Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge | |
|---|---|
Town of Austenasia | |
 | |
 Flag | |
| Established | 20 July 2020 (as Territory) 20 December 2020 (as Town) |
| Government | |
| • Representative | Lady Addison O'Halloran, Baroness of Blue Ridge |
| Population | |
| • Total | 5 |
| Time zone | UTC-6:00 |
Blue Ridge is an Austenasian Town which is an enclave of the U.S. state of Florida, and is composed of a residential property. Blue Ridge is currently represented in Parliament by its founder, Lady Addison O'Halloran, Baroness of Blue Ridge. Initially annexed as an Austenasian Territory, claiming only part of the garden of a property, on 7 December 2020 a proposal was made by Lady Addison to expand Blue Ridge into a Town by annexing the entirety of the property. This took place on 20 December later that month.
History
The area now known as Blue Ridge was originally inhabited by the Choctaw people of northwest Florida, United States. Upon the foundation of Pensacola, many Choctaw people were slaughtered or forced west by the Spanish settlers, who sought goods and riches. Over the next five centuries, the land went through many different occupants, among them: France, the British Empire, the Confederate States, and the United States. The structure upon the property on Blue Ridge was built between 1940 and 1950 as part of an abandoned military site, which has since been converted into a civilian residence.
The first sign of micronationalism in the area was the creation of the Kingdom of West Florida in April 2018. Shortly thereafter some land was donated to the Kingdom of Leafavenia (now the Federation of Dillonia), which existed in the area from late 2019 to mid-2020.
July 2020, Addison O'Halloran approached Jonathan I of Austenasia to propose the establishment of a Austenasian Territory. A few days later, the Parliament of Austenasia enacted Act 185. Upon being granted Imperial Consent on 20 July, the Act would establish Blue Ridge as a Territory of Austenasia with O'Halloranbeing named Governing Commissioner.[1] On top of this, she was also appointed to the Austenasian Police and was bestowed the title of Lady. As Governing Commissioner, O'Halloran assembled a body of advisors and opened Blue Ridge to tourists.
In early December, Lady O'Halloran informed the Emperor of her intention to expand Blue Ridge to Town status and requested the support of Parliament. To do this, it required the annexation of the adjacent house. Later, in a press conference, Lady O'Halloran remarked: "My family was initially skeptical. It took a lot of convincing and a lot of 'stop being sarcastic' to eventually get them to agree to the annexation. In fact, they still are a little taken aback by the idea that a 'made-up' nation is on their property, but hey, it's the game." The passage of Act 194 granted Blue Ridge town status and named Lady O'Halloran interim Representative. The Act was given Imperial Consent on 20 December 2020, exactly five months after its establishment as a territory.[2]
| Representative of Blue Ridge | |
|---|---|
 Insignia of the Representative | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Residence | Blue Ridge, Austenasia |
| Appointer | Direct election |
| Term length | Five years, renewable |
| Inaugural holder | Lady Addison O'Halloran, Baroness of Blue Ridge |
Administration
The current Representative of Blue Ridge is Lady Addison O'Halloran, who was elected in the January 2021 election. She was initially acclaimed Acting Representative upon the expansion of Blue Ridge, before which she served as Governor. Lady O'Halloran is also the Police Inspector of Blue Ridge and Baroness of the town.
List of Representatives
| Number | Picture | Name | Ideology | Took office | Left office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .png)
|
Lady Addison O'Halloran, Baroness of Blue Ridge | Centre-left (considered Social liberal) |
20 December 2020 | Incumbent | Founder of Blue Ridge, Police Inspector, and Baroness |
Electoral history
| January 2021 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Independent win | ||||
Geography
Culture & Attractions
See also
References
- ↑ Parliament of Austenasia (20 July 2020). "Act 185 - Blue Ridge and Florencium Carolinia Act 2020".
- ↑ Parliament of Austenasia (20 December 2020). "Act 194 - Blue Ridge and New Flat Rock Act 2020".
