Jack Lessinger, a retired University of Washington professor, introduced the term penturbia to readers of the Atlantic Monthly.

Penturbia was the fifth great region of colonization in the United States. This followed the movement into the central and southern colonies, then into the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys, then to the great industrial cities, and next into the suburbs of America.

Penturbia was beyond the normal commuting range of big U.S. cities. It included areas replete with farms, forests, lakes, and rivers. In penturbia, there were plenty of opportunities for fishing and golf.