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Title: Portage and Path Dependence

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2012

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Abstract: Many cities in North America formed at obstacles to water navigation, where continued transport required overland hauling or portage. Portage sites attracted commerce and supporting services, and places where the falls provided water power attracted manufacturing during early industrialization. We examine portage sites in the U.S. South, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest, including those on the fall line, a geomorphological feature in the southeastern United States marking the final rapids on rivers before the ocean. Although their original advantages have long since become obsolete, we document the continuing importance of historical portage sites. We interpret these results as path dependence and contrast explanations based on sunk costs interacting with decreasing versus increasing returns to scale.

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Authors: Lin, Jeffrey; Bleakley, Hoyt

Periodical (Full): Quarterly Journal of Economics

Issue: 2

Volume: 127

Pages: 587-644

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Other

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