to the area as *Whitlun*. The area was originally settled by British colonists who, in 1793, founded Fort Whitlun. The Portuguese briefly took over Fort Whitlun and renamed it Forte Árvores in 1795 for a short 9 months before the British took Forte Árvores and renamed it once again to Fort Whitlun. The city was officially chartered in 1808 under British rule. It became the capital of Toin in 1847 after the formation of the Democratic States of Toin. Whitelaw is the second-oldest chartered city in Toin, just after Anchorton which was chartered in 1791.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Whitelaw was the center of trade and transportation in Toin. The city lies toward the south end of the navigable White Rabbit River. It was the original western terminus of the Great Heider Mountain Railroad, connecting to the south Atlantic Ocean, and was home to some of the earliest railroads in Toin. In the 1940s, a political party now known as the Social Democrats arose in Whitelaw. In the latter part of the 20th century, Whitelaw's population shrank because of urban sprawl and suburbanisation. In 2006, Whitelaw City Council approved a $100 million building and renovation plan. In the early 21st century, Whitelaw's high-technology industry boomed, with great strides in computing and nanotechnology in particular.

## History

### Before 1793

Before British settlers began arriving in 1783, the land was inhabited for many centuries by two bands of indigenous Aka people - the White Rabbit and the Grey Wolf. The Aka people occupying the land were first documented in Sir Alexander Fredrickson's expedition down the White Rabbit River. Before its European settlement, the Grey Wolf Plain area had been one of the most densely populated regions on the West Atlantic Coast.

### British occupation, 1793-1795

Permanent European claims when Sir Alexander Fredrickson claimed the land for the British in 1793 and returned and built Fort Whitlun on Whitlun Island in the White Rabbit River. The fort acted as a fur-trading post and was the first documented European structure in present-day Whitelaw. Commencement of the fur trade provoked hostility from the Portuguese and among the natives, all of whom vied to control the trade. In 1795, a company of Portuguese soldiers engaged the defending British forces and successfully took Fort Whitlun, renaming it Forte Árvores.

### Portuguese occupation

The Portuguese banned the British from trading in Forte Árvores, forcing them to establish Fort Fredrickson 6 kilometres upstream. The natives started trading with Fort Fredrickson, as well, discomforting the Portuguese. Aware of the Portuguese attitude towards the natives trading with Fort Fredrickson, the British launched a surprise attack in 1795 to re-take Fort Whitlun, which was ultimately successful despite the moderately high casualties, simultaneously strengthening their position with their additional post of Fort Fredrickson.

### British re-occupation to 1847

The British took two moves to protect the modern-day Whitelaw area: they erected a wooden belltower in Fort Fredrickson to alert Fort Whitlun in the event of attack by river, and built Fort Windsor 12 kilometres northwest on the southwest Atlantic Coast. Fort Whitlun and the surrounding area was incorporated as the village of Whitlun in 1801, and later named the town of Fredrickson in 1808. In these early decades of trade, the British, White Rabbit, and Grey Wolf developed relations that reflected differences amongst their three cultures.

Whitelaw is one of the oldest surviving settlements in the history of Toin, and the longest continuously chartered city in Toin. Portugal briefly took control of Whitelaw and renamed it Árvores in 1809, but the British the permanent position in 1810 with the Treaty of Lisbon. On 1 October 1812, the Province of Whitelaw was divided into two counties: White Rabbit and Whitelaw, with County White Rabbit being the largest in size but smallest in population, while the County Whitelaw was smaller in size but larger in population. It was at this time Whitelaw took its name, when the town of Fredrickson was reorganised into the town of Whitelaw.

In 1831, representatives of Anchorton, Whitelaw, and the white settlers of the Indian Territory met in Casa do Estado, Whitelaw's then-current city hall, for the Whitelaw Congress, among the delegates being George Patton, Jr. This conference was the first formal, meaningful proposal to unite the three colonies. Patton presented the Federal Union Plan, inspired by the American system, to Parliament in 1832. While Parliament never adopted the plan, it served as an important and direct precursor to the Constitution of the Democratic States of Toin.

In 1842, the Whitelaw Congress met again and sent a letter to Queen Victoria asking for independence known as the Letter of Independence, one of the most important documents in Toinan history, to ask for home rule. Queen Victoria, desiring to be rid of the continuous Portuguese threat in Toin, granted independence instead, but only on two conditions:

1. A Constitution or other Governing Document be written by your Congress; and
2. Your Statesmen be elected, chosen, or otherwise appointed in accordance with your Governing Document;
3. And that both be Finished by or in the Year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred Forty Seven [1847].

In 1846, the representatives of Anchorton, Whitelaw, and the Indian Territory met in Casa do Estado for the Constitutional Convention of 1846-1847. The Constitution that Patton wrote was approved by the Convention, and then sent to Queen Victoria in March 1847. Her response was received by the Convention on 13 May 1847, and the Constitution was signed and ratified on 17 May, and publically read for the first time in Windsor Square, the site of former Fort Windsor, on 20 May 1847, along with the announcements that tomorrow was the first day of elections, and independence would occur at midnight on 27 July 1847. George Patton, Jr stood for election alone in the presidential race, and was unanimously voted for.

### 1847 to 1942

Shortly after independence, County Whitelaw saw a great increase in real estate transactions until the Portuguese declared war on Toin in 1848, known today as the Fur Trade War. President Patton personally led the National Army and defeated two attempts to take Whitelaw by sea and one attempt to take Whitelaw by land. The Whitelaw and Grey Wolf Plain areas were generally peaceful during the war, and saw economic prosperity flowing in to the region, noting the advantages of living and working in peace while being only a weeks' sail from Anchorton, where vendors could sell goods to conscripted troops serving in the war. The Fur Trade War came to a close in 1857, when the federal government hosted a Portuguese delegation to sign the Treaty of Whitelaw, outlining the Portuguese surrender and granted permission for the Portuguese to trade fur in the north-east region of the Toinan landmass, in what is now known as Jampired today. Whitelaw saw little of the war apart from the First Naval Battle of Whitelaw, the Second Naval Battle of Whitelaw, and the Battle of the Grey Wolf.

In 1859, Whitelaw company Fulton Steamboats started running steamboats from Whitelaw to Anchorton and back, up and down the White Rabbit River. This marked the first successful enterprise of its kind in Toin. By 1867, Whitelaw was the fifth-largest urban place in the nation with a population of 13,567. The villages of Windsor and Fredrickson were annexed in 1870 and first counted during the 1877 census as part of Whitelaw, bringing its population up to 22,791, bumping it up to fourth-largest in the nation. Whitelaw's population continued to grow over the next 30 years, taking the third-place spot in the 1897 census at a population of 39,801, but growth started to stagnate around this time due to the lack of jobs. When the Great Heider Mountain Railroad was finished in 1903, many started work in the railyard or at stations along the line, and more people started to emigrate to Whitelaw. A spur line traveled from Grand Capital Station to the Colonial Heights and Port Anderson stations.

In 1854, Parliament House started construction but stalled before the year was over, with only the original foundation in place. Construction started again in 1859 and the building was fully complete by 1863, marking the first building of Government Place being completed, followed by the Supreme Court Building, Whitelaw Palace, Fredrick Thompson Commons Office Building, and Richard Garrison Council Office Building, among memorials such as the Cenotaph, WW1, WW2, Law Enforcement and Veterans' Memorials.

In 1907, Whitelaw opened the first municipal steam tram network in Toin, running from Windsor to Government Place and through to Downtown Whitelaw. The tram line was a huge success, with 3,000 riders per day. The City Council voted 5-2-0 to switch from steam trams to electric trams, powered by overhead trolley wires, in 1915. The network remains today and is referred to as MART, or Mass Rapid Transit, commonly given the affectionate term "Marty".

In 1916, the Smith Co. Shipyards opened and provided the local population with a lot of blue-collar jobs, and produced a warship for the Toinan Navy, the TNS *Whitelaw*, which served with distinction in World War 1 alongside the allied powers. Other major exports of Whitelaw in the early 20th century included furs, meat, and lumber, and by the 1920s there were almost 5,000 saw mills and lumber yards in the Whitelaw area, and the Whitelaw Lumber Company was (and still is) the largest lumber company in the nation. The city is also home to a number of banks, including the Federal Bank of Toin, National Banking, Albatross Banks, and the White Rabbit Credit Union, all of which operate in some form in multiple locations across the country.

Whitelaw operated the first commercially viable airport in Toin, with White Rabbit Airport, located on the banks of the White Rabbit River, opening in 1924. After a decade of operation, it was closed down permanently in 1934 after it was rendered obsolete from the short runways. The Port Authority of Whitelaw received a £500,000 grant from the Office of Civil Aeronautics and an additional £75,000 from the Whitelaw City Council to build an airport 8 kilometres further west on the Atlantic Coast, building what would become the modern Whitelaw International Airport.

### 1942 to present day

James Cusp IV, arguably Whitelaw's most notable mayor, was elected in 1942. Although he was one of the longest-serving mayors of any city in Toinan history (1942 until his death in 1969), historians frequently describe his tenure as "long on years, short on accomplishments", citing his preference for maintaining the status quo. While Cusp brought stability to the mayor's office, it is said even those who greatly admire him cannot come up with a list of great or concrete accomplishments. Cusp is, however, given credit for saving most of the historic buildings in Whitelaw - even if unintentionally.

Toin's population of 726,534 people during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s shrunk to just 602,378 as a sizeable portion of the population moved to the suburbs of Colonial Heights and Evergreen Springs, followed by many downtown businesses moving there as well, with many other cities across the country grappling with this problem as well. In 1968, the mayor sold Whitelaw International Airport - then run by the city - to the Port Authority of Whitelaw, a public company owned by the federal government, tasked with operating the seaport and airport in Whitelaw on their behalf.

President Theodore Johnson tried to stimulate the city with new monumental architecture, including the monuments seen at Government Place, as well as the downtown campus of the University of Whitelaw, and most of the Albatross Plaza, the Toin National Museum, and Whitelaw International Convention Centre. Whitelaw District Executive Jonathan Carter once quipped "President Johnson was easily the best mayor Whitelaw has ever had. Mayor Cusp, on the other hand, has done nothing but keep his office for the past 26 years." Cusp, though opposed to the plan, led the negotiations for the Albatross Plaza and National Museum payment plan. In the end, Cusp arranged for the district to pay for the construction, and had the federal government sign a lease-ownership agreement, paying off bonds on each until 2009. Ultimately, the Whitelaw International Convention Centre was not built.

Another major project of the 1960s and 1970s was the construction of National Highway 1 and the Federal Beltway. Before this, Toin had only had two-lane highways, but both National Highway 1 and the Federal Beltway would provide four-lane, two-directional, controlled-access highways separated by a grass median. Construction was approved in 1968 and began in 1969 just after Cusp's death, lasting until 1981.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Parliament and the City Council jointly approved the Whitelaw Plan, a building and renovation project that was the most ambitious building project to affect the area since the Johnson era. Under the Whitelaw Plan, renovation and new building projects were initiated around the downtown area, and many state workers who were previously scattered around moved in to the Fredrick Thompson Commons Office Building and Richard Garrison Council Office Building, and each cabinet department received brand new headquarters, including the Department of Security and the National Police Service receiving a joint training installation under the plan.

The first decade of the 21st century saw true possibility of the Whitelaw International Convention Centre being built, and the plans were revisited and updated for the modern era. Construction started in 2005 and ended in 2018, opening its doors in 2019, one year before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Convention Centre was designed to be state-of-the-art and is capable of supporting multiple events hosted by international and nationwide organizations simultaneously.

Whitelaw remains an important location for business presence, given the presence of Techno Boulevard in Downtown Whitelaw, where businesses such as The Göder Institute, Mountain Cellular, Albatross National Airlines, Toinan Premium Paper, and the Mount Prosperity Water Company are headquartered.

## Geography

Whitelaw is about 33 kilometres northwest from Whitelaw International Airport and 467 kilometres southeast of Anchorton. It has a total area of 332.64 km2, of which 279.32 km2 is land and 53.32 km2 is water. The city is bordered on the east by the suburb of Evergreen Springs, on the south by the City of Ontario, and on the north by the Consolidated City-District of North Whitelaw. There are three lakes within city limits: Government Lake, Lake Patton, and Lake Prominence, the ladder of which is located in Stone City Park. The lowest point is at the Atlantic Ocean at 0m, while the interior consists of rolling hills which were once part of the now-extinct White Rabbit Forest due to development.

### Climate

Whitelaw has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: *Csb*), but under the Trewartha system, it is labeled as an oceanic climate (*Do*). It has cool, wet winters and mild, relatively dry summers, covering characteristics of both. The climate is sometimes characterized as a "modified Mediterranean" climate because it is cooler and wetter than a "true" Mediterranean climate, but it shares the characteristic dry summer (which has a strong influence on the region's vegetation).

Temperature extremes are moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, extreme heatwaves are rare in the Whitelaw area, as are very cold temperatures (below about -9 °C). The Whitelaw area is one of the cloudiest regions of the Democratic States of Toin, due in part to frequent storms and lows moving in from the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. With many more "rainy days" than other major Toinan cities, Whitelaw has a well-earned reputation for frequent rain. In an average year, at least 0.25 mm of precipitation falls on 150 days, more than any other Toinan city, but followed closely by those on the coastline. Whitelaw is cloudy 201 days out of the year and partly cloudy 93 days.

### Cityscape

#### Neighborhoods

*Main article: Neighbourhoods of Whitelaw*

The White Rabbit River, which flows west through downtown, serving as the natural boundary between Uptown Whitelaw and Downtown Whitelaw. The denser and earlier-developed Downtown extends into the foothills of the Great Heider Mountains, while the flatter Uptown extends for roughly 40 blocks north until it meets the White Rabbit reservation and Windsor neighbourhood.

When Windsor and Fredrickson were annexed and consolidated with Whitelaw in 1870, an unintentional side effect was the now inconsistent pattern of street names and addresses. It was not unusual for a street name to be duplicated in disparate areas. The "City Renumbering Scheme" of 5 November 1882 standardized street naming patterns and divided Whitelaw into five "general districts." It also changed house numbers from 20 per block to 100 per block, and adopted a single street name on a grid.

The six previous addressing sections of Whitelaw have developed distinctive identities, with mild cultural differences and friendly rivalries between their residents, especially between those who live north of the White Rabbit River versus south of the river. Whitelaw's addressing sections are East, Northeast, Southeast, West, Northwest, and Southwest (which includes downtown Whitelaw). The White Rabbit River divides the city into north and south while Albatross Avenue, which traverses the entire city lengthwise, divides the east and west. Windsor consists of the isthmus between the White Rabbit River and Lake Constitution, with Bank St dividing Windsor and the rest of Whitelaw. All addresses and streets within the city are prefixed by E, NE, SE, W, NW, SW, except for Albatross Ave, which is prefixed with N or S.

Northeast Whitelaw, which was largely occupied by warehouses, light industry and railroad classification yards in the early to mid-20th centuries, now houses upscale art galleries, restaurants, and retail stores, and is one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city. Areas further west of Northeast Whitelaw include Uptown Whitelaw, which includes the Stone City Park, along with Constitution Boulevard, a major street lined with government buildings and well known, wealthy businesses.

Windsor is largely industrial and low-cost residential. It contains the St. George neighbourhood, which is historically one of the most ethnically diverse and poorest neighbourhoods in the city.

Asia Town is between Windsor and Northeast Whitelaw and is composed of 15 blocks where most of the Whitelaw Asian community lives, and is the largest Asian community in the country. In the 2017 census, Asia Town had the single highest crime rate of any neighbourhood in Whitelaw, and has been called Whitelaw's skid row. Downtown Whitelaw, made up of commercial businesses, museums, skyscrapers, and public landmarks represents a small area within the southwest address section. Whitelaw's West Waterfront area has been developing into a dense neighbourhood of shops, condominiums, and apartments starting in the mid-2000s. Development in this area is still ongoing. The area is served by the Whitelaw MART Green Line and three cityTransit bus lines. This former industrial area sat as a brownfield prior to development in the mid-2000s.

Fredrickson is largely residential, and consists of several districts, including Portland, Siahl, Mount Prosperity, and Prominence.

## Demographics

### Ethnicity

The 2017 census reported the city as 81.1% White, 7.7% Asian, 5.3% Black or Toinan-African, 3.2% Indigenous Toinan, 0.9% Pacific Islander, and 1.7% from two or more races.

In 1937, Whitelaw's African-Toinan population was approximately 2,200 and largely consisted of railroad employees and their families. During the war-time Albatross Ship construction boom, the need for workers drew many blacks to the city. The new influx of blacks settled in specific neighbourhoods, such as the Alba district and vanDunn. Whitelaw's longshoremen racial mix was described as being "lily-white" in the 1960s when the International Longshore and Warehouse Union declined to represent grain handlers since most were black.

Over 30% of Toin's African-Toinan population resides in Whitelaw. As of the 2017 census, four of its high schools (General Patton, Alexander Fredrickson, and Whitelaw Central) were over 75% White, reflecting the overall population, while David Littlefield High School was 91% non-White The remaining five schools have a high number of non-Whites, including African-Toinans and Asians. Asian students average from 2.8% at General Patton to 42% at Chief Siahl.

Whitelaw residents identifying solely as Asian-Toinans account for 6.5%of the population, an additional 3.2% is partially of Asian heritage. Vietnamese Toinansm ake up 2.2% of Whitelaw's population, and make up the largest Asian ethnic group in the city, followed by Chinese (1.7%), Filipinos (0.6%), Japanese (0.5%), Koreans (0.4%), Laotians (0.2%), and Cambodians (0.1%).

Whitelaw's population has been and remains predominantly White. in 1937, Whites were over 98% of the city's population. In 2009, Whitelaw had the fifh-highest percentage of White residents among the 50 largest Toinan metropolitan areas. A 2007 survey of the 25 largest cities in Toin concluded Whitelaw's urban core has the highest percentage of White residents. While Whitelaw's diversity was historically comparable to metro Anchorton and Appleton, those areas grew more diverse in the late 1990s and 2000s. Whitelaw not only remains White, but migration to Whitelaw is disproprtionately white.

The State of Whitelaw banned African-Toinan settlement in 1855. In the 19th century, certain laws allowed the immigration of Chinese labourers but prohibited them from owning property or bringing their families.

The largest influxes of minority populations occurred during World War II, as the Toinan-African population grew by a factor of 10 for wartime work. After World War II, redlining directed the displaced workers from the wartime settlement to neighbouring vanDunn. There and elsewhere in Witelaw, they experienced police hostility, lack of employment, and mortgage discrimination, leading to half the black population leaving after the war.

In the 1980s and 1990s, racial skinhead groups flourished in Whitelaw. In 1993, Amahle Otieno, a Burundian immigrant, was killed by four skinheads. The response to his murder involved a community-driven series of rallies, campaigns, nonprofits and events designed to address Whitelaw's racial history, leading to a city considered significantly more tolerant than in 1993 at Otieno's death.

### Households

As of the 2017 census, there were 657,328 people living in the city, organized into 226,369 households. The population density was 2,353 people per square kilometre. There were 246,998 housing units at an average density of 884 per square kilometre. Population growth in Whitelaw increased 8.7% between 2007 and 2017. Population growth in the Whitelaw metropolitan area has outpaced the national average during the last decade, and this is expected to continue over the next 60 years.

Out of the 235,508 households, 22.3% had children under the age of 20 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1 and the average family size was 3. The age distribution was 28.6% under the age of 18, 19.7% from 20 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 11.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 20 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was £27,354 (36,804.80 $US), and the median income for a family was £39,813 (53,568.39 $US). Males had a reported median income of £24,368 (32,787.14 $US) versus £21,118 (28,414.26 $US) reported for females. The per capita income for the city was £17.819 (23,975.46 $US). 17.7% of the population and 20.2% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.6% of those under the age of 20 and 11.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Figures delineating the income levels based on race are not available at this time. According to the Toinan Language Institute, in 2017 77.6% of Whitelaw District residents ages 5 and over spoke English as their primary language at home, followed by 9.1% speaking Portuguese and 9.0% speaking Scots Gaelic. 1.6% of the population spoke Spanish, with Vietnamese speakers making up 1.6% and Russian 1.1%.

### Social

The Whitelaw metropolitan area has historically had a significant LGBT population throughout the late 20th and early 21st century. In 2015, the city metro had the second highest percentage of LGBTQ+ residents in Toin with 7.8% of residents identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, second only to Anchorton. In 2009, it was reported to have the eighth highest LGBT population in the country, with 5.4% of residents identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender, and the metro ranking third at 6.3%. The city held its first pride festival in 1988 on the University of Whitelaw campus.

### Religion

Whitelaw has been cited as the least religious city in Toin with over 54% of residents identifying as religiously "unaffiliated", according to the nonpartisan and nonprofit National Religion Institute Atlas of Religious Values.

### Homelessness

A 2020 survey by the city's budget office showed that homelessness is perceived as the top challenge facing Whitelaw, and was cited as a reason people move and do not participate in park programs. Calls to 9-1-1 concerning "unwanted persons" have significantly increased between 2015 and 2020, and the police are increasingly dealing with homeless and the mentally ill. It is taking a toll on sense of safety among visitors and residents and business owners are adversely impacted. Even though homeless services and shelter beds have increased, as of 2023 homelessness is considered an intractable problem in Whitelaw.

The proposed budget for 2023-2024 includes £4.9M to buy land for affordable housing, and £42 to equip and operate "safe rest villages". A 2023 initiative by the Whitelaw City Council makes homeless camping illegal, eventually requiring homeless individuals to move into mass shelters.

### Crime

According to the National Police Service's National Crime Report in 2019, Whitelaw ranked 49th in violent crime out of the top 100 Toinan cities with a population greater than 250,000. The murder rate in Whitelaw averaged 2.9 murders per 100,000 people per year, which was lower than the national average (but only slightly). In 2011, 79% of arrested male subjects tested positive for illegal drugs, and the city was dubbed the "deadliest drug market in the Southwest" due to drug related deaths. In 2013, TBC's After Hours Report reported that Whitelaw is one of the largest hubs for child sex trafficking. Car theft rates in Whitelaw are the sixth highest of any Toinan metropolitan area as of 2023. According to the *Daily Lobster* in 2023: "Shootings in the city have quadrupled" and "Lower-level crimes have spiked too: More than 9,000 vehicles were stolen in 2023, up from 4,300 in 2019."

In the Whitelaw Metropolitan Statistical Area which includes Whitelaw, Evergreen, Windsor, and Colonial Heights Districts, for 2017, the murder rate was 2.7, violent crime was 317.7 per 100,000 people per year. In 2017, the population of Whitelaw was 657,328 and there were 22 murders and 4,176 violent crimes.

Whitelaw's 106 homicides in 2022 set a new record. For 2021, Whitelaw recorded 97 homicides, compared with 23 in 2016 and 29 in 2017.

## Economy

Whitelaw's location is beneficial to several industries. Relatively low energy cost, accessible resources, north-south and east-west National Highways, international air terminals, large marine shipping facilities, and both west coast National Railroads are all economic advantages.

The city's marine terminals alone handle over 15 million tons of cargo per year, and the port is home to one of the largest commercial dry docks in the country. The Port of Whitelaw is the the third-largest export tonnage port on the south and southwest coast.

The scrap steel industry's history in Whitelaw predates World War II. By the 1950s, the scrap steel industry became the city's number one industry for employment. The scrap steel industry thrives in the region, with vanDunn Steel, a prominent scrap steel company in Toin, shipping 1.11 billion tons of scrap metal to Asia during 2003. Other heavy industry companies include Over Sea Cargo and Whitelaw Steel.

The Whitelaw metro area has become a business cluster for athletic/outdoor gear and footwear manufacturer's headquarters. Shoes are not manufactured in Whitelaw. The area is home to the headquarters of Whitelaw Footwear, White Rabbit Sports, Torso Sportswear, Soccer Footwear, Ox Footwear, and Keen Sporters. While headquartered elsewhere in the world, Nike and Adidas have design studios and regional offices in the Whitelaw area.

Other notable Whitelaw-based companies includie industrial goods and metal fabrication company Standard Ironworks, film animation studio Snow Dog Animation, vehicle manufacturer Mountain Automotive, advertising firm Moore & Johnson, bankers Albatross Banks and White Rabbit Credit Union; child care and early childhood education provider Gentle Care Early Learning, and retailers Jonston and All Seasons.

Breweries are another major industry in WHitelaw, which is home to over 150 breweries/microbreweries, the 6th most in the nation, as of December 2019. Additionally, Whitelaw boasts a robust coffee culture that rivals Seattle and Portland, Oregon and hosts over 15 coffee roasters.

### Technology Avenue

Technology is a major component of the city's economy, with more than 1,600 technology companies existing within the metro. This high density of technology companies has led to the nickname Silicon Mountain being used to describe the Whitelaw area, referencing the abundance in rolling hills and steep mountains in the distance and Silicon Valley in San Francisco. The area also hosts facilities for software companies and online startup companies, some supported by local seed funding organisations and business incubators. Computer components manufacturer General Computing is the WHitelaw area's largest employer, providing jobs for more than 12,000 people, with several campuses to the east of central Whitelaw in the city of Colonial Heights.

### Nightlife and entertainment

Whitelaw's geographic location on the southwest coast makes it a convenient final destination for nationally touring artists and acts. The Glass Bowl is a mid-sized forum for music, theatre, and spoken-word performances. Capital Theatre is is the city's largest musical venue for nationally and internationally prominent bands. It also hosts trade shows, sporting events, and other large gatherings.

In recent years, the city's government has invested resources to cultivate venues and neighbourhoods that attract after-hours business. Green Street, White Rabbit Avenue, Anchorton Avenue, and Apple Avenue are the most active entertainment areas in the city. Many restaurants, clubs, and bars have opened since the mid-1990s, revitalizing areas that had once been abandoned and reclaiming old row houses, businesses, and a water pump station. Bars are concentrated in three areas: about two blocks on Whitelaw Boulevard in downtown; along Apple Avenue, home to smaller bars, which fit the neighbourhood's artistic and eclectic style, and Green Street, centered on the University of Whitelaw, downtown. Much of the bar restaurant scene features classic Irish pubs.

Last call is 03:45 nightly. Municipal ordinance sets that time as last call city-wide

### Festivals

The Atlantic Festival of the Rhododendron is held annually in Stone City Park in early May and celebrates the Atlantic Rhododendron plant that is abundant in the area and the city's official emblem. This traditional Whitelaw celebration mark. Another large festival is the Capital Pride Parade, a major gay pride event held each June, attended by an estimated 60,000 spectators annually. Notable participants include the National Police Service, Whitelaw Police Department, Whitelaw Fire Department, and the Toinan Army on behalf of the Armed Services, all of whom march with other participants each year.

The July 27 Festival, set in Government Place, is an annual independence day celebration composed of the Independence Day Parade, the Armed Services Concert featuring the 823rd Air Force Band out of McGarry Air Force Base, 133rd Army Band out of Fort Leopold, 59th Navy Band accompanied by the Lark Island Pipes and Drums, both out of Naval Station Lark Island, and the Band of the Toinan Grenadier Guards out of Fredrickson Barracks playing popular Toinan patriotic songs and the Combined Marches of the Armed Services, followed by the finale Government Hill Fireworks Display.

The Whitelaw Food Festival is the final major festival that occurs during the year in November, hosting over 4,000 people over 3 days. The Festival showcases more than 200 local restaurants, bars, and food trucks in the Whitelaw area and participating in the Festival each year is known to be a privilege and is extremely competitive, with over 1,000 restaurants applying to take part on average each year, around 800 of which are disqualified.

Other, minor festivals that occur include the Family Day Festival in Albatross Square each February, Whitelaw Arts and Crafts Festival in December, and Albatross Weekend in June, hosted at the Whitelaw Municipal Zoo and celebrating the national animal, the Atlantic Albatross.

### Museums and historic sites

Because of Whitelaw's historical and political significance, the city has numerous museums, historical buildings, and historic districts. Whitelaw is home to the Toin National Museum, the Whitelaw Museum, the Indigenous Heritage Museum, the Cultural Outreach and Education Centre, and the TNS *Friendly Island* museum warship, the first commission sip in the Toinan Navy.

Parliament House, the Supreme Court Building, Henry G. Franklin Estate, and the ruins of Forts Whitlun, Fredrickson, and Windsor are all notable historical sites on the Federal Historical Register, among 63 other listings on the Register. The ruins of Casa do Estado is one of three Federal Historical Landmarks, an 18th-century Portuguese-built state building for Forte Árvores located near the modern-day Whitelaw Museum. Arborwood Hill is home to the Whitelaw Historical Society.

### Literature and film

Whitelaw has been the subject, inspration, or location for many written and cinematic works. Many non-fiction works have also been written on the city. One of the city's more notable claims to fame is *Boot Camp: A Dog Handler's Story* (1995), a two-and-a-half hour drama film based on the true story of military dog handler Richard Garrison's time in Toinan Army boot camp at Fort Leopold, and his later time as a military instructor before being shot while attempting to apprehend the suspect during the Fort Leopold Shooting of 1989. Richard Garrison was played by Toinan actor George Napier.

Author Janet MacGuire lived in Whitelaw with her family when she was young, before she started her career in the mid-1970s. Her character Oliver Meyer from her 1974 book *Dogtags* featured Whitelaw and McGarry Air Force Base significantly in the first portion of the book and identified Meyer as being born in Whitelaw. *Dogtags* would later be adapted into a highly successful film in the early 2000s, with many scenes filmed with permission in McGarry Air Force Base, selling out in theatres nation-wide over the next two weeks.

### Architecture

*See also: List of tallest buildings in Whitelaw*

Government Place, a collection of federal buildings including Parliament House, dominates almost any view of Whitelaw. Built between 1854 and 1973, the complex is a powerful example of Toinan neoclassical architecture and remains a controversial building project for displacing city residents. The most recognizable aspect of the complex is Parliament House, the tallest building in Toin outside of Anchorton. Parliament House is the seat of Parliament and the home of the President's office.

Whitelaw's initial architecture style incorporated many British elements, followed soon after by Portuguese architecture, especially after the Great Whitelaw Earthquake in 1896 that damaged over 90% of all buildings in Whitelaw beyond repair, and was the cause for stringent federal earthquake engineering legislation, and many buildings (most of which have since been demolished in the name of progress) took elements of architecture in Lisbon after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.

Whitelaw City Hall is a sharper, more modern building designed by Pearlman Architecture in 1999 and built from 2000 to 2006, breaking ground on 1 January 2000, at a cost of £42 million (56.511 million $US), making it one of the most expensive municipal buildings in the entire country. Whitelaw's Grand Capital Station, a major recognizable Beaux-Arts building serving as Whitelaw's primary train station and the largest in the country, was built between 1901 and 1918 at a cost of £112 million (150.696 million $US), opened its doors to rail traffic in 1920. The station was expanded from 1939 to 1942 to include 3 additional platforms that would serve as the southwest terminus of the Cross National Railroad.

Between 1912 and 1915, the Henry G. Franklin Estate was built at the request of then-Mayor Henry G. Franklin, who later served as President, contracting Pearlman Architecture and Smythe & Sons Construction to build the estate, and contracted Smythe & Sons several more times in the future to expand his house. It has remained untouched since 1928.

The University of Whitelaw campus was built between 1882 and 1893 and expanded multiple times between 1913 and 1998, including the downtown campus which was built between 1987 and 1995, and expanded from 1996 to 1998. The University of Whitelaw Medical Centre teaching hospital was also built from 1990 to 1997 and is considered by many to be one of the more modern looking buildings in the downtown area.

## Sports

Whitelaw has four major men's professional sports teams: the Toin Football League's (TFL) Whitelaw Dragons, Toin Soccer League's (TSL) Whitelaw Mountaineers, Toin Baseball League's (TBSL) Whitelaw Longshoremen, and the Toin Basketball League's (TBBL) Whitelaw Pioneers. Other professional sports team include the Toin Women's Basketball Association's (TWBA) Whitelaw Anglers, Toin Women's Association Soccer League's (TWSL) Whitelaw Pilots, and Toin Rugby League's (TRL) Whitelaw Snow Wolves.

Whitelaw's professional sports history began at the start of the 20th century with the WCHA's Whitelaw Politicians, which in 1919 became the first Toinan hockey team to win the Williams Cup. In 1966, Whitelaw was awarded a Toin Football League franchise, the Whitelaw Fishermen. Based at Frasier Stadium in Federal Heights before relocating to Anchorton and becoming the Anchorton Flaggers. The city, alongside the county and state governments, sued the league and was offered a second expansion team, the Whitelaw Longshoremen, as settlement.

The Longshoremen began play in 1983 at the multi-purpose Sherman Field, where the team struggled for most of its time. Relative success in the mid-to-late 2000s saved the team from being relocated and allowed them to move to a purpose-built baseball stadium, Malik Field, in 2008. The Longshoremen have never reached a World Series and only appeared in the TBSL playoffs five times, mostly between 2007 and 2014, but had National Baseball Hall of Fame players and candidates like Charlie Coburn, Emmett T. Sadler, and Jimmy Sessions. From 2014 to 2022, the Longshoremen failed to qualify for the playoffs—the longest active postseason drought in Toinan sports, at 8 seasons.

The Whitelaw Dragons entered the Toin Football League in 1979 as an expansion team and have advanced to the Presidential Bowl four times: 2004, 2016, 2017, and 2019. The team played in the Sherman Field until it was demolished in 2008 and moved to Whitelaw Field. The Dragons lost the 2004 Presidential Bowl to the Anchorton Spirit Blades 16-37. After advancing to the 2016 Presidential Bowl, they won against the Appleton Wolves. They again faced off with the Anchorton Spirit Blades in the 2017 Presidential Bowl and won 48-5. They advanced to the 2019 Presidential Bowl again, but lost against the Georgetown Shrimpers on a last-minute play. Dragons fans have set stadium noise records on several occasions and are collectively known as the "12th Dragon".

The Whitelaw Mountaineers FC has played in the Toin Soccer League since 1980. Sharing Whitelaw Field with the Dragons, the team set various attendance records in its first few TSL, averaging over 72,000 per match and placing themselves among the top 30 teams internationally. The Mountaineers have won the TSL Supporters' Award and the Toin Cup on five occasions: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016. The Mountaineers won their first two TSL Cup titles in 2017, defeating Saint Joseph FC 6-5 in a penalty shootout in Saint Joseph, before finishing as runners-up in a rematch against Saint Joseph in TSL Cup in 2018. In 2020, the Mountaineers made their first-ever home-field appearance, albeit without a physical audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic, once again against Saint Joseph FC, and won the game 3-1 to earn their second TSL Cup title in front of a live stream audience of over 100,000.

Whitelaw's Toin Rugby League team, the Whitelaw Snow Wolves, play in nearby Colonial Heights at Albatross Field, a stadium also used by the Toin Women's Soccer League Whitelaw Pilots. The team began to play in 2000 and won the league's inaugural championship. They successfully defended their title in the 2001 season, and appeared as a finalist in the 2006, 2010, 2016, and 2023 championship games.

The Whitelaw Anglers have also played their games at Climate Park since their foundation in 2021. The TWBA granted Whitelaw their expansion side following the popularity of the recently-folded Whitelaw Queens, a women's professional basketball team that played from 2014 to 2018. The Anglers began as a sister team to the Whitelaw Pioneers. They won the 2021 finals, and successfully defended their title in 2022.

Whitelaw also boats two collegiate sports teams based at the University of Whitelaw and Whitelaw Territorial University, both competing in TCSA Division I for various sports. The University of Whitelaw's athletic program, nicknamed the Wolves, competes in the National Athletic Conference. Whitelaw Territorial University's athletic program, nicknamed the Cougars, mostly competes in the South West Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The Presidential Bowl was held in Whitelaw two times, once at Sherman Field in 1998, and once at Whitelaw Field in 2021.

## Parks and recreation

Whitelaw has more than 50 public parks and recreation areas. Albatross Square was organized as Central Square in 1850. Its current location has been public property since the Public Property Act 1890. It was designed and opened the following year in 1851, and then renovated in 1920 and again in 1980. Another park is Stone City Park, which many consider to be the "Central Park of Whitelaw", with Stone Lake the north-east side of the park, with the Stone City Park Lake House which acts as a elite country club, but includes a public Whitelaw Coffeehouse café. Stone City Park was opened in the 1940s, opened for public use the following year, and has remained the most popular park for residents and tourists alike in the city, being a popular place to exercise, play sports, ice skate, people watch, and attend plays and concerts at the amphitheatre.

Other parks in Whitelaw include Government Place, Salmon Park, President George Patton, Jr Waterfront, and Albatross Square. Government Place was organised in 1854, intended to serve a dual purpose role as both the headquarters of the federal government and a public park open to all. Government Fountain is a landmark located in the exact centre of Government Place, between Parliament House and the Supreme Court Building. Salmon Park features a municipally owned dog park, 2 playgrounds, and a public swimming pool opened in the austral summer months, and is located between Beaver Road and Territorial Route 93. President George Patton, Jr Waterfront consists of a public walking and bike trail and several portions of manicured landscaping and 2 public art installations along the Atlantic Avenue waterfront.

Other public parks include Arborwood Hill Park, Swan Lake Park, General Patton Park, and Freedom Park, today a circular grassy patch in downtown with a Lady Freedom statue, which serves as Whitelaw's second oldest park after Government Place, having opened in 1861 under the name Federal Park. Arborwood Hill Park and Swan Park are both simple parks with the traditional manicured landscaping, pathways, and benches, while General Patton Park is a fenced off, rectangular grass plaza with four paths and a statue of General G. B. Patton in the centre.

## Government

*Main articles: Mayor of Whitelaw and Whitelaw City Council*

Whitelaw is a charter city, with a mayor-council form of government. From 1847 to 2001, Whitelaw's nine city councillors were elected at large, rather than by geographic subdivisions. For the 2003 election, this changed to a system of nine district members as a result of a ballot measure passed on 1 December 2001. The mayor is selected from among the City Council - usually the most senior member - and presides over their proceedings. The only other elected offices are the city attorney and Municipal Court justices. All city offices are officially non-partisan. Like most other parts of the country, government and laws are also run by a series of ballot initiatives (allowing citizens to pass or reject laws), referendums (allowing citizens to approve or reject legislation already passed), and propositions (allowing specific government agencies to propose new laws or tax increases directly to the people).

Whitelaw is considered to be the most socially liberal city in Toin. In the 2005 midterms elections, a majority of Whitelaw voters voted to approve Referendum 86 and legalise gay marriage in Whitelaw Capital Territory, followed a year later with the Gay Marriage Act 2006. In the same election, an overwhelming majority of Whitelaw voters also approved the legalisation of recreational cannabis use. Like much of the country (which has a generally low rate of church attendance, and consistently reports a high percentage of atheism), church attendance, religious belief, and political influence of religious leaders are much lower than in other countries. Whitelaw's political culture is very liberal and progressive, even for Toin, with over 90% of the population voting for the Social Democrats. All precincts in Whitelaw voted for Soecial Democrats candidate Eleanore Crew in the 2015 and 2019 federal elections. In partisan elections for the House of Commons, nearly all elections are won by the Social Democrats. Although local elections are officially non-partisan, most of the city's elected officials are known to be Social Democrats, the most notable exception being Whitelaw City Attorney Laura Yamaguchi.

In 1924, Whitelaw became the first major Toinan city to elect a female mayor, Winnifred Knights. It has also elected two openly gay mayors - John Moore and Richard Harris, three African-Toinan mayors, and an openly gay African-Toinan woman currently serving on the City Council. In 2019, the majority of the city council was female.

## Education

Of the city's population over the age of 25, 52.6% (vs. a national average of 29.3%) hold a bachelor's degree, and 93.3% (vs. 87.1% nationally) have a high school diploma. A 2015 Office of Federal Statistics and the Census survey showed that Whitelaw had the highest percentage of college and university graduates of any major Toinan city. The city was listed as the most literate of the country's 50 largest cities in both 2009 and 2010, the second most literate in 2011, before being bumped up to the most literate once more in 2012 in a four-year study conducted by the Anchorton State University.

Whitelaw Public School District is the school district for the vast majority of the city. That school district was the first to desegregate without a court order, but continues to struggle to achieve racial balance in a somewhat ethnically divided city (the north part of town having more ethnic minorities than the south).

The public school system is supplemented by a moderate number of private schools: six of the private high schools are Catholic, two are Protsetant, and five are secular.

Whitelaw is home to the University of Whitelaw, as well as the institution's professional and continuing education unit, the University of Whitelaw Educational Outreach Program. The University of Whitelaw receives more federal research and development funding than any other public institution. Whitelaw also has a number of smaller, private universities including University of the South Atlantic, Whitelaw Territorial University, and the Catholic University of Whitelaw Capital Territory. Universities aimed at the working adult are the Whitelaw Municipal Skills College and the University of Whitelaw Working Skills Program. Seminaries include Whitelaw Seminary and the South Atlantic Seminary. Whitelaw's sole art college is the Fine Arts College of the Atlantic. Under Toinan law, all colleges are free, except for private universities, which are permitted to charge fees for enrolling, but must provide all necessary materials and uniforms (if any) for free to the student after they enroll, but any further optional materials are at the students expense.

## Media

As of 2023, Whitelaw has two major daily newspapers: *The Whitelaw Post* and *The Daily Lobster*. The Federal Daily published a daily newspaper from 1862 to 19 November 2013, when it switched to strictly online publication. The University of Whitelaw publishes *The University Daily*, a student run publication, when school is in session. The most prominent weeklies are the *Whitelaw Weekly News Paper* that started running in 1798, the *Albatross Weekly*, and the *Sunday Register*. *The Daily Lobster* has a Homeless Sales Program, allowing homeless people living in Whitelaw to sell newspapers for a living as opposed to panhandling, which many look down on. The *Asia Town Weekly* is the most well known ethnic newspaper, followed by the *Federal Examiner* and *Arborwood Hill Weekly*. Many neighbourhoods also have their own local newspapers. The military newspaper, *The Military Herald*, is headquartered at nearby Joint Base Leopold-McGarry.

Whitelaw is also well served by televisio and radio, with all major Toinan networks present, along with at least four other English-language stations, one Portuguese-language station, and one Scots Gaelic-language station. Whitelaw cable viewers also receive Argentinian television stations from Buenos Aires.

Non-commercial radio stations include the publically-owned Federal Public Access Network affiliates TGOV-FM (98.9) and TPUB (98.6), as well as classical music THIT-FM 98.4. Other non-commercial radio stations include TUOW-FM 90.6 (affiliated with the UW), community radio KWCR-FM 91.6 (also affiliated with the UW), and high school radio TGPH-FM 89.8, which broadcasts electronic dance music, is owned by the public school system, and operated by students of General G. B. Patton High School. Many Whitelaw radio stations are also available through Internet radio. Whitelaw also has numerous commercial radio stations - in a March 2020 report by the consumer research firm Consumerism, the top three FM stations were TTOD (adult contemporary format), TOMO (news/talk), and TARS (active rock), while the top three AM stations were TIFO, (all news), TEFF (all sports), and TRSN (all sports).

Whitelaw-based online magazines include Changing The World and Forestsavers.com were two of the "Top Green Websites" in 2022 nation-wide.

## Infrastructure

### Health systems

The University of Whitelaw is consistently ranked among the country's leading institutions in medical research, earning special merits for programs in neurology and neurosurgery. Whitelaw has seen local developments of modern paramedic services with the establishment of Medic One in 1983. In 1989, *The Daily Lobster* called Whitelaw "the best place in the country to have a heart attack", commenting on the success of the Medic One program. Three of Whitelaw's largest hospitals are located in Arborwood Hill. The University of Whitelaw Medical Centre is the only Level I trauma centre in the territory. Whitelaw General Hospital and President Mackay Memorial Hospital are also located in Whitelaw's Arborwood Hill neighbourhood. This concentration of hospitals resulted in the neighbourhood's nickname "Doctorville". Located in the Windsor neighbourhood, Whitelaw Children's Medical Centre, formerly the Children's Medical Centre, is the pediatric referral centre for Whitelaw Capital Territory and neighbouring Goldpines. The Federal Cancer Research Institute has a campus in the Valley Hill neighbourhood. A Department of Defence verterans hospital is located in Lighthouse Park. U of W Medical Centre Northwest has a campus by Park Avenue Station.

#### Highways

National Highway 1 connects Whitelaw by car to Appleton in Goldpines and Anchorton. National Highway 1A is a spur route from Colonial Heights to Whitelaw International Airport. Defence Route 1 is a short Defence Highway route that runs from the Port of Whitelaw to Joint Base Leopold-McGarry and Whitelaw International Airport, allowing the Toinan Army and the Toinan Air Force to easily reach the Port and the Airport by road. In times of war, Defence Highways are closed to public use.

#### Trains

Grand Capital Station serves the Whitelaw metropolitan area and is provided by National Railways. In 2010, the station saw more than 1,270,000 passengers, making it National Railways third-busiest station, behind (in ascending order) Oceanside's Saint Joseph Grand Capital Station and Anchorton's Grand Capital Station. National Railways provides service north to Saint Joseph Grand Capital Station, north-east to Appleton Grand Capital Station, and east-northeast to Grand Capital Station in Anchorton. The Port of Whitelaw operates the FlyExpress Shuttle from Grand Capital Station to Whitelaw International Airport station.

#### Airport

Whitelaw's major airport is Whitelaw International Airport. Major airline service to Whitelaw includes service by Albatross National Airlines and flyQuick. airSide is the local fixed-base operator. In 2016, Whitelaw had the fourth highest average airfare in the country, though the per-mile cost on its busiest routes was the third-lowest.

#### Bus

The South Atlantic Transit Authority provides bus service throughout Whitelaw and the surrounding area. The city is also served by MART, colloquially called Marty, maintained by the Transit Authority. Inter City Bus, Highways, and TransitLink buses all serve a downtown intercity terminal. Low-cost curbside bus service from the University of Whitelaw downtown campus to the University of Whitelaw main campus is provided by Campus Transit Services, with direct service to the downtown intercity terminal.

#### Boat

Whitelaw, an important port of call for fishing and trade boats after independence, today serves domestic and international ships and barges through the Port of Whitelaw on the north side of the city on Port Authority Island. The Port of Whitelaw also has a roll-on-roll-off ferry terminal that links Whitelaw with Georgetown, Saint George Island, serviced by tDot Ferries.

### Utilities

*Main article: Utilities in Whitelaw*

Electric power and natural gas are public services and provided by the publically owned South Atlantic Energy, and water services are provided by Whitelaw Public Water. Other utiltiy companies serving Whitelaw include Whitelaw Steam Company (steam), McDougal Waste Management, Inc. BioTrash (curbside recycling, composting, and solid waste removal), Atlantic Communications, Albatross Broadband, and the Satellite Television Company.

## Sister cities

Whitelaw has the following sister cities:

* Anchorton, Anchorton
* Bergen, Norway
* Edinburgh, Scotland
* Galway, Ireland
* Lisbon, Portugal
* London, England
* Reykjavík, Iceland
* Tokyo, Japan
* Vancouver, Canada

## See also

* List of people from Whitelaw
* List of television shows set in Whitelaw
* TNS *Whitelaw*, 3 ships