--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cities are like gentlemen, they are born…" description: "\"Cities are like gentlemen, they are born, not made. You are either a city, or you are not, size has nothing to do with it. I bet San Francisco was a ci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/will-rogers-272_born_cities-are-like-gentlemen-they-are-born_1176758.jpg" --- # Cities are like gentlemen, they are born, not made. You… ![“Cities are like gentlemen, they are born, not made. You are either a city, or you are not, size has nothing to do with it. I bet San Francisco was a city from the very first time it had a dozen settlers. New York is "Yokel", but San Francisco is "City at Heart".” quote by Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/will-rogers-272_born_cities-are-like-gentlemen-they-are-born_1176758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/will-rogers-272_born_cities-are-like-gentlemen-they-are-born_1176758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/will-rogers-272_born_cities-are-like-gentlemen-they-are-born_1176758.jpg) > “Cities are like gentlemen, they are born, not made. You are either a city, or you are not, size has nothing to do with it. I bet San Francisco was a city from the very first time it had a dozen settlers. New York is "Yokel", but San Francisco is "City at Heart".” [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cities develop organically, not by design; size doesn't define authenticity. **In simple terms:** Cities grow naturally; size irrelevant. Key Takeaway Recognize authentic character over size. Themes urban development authenticity identity growth Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - city planning - community building - historical preservation - civic pride Key Concepts organic growth city character urban myth Questions to Reflect On - What makes a city feel authentic? - Can size ever matter in identity? A Different Perspective The analogy may ignore deliberate urban planning successes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [San francisco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/san-francisco/) [Settlers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settlers/) ## Related quotes > [San Francisco is a city of twenty-something millionaire white kids named Doug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/san-francisco-is-a-city-of-twenty-something-millionaire-white-kids/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [Caen's San Francisco may not be the city we remember, but it is the city we want to remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-brown/caen-s-san-francisco-may-not-be-the-city-we-remember-but-it-is-the/) [Willie Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-brown/) > [San Francisco is the only city in America where marijuana is legal but plastic bags are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/san-francisco-is-the-only-city-in-america-where-marijuana-is-legal/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I love San Francisco more than any other city outside of Seattle, but I've seen it go from a vibrant, creative community to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/i-love-san-francisco-more-than-any-other-city-outside-of-seattle-but/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [Perpetual spring, the flare of adventure in the blood, the impulse of men who packed Virgil with their bean-bags on the overland journey, conspired~…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-irwin/perpetual-spring-the-flare-of-adventure-in-the-blood-the-impulse-of/) William Henry Irwin > [I believe London is the city New York wants to be when it grows up. I love the wealth of cultural resources that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-believe-london-is-the-city-new-york-wants-to-be-when-it-grows-up-i/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [“The proportionality constant is 21.6, meaning that there is approximately one establishment for about every 22 people in a city, regardless of the city size.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-west/the-proportionality-constant-is-21-6-meaning-that-there-is/) [Geoffrey West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-west/) > [I confess it's a shame when you're livin' in a city. The size of a box and nobody knows your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skeelo/i-confess-it-s-a-shame-when-you-re-livin-in-a-city-the-size-of-a-box/) Skeelo > [“The city is the size of a country, but has been operated like a candy store.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/the-city-is-the-size-of-a-country-but-has-been-operated-like-a-candy/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [If San Francisco is indeed a city of leaders, then I think we should lead, and if we don't want a chain store, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chicken-john/if-san-francisco-is-indeed-a-city-of-leaders-then-i-think-we-should/) [Chicken John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chicken-john/) > [A city is where you can sign a petition, boo the chief justice, fish off a pier, gaze at a hippopotamus, buy a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-caen/a-city-is-where-you-can-sign-a-petition-boo-the-chief-justice-fish/) [Herb Caen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-caen/) > [San Francisco is a city; L.A. is a collection of suburbs that have very little in common with one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/san-francisco-is-a-city-l-a-is-a-collection-of-suburbs-that-have-very/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [San Francisco is a City for everyone and our government needs to work for all of our residents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-breed/san-francisco-is-a-city-for-everyone-and-our-government-needs-to-work/) [London Breed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-breed/) > [San Francisco! City of dreaming spires, people live here... Golden Gate Bridge, ahh the Romans came here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/san-francisco-city-of-dreaming-spires-people-live-here-golden-gate/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [San Francisco is a city with the assets of a metropolis without the disadvantages of size and industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kenny/san-francisco-is-a-city-with-the-assets-of-a-metropolis-without-the/) Jack Kenny ## More by Will Rogers > [She was so ugly she could make a mule back away from an oat bin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/she-was-so-ugly-she-could-make-a-mule-back-away-from-an-oat-bin/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The Democrats and the Republicans are equally corrupt where money is concerned. It's only in the amount where the Republicans excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/the-democrats-and-the-republicans-are-equally-corrupt-where-money-is/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Farmers, get out your sense of humor. 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I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [There are two kinds of beauty; there is a beauty which God gives at birth, and which withers as a flower. 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