Other favorable locations include places at valley crossings or in gaps between hills. These locations allowed maximum communication between different ones. Overview Determining where to settle the land has always depended on a variety of factors, including proximity and accessibility to necessary resources. The location of landforms, such as rivers, mountains and bays, has influenced where towns and cities were built.
Advances in transportation, including efficient river travel, railroads, and cars, influenced the settlement and growth of cities and towns in the United States.