"Forgotten" parts of your state

[STLmapboy]

As I was perusing a thread about Southern Illinois, someone referred to the southeast-central part (between 70 and the Ohio River, east of 57 roughly, as "Forgottonia." That got me thinking--what part of your state is neglected, little-populated, not much visited, or just unlikely to cross your mind that often? For Missouri there are parts of the Northeast and North-central regions that might fit the bill. Any other corners like that?

[Max Rockatansky]

The Lost Coast of California has always been pretty much no man's land.  Much of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is uninhabited wilderness.  The Santa Lucia Range in Big Sur aside from CA 1 is also devoid of people.  Some of the coast range mountains contain nothing but ghost towns and ranches. 

[Rothman]

Southern Tier of NY.

[Scott5114]

The Panhandle of Oklahoma. This is an interesting situation where it's probably more remembered by people outside the state than inside. It's a distinct, identifying feature of the state on a map, but is so remote and empty that most Oklahomans will never think about it or consider going there. The main reason it comes up in conversation is as a talking point for TV meteorologists to point out how much colder/snowier it is there during the winter months.

[Sctvhound]

The area between Aiken and I-95 in SC, south of Orangeburg. Barnwell, Bamberg, Allendale, Colleton west of 95, Hampton, and part of Jasper County.

Heavily Black, generally poorer than the rest of the state, few large towns, poor radio and TV coverage (being in between Augusta, Savannah, Charleston, and Columbia), and not a lot for people to do.

Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton counties combined have about 65K population.

I'd say McCormick County is probably the most isolated county in SC. On the Georgia line a decent distance between Greenville and Augusta, along the Savannah River, and McCormick has remained around 8,000-10,000 population most of the last 80-100 years.

McCormick is 34 miles from I-20, which you have to get on in GA, and 59 from I-85.

[STLmapboy]

The Lost Coast of California has always been pretty much no man's land.  Much of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is uninhabited wilderness.  The Santa Lucia Range in Big Sur aside from CA 1 is also devoid of people.  Some of the coast range mountains contain nothing but ghost towns and ranches.

Is the northeast/Modoc County up there as well?

[Roadgeekteen]

I would say everything between Worcester and Springfield.

[webny99]

Southern Tier of NY.

That's definitely a "tier" of it's own, but really everything north of the 42nd parallel is forgotten.

[TravelingBethelite]

As I was perusing a thread about Southern Illinois, someone referred to the southeast-central part (between 70 and the Ohio River, east of 57 roughly, as "Forgottonia." That got me thinking--what part of your state is neglected, little-populated, not much visited, or just unlikely to cross your mind that often? For Missouri there are parts of the Northeast and North-central regions that might fit the bill. Any other corners like that?

I always thought of/heard that Forgottonia was the western bulge of Illinois (south of Moline, north of St. Louis, and west of Springfield).

[SEWIGuy]

Southwest Wisconsin. Has depopulated pretty severely over the last few decades but very beautiful.

[Ben114]

I would say everything between Worcester and Springfield.

I live out here, and this is correct.

[GaryV]

Many would suggest the UP for MI.  However, I think it's not forgotten, just not visited very often.  Once you go, you'll probably never forget it.

Instead, I nominate SW Michigan, about south and west of Kalamazoo.  And maybe some of the area south and west of Grand Rapids as well.

[kkt]

For Washington, NE part of the state, Colville National Forest and adjacent few towns.  There are roads but they're not busy.  Timber doesn't bring in the money it used to, and it's too out of the way without really unique attractions for tourists.

[Road Hog]

The entire southeastern half of Arkansas is withering away. Everyone knows of the explosive growth in NWA, and the Little Rock metro area continues to grow as well.

But in the delta, there are towns like Marianna that had 5A schools just 30 years ago that can't even field an 11-man football team today. The only place wholly east of US 67 that has any prosperity at all is Jonesboro.

[STLmapboy]

As I was perusing a thread about Southern Illinois, someone referred to the southeast-central part (between 70 and the Ohio River, east of 57 roughly, as "Forgottonia." That got me thinking--what part of your state is neglected, little-populated, not much visited, or just unlikely to cross your mind that often? For Missouri there are parts of the Northeast and North-central regions that might fit the bill. Any other corners like that?

I always thought of/heard that Forgottonia was the western bulge of Illinois (south of Moline, north of St. Louis, and west of Springfield).

That's the historical definition, yeah. In recent decades, with the flight of people and jobs from SE Illinois, the depopulation has shifted to mostly there. It's kinda paradoxical, but when everyone calls a region Forgottonia it ceases to be forgotten as much.

[Roadgeekteen]

As I was perusing a thread about Southern Illinois, someone referred to the southeast-central part (between 70 and the Ohio River, east of 57 roughly, as "Forgottonia." That got me thinking--what part of your state is neglected, little-populated, not much visited, or just unlikely to cross your mind that often? For Missouri there are parts of the Northeast and North-central regions that might fit the bill. Any other corners like that?

I always thought of/heard that Forgottonia was the western bulge of Illinois (south of Moline, north of St. Louis, and west of Springfield).

That's the historical definition, yeah. In recent decades, with the flight of people and jobs from SE Illinois, the depopulation has shifted to mostly there. It's kinda paradoxical, but when everyone calls a region Forgottonia it ceases to be forgotten as much.

According to some Forgottonia is anything south of I-80 or west of I-355.

[STLmapboy]

As I was perusing a thread about Southern Illinois, someone referred to the southeast-central part (between 70 and the Ohio River, east of 57 roughly, as "Forgottonia." That got me thinking--what part of your state is neglected, little-populated, not much visited, or just unlikely to cross your mind that often? For Missouri there are parts of the Northeast and North-central regions that might fit the bill. Any other corners like that?

I always thought of/heard that Forgottonia was the western bulge of Illinois (south of Moline, north of St. Louis, and west of Springfield).

That's the historical definition, yeah. In recent decades, with the flight of people and jobs from SE Illinois, the depopulation has shifted to mostly there. It's kinda paradoxical, but when everyone calls a region Forgottonia it ceases to be forgotten as much.

According to some Forgottonia is anything south of I-80 or west of I-355.

The Chicagoland/Downstate divide isn't as stark (imo) as the NY/Upstate one. Maybe it's because I live in STL and I go to the Metro East often, but the Chicagoans I know tend to be more aware that other places exist than the New Yorkers.

[webny99]

The main reason it comes up in conversation is as a talking point for TV meteorologists to point out how much colder/snowier it is there during the winter months.

Can they say that just for fun because no one will ever know, or is the weather really significantly colder?

[Flint1979]

For Michigan, I'm going with the thumb area.

[webny99]

The Chicagoland/Downstate divide isn't as stark (imo) as the NY/Upstate one. Maybe it's because I live in STL and I go to the Metro East often, but the Chicagoans I know tend to be more aware that other places exist than the New Yorkers.

Very much agree, and that's because NYC is more prominent than Chicago both nationally and internationally, and is geographically distinct from the rest of the state. It's a whole separate arm (or leg? Neither sounds good, but I'm not handing out bouquets here...) of the state. You can pretty neatly and cleanly separate the state in two parts, unlike Illinois, where you can't draw a hard line or even really an approximate one without ending up with a weird and/or circular shape.

I would also say Buffalo is more famous/less forgotten than any non-Chicago part of Illinois, but maybe I'm influenced by living an hour away. They do have the Bills, Sabres, and buffalo wings reducing their forgottenness.

[STLmapboy]

The Chicagoland/Downstate divide isn't as stark (imo) as the NY/Upstate one. Maybe it's because I live in STL and I go to the Metro East often, but the Chicagoans I know tend to be more aware that other places exist than the New Yorkers.

Very much agree, and that's because NYC is more prominent than Chicago both nationally and internationally, and is geographically distinct from the rest of the state. It's a whole separate arm (or leg? Neither sounds good, but I'm not handing out bouquets here...) of the state. You can pretty neatly and cleanly separate the state in two parts, unlike Illinois, where you can't draw a hard line or even really an approximate one without ending up with a weird and/or circular shape.

I would also say Buffalo is more famous/less forgotten than any non-Chicago part of Illinois, but maybe I'm influenced by living an hour away. They do have the Bills, Sabres, and buffalo wings reducing their forgottenness.

Very much agree. The only thing southern Illinois is missing is a city the size of Buffalo or Albany (although they are peppered with good-size towns--Peoria, Springfield, Bloomington, Champaign, Moline, Rockford, etc.).

[M3100]

Is the northeast/Modoc County up there as well?

It is largely forgotten and not visited now.  When the Modoc line of the SP was in service it was visited by adventurous railfans, though I don't know if there was anything else besides ranches up there (for off-highway vehicles, maybe).

[Roadrunner75]

For NJ, probably the southwestern portion - Cumberland and Salem Counties. 

[noelbotevera]

For PA, I'd have to say the northern part of the state north of I-80 and west of I-81 (excluding Scranton-Wilkes Barre). Although a majority of it is forest land, most towns rarely eclipse 10 thousand people - Bradford is considered a city with 8.9k for example. The largest city is Erie at 100k and that area (I've heard - from my history teacher born there) is garbage. Williamsport I can't speak for, but it seems their pride and joy is baseball and assorted colleges. Other than Clinton and Lycoming Counties, in my experience much of this area (McKean, Elk, Cameron, etc.) has architecture that hasn't left the Great Depression. It's a great place to visit, but it would suck to live there.

Signed, a lifelong Southern PA resident

[zzcarp]

In Colorado it's the eastern plains.  Politically, the front range cities have all the clout, and the mountains are where everyone in the cities wants to be. Meanwhile, there are fewer employment opportunities and many cities and towns are depopulating.