kids encyclopedia robot

Boomtown facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A boomtown is a place that grows super fast! This means lots of people move there, and the economy (how much money is made) gets much bigger, very quickly.

Often, boomtowns pop up when a valuable natural resource is found nearby. Think of gold, silver, or oil! For example, during a gold rush, a small village might suddenly become a busy town as thousands of people arrive hoping to strike it rich. But sometimes, when the gold runs out, these towns can shrink and even become ghost towns.

Boomtowns can also grow fast for other reasons. Maybe they are close to a big city, have a great climate, or are near a popular tourist spot.

How Boomtowns Start

Trieste (28766391880)
Trieste became a boomtown in Central Europe because of its free port.

Some of the first boomtowns appeared during the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800s. Places like Leeds, Liverpool, and Manchester in England were once small. But then, factories were built there. They had good transport links and lots of cheap coal for fuel. This made them grow into huge industrial cities very quickly.

Another interesting example is Trieste in Italy. In the 1800s, it was a small fishing village. But then, a "free port" was opened, meaning ships could trade there easily. Also, the Suez Canal opened, making Trieste a key stop for ships. This caused a huge economic boom! Trieste became the third-largest city in the Habsburg monarchy. However, after World War I and II, and the Cold War, the city became isolated and shrunk. It only started to boom again when nearby countries joined the EU.

California Clipper 500
California attracted thousands of gold seekers during the Gold Rush of 1849.

In the mid-1800s, many boomtowns started because of natural resources. The California Gold Rush in the Western United States is a famous example. Towns seemed to appear overnight in places where gold was found. Later, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, "mill towns" grew quickly. These were built near forests to process timber. They usually lasted only as long as it took to cut down all the nearby trees.

Today, places like Fort McMurray in Canada are boomtowns because of oil. Johannesburg in South Africa also grew fast due to gold and diamonds.

Famous Boomtowns Around the World

Australia

Canvas town south melbourne victoria 1850s
"Canvas Town" in South Melbourne, Australia, was a temporary home for people during the Victorian gold rush.

Brazil

Canada

United Kingdom

  • Aberdeen (North Sea oil boom, known as the "oil capital of Europe")
  • Barrow-in-Furness (late 19th and early 20th centuries, major steelworks and shipyard)
  • Belfast, Northern Ireland (fastest-growing city in the British Isles in the 19th century due to industry and port)
  • Jarrow
  • Leeds
  • Liverpool (industry, shipping, and emigrants)
  • Manchester (rapid economic growth in the early 19th century)
  • Preston, Lancashire (boomtown of the Industrial Revolution)
  • Winster, Derbyshire, England (17th century lead mining community)

United States

SanFrancisco1851a
San Francisco in 1851, during the California gold rush.

Images for kids

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Boomtown Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.