re: A Gold Rush Made Seattle
I wouldn't knock those who ran off to make a fortune during any gold rush, but the people who sold them the equipment to make their dreams come true were the real winners in the game.
Seattle successful advertised itself as the best point to pick up the gear for the Klondike and thus created some multimillionaires and built a city. As simple as it sounds...the place to make money in space is here on Earth.
Myth building is part of the American tradition and we have Paul Bunyan, Babe, his ox, and John Henry. Europe's myths center on killing and religion ours mostly on work.