Hard to explain, but I just had a moment of reckoning upon realizing that Duluth and Dubuque are different cities. I knew that, of course, but due to their similarity I think I subconsciously conflated the two.
I've kind of done the same thing cities that are big but aren't the principal city of their metro area (Fort Worth, St. Paul, Tacoma, Oakland, Newark). I know they exist, but even having been to many of them, they almost seem fake. Anyone else know what I mean, or am I going crazy?
KC, MO & KC, KS. They actually are different cities
Texarkana, TX & Texarkana, Arkansas
Bristol, VA & Bristol, TN
Menomonee Falls and Menomonie WI, Menominee MI
A couple people I know did this with Monterey and Monterey Park after a mass shooting occurred at the latter.
I did not realize the degree to which Tampa and St Petersburg are different cities until I went there for the first time last weekend. I'd always figured St Pete was just a big suburb of Tampa, kind of like Aurora is to Denver. Turns out, this is not at all the case - they are very separate city centers with their own business districts and high rises, separated by a large body of water known as Old Tampa Bay.
Also, their residents of each city apparently hate the other and hate driving there, even though there's only a 10 minute bridge between the two sides of the bay. I asked my friend from Tampa if there was anything she recommended I do during my few hours in St Petersburg, and her reaction was something along the lines of "eww St Pete? why would I know anything about that place?"
Nagadoches (TX) and Natchitoches (LA) I'd always thought were the same place. It wasn't until I was assigned to go to the Texas town, that I realized they were two places (with two different pronunciations, not the same as I'd figured). When I booked travel, I made sure to go through both because...why the hell not?
Quote from: US 89 on May 24, 2023, 08:29:23 AM
I did not realize the degree to which Tampa and St Petersburg are different cities until I went there for the first time last weekend. I'd always figured St Pete was just a big suburb of Tampa, kind of like Aurora is to Denver. Turns out, this is not at all the case - they are very separate city centers with their own business districts and high rises, separated by a large body of water known as Old Tampa Bay.
Also, their residents of each city apparently hate the other and hate driving there, even though there's only a 10 minute bridge between the two sides of the bay. I asked my friend from Tampa if there was anything she recommended I do during my few hours in St Petersburg, and her reaction was something along the lines of "eww St Pete? why would I know anything about that place?"
The Salvador Dali Museum would be right at or near the top, though his works might be a little too much for some to handle.
I thought the same of Tampa Bay, there's a good deal of separation and they really grew with their own distinct histories and economic reasons. I think the traffic is slightly more annoying in Pinellas County, especially towards the northern environs of St. Petersburg, because it just seems to have nowhere else to go.
Not cities, but I would throw the towns of Christiansburg, VA, and Blacksburg, VA, into this.
Union City, Indiana and Union City, Ohio are basically the same city even though they are different cities in different states. Different states is probably the only reason they aren't one city.
Because I have lived adjacent to both, I have done this with Lansing, IL, and Lansing, MI.
I often merge Menominee, MI with Marinette, WI in my head though they're neighbors. Sometimes I confuse them with Manistique which is an hour and a half further down the shoreline. I also conflate Marquette and Manistique even though they are on opposite sides of the UP.
And of course the two Sault Ste Maries (or is it Saults Ste Marie or Sault Stes Marie), separated by the international boundary.
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 24, 2023, 08:49:47 AM
Not cities, but I would throw the towns of Christiansburg, VA, and Blacksburg, VA, into this.
I used to do that all the time. It's pretty hard to know where one begins and the other ends.
Roanoke, Salem (another independent city), and Vinton (a town) fall in the same category for me.
I keep thinking Thornton CO is part of the Denver-Cheyenne corridor rather than a suburb of Denver.
As an inverse, I know that there is one city that's south of I-40, north of Phoenix, and not a boring suburb, but I can never remember which one it is. (It's Prescott.)
What's the difference between Ely and Elko?
Carbondale, IL gets placed where Galesburg is for some reason.
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on May 24, 2023, 09:37:43 AM
Because I have lived adjacent to both, I have done this with Lansing, IL, and Lansing, MI.
East Lansing gets merged into the larger Lansing quite often I've found. The difference always pretty negligible when I lived in the area.
Quote from: 1 on May 24, 2023, 09:54:46 AM
I keep thinking Thornton CO is part of the Denver-Cheyenne corridor rather than a suburb of Denver.
Maybe since it's used as a Control City on one sign in the Mousetrap (I-25/I-70 interchange)?
Quote from: zzcarp on May 24, 2023, 09:44:48 AM
I also conflate Marquette and Manistique even though they are on opposite sides of the UP.
And Munising.
Manistee vs Manistique is sometimes confusing if you're not listening carefully.
Quote from: GaryV on May 24, 2023, 11:31:57 AM
Quote from: zzcarp on May 24, 2023, 09:44:48 AM
I also conflate Marquette and Manistique even though they are on opposite sides of the UP.
And Munising.
Manistee vs Manistique is sometimes confusing if you're not listening carefully.
That one got confused not too long ago on this forum in the US-2 Upper Peninsula post. None of them are confusing to me though.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 24, 2023, 10:00:06 AM
Quote from: NWI_Irish96 on May 24, 2023, 09:37:43 AM
Because I have lived adjacent to both, I have done this with Lansing, IL, and Lansing, MI.
East Lansing gets merged into the larger Lansing quite often I've found. The difference always pretty negligible when I lived in the area.
I can honestly tell the difference between the two probably because I'm familiar with the area and know where I'm at most of the time. I was just in Okemos on Saturday and if you were from out of town I'm sure someone would be like I'm in Lansing, Michigan.
Quote from: zzcarp on May 24, 2023, 09:44:48 AM
I often merge Menominee, MI with Marinette, WI in my head though they're neighbors. Sometimes I confuse them with Manistique which is an hour and a half further down the shoreline. I also conflate Marquette and Manistique even though they are on opposite sides of the UP.
And of course the two Sault Ste Maries (or is it Saults Ste Marie or Sault Stes Marie), separated by the international boundary.
They were both founded the same year in 1668. Sault Ste. Marie is in fact the oldest city in Michigan and they are just Sault Ste. Marie really. They are named after the rapids in the river, Rapids of St. Mary meaning Sault Ste. Marie in French.
Yeah like in New Jersey where you have multiple municipalities with the name Washington. Every other Washington besides Warren County's own seems fake, as that was the only Washington that I originally knew first as a kid in the state growing up.
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on May 24, 2023, 09:48:51 AM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on May 24, 2023, 08:49:47 AM
Not cities, but I would throw the towns of Christiansburg, VA, and Blacksburg, VA, into this.
I used to do that all the time. It's pretty hard to know where one begins and the other ends.
Roanoke, Salem (another independent city), and Vinton (a town) fall in the same category for me.
Basically, Christiansburg is the New River Valley Mall and points south, and Blacksburg is basically everything north of there even though there is an unincorporated section between the mall area and just south of the US 460 BUS/Yellow Sulphur Rd intersection just south of the US 460 interchange at the south end of the Blacksburg Bypass.
I think the OP might be pointing out the same syndromes that people face when a person is replaced. For example, when David Lee Roth was replaced by Sammy Hagar in VH, everyone thought the band was foreign to them and renamed it Van Hagar.
Or when Darrin on the late sixties and early seventies sitcom Bewitched was replaced with a recast actor, people thought the second Darrin was a fake as did VH fans did with Sammy.
Duluth, MN and Superior, WI.
Also, all of the munis in the Appleton/Fox Cities, WI metro area as well as all of the munis in the Green Bay, WI metro area.
Not in Wisconsin, but in Pennsylvania, the State College, Johnstown, York and Pittsburgh metro areas are all each single cities to me.
Mike
Miami and Ft. Lauderdale
Quote from: 1 on May 24, 2023, 09:54:46 AM
What's the difference between Ely and Elko?
I haven't been to Ely, but most would never know (as I did not know myself) until they visit it that Elko is a *major* regional center, big enough for specialty retailers like Kohl's to operate
There are stories about European tourists booking a flight to Sydney and ended up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Australia. They thought a transfer at Toronto was normal on a flight to Sydney, Australia.
Quote from: Chris on May 24, 2023, 04:02:22 PM
There are stories about European tourists booking a flight to Sydney and ended up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Australia. They thought a transfer at Toronto was normal on a flight to Sydney, Australia.
I've heard similar horror stories (possibly urban legends though) about Auckland, NZ and Oakland, California.
I remember a story of a passenger having a ticket for an international flight to Auckland New Zealand but ended up in Oakland CA
I wonder if anyone trying to go on a Las Vegas vacation has ended up in Las Vegas NM.
There was at least one instance of foreign travelers showing up at the I-87 border crossing intending to go to Toronto and ending up Montreal-bound instead due to a sign that read "CANADA." This was before widespread use of GPS, though, and updating of signage to "Montreal" and the like.
When I was younger, I never thought of the difference between Boiling Springs, NC and Boiling Springs, SC. They're so close to each other but are two completely different places with no relationship.
I don't know if it's common, but for me, anything from like .. exit 229 (104th) , to like Castle Rock, is Denver, even though it's several distinct municipalities alng the way. I could never keep track of the suburbs, and have gone to visit people in Wheat Ridge (a whole ridge of wheat!), and Thornton (is it Thornton, or Thorton? Ton of thorns, or ton of Thor?), but when I leave the house, I say I'm headed to Denver.
Quote from: formulanone on May 24, 2023, 08:43:41 AM
Nagadoches (TX) and Natchitoches (LA) I'd always thought were the same place. It wasn't until I was assigned to go to the Texas town, that I realized they were two places (with two different pronunciations, not the same as I'd figured). When I booked travel, I made sure to go through both because...why the hell not?
Quote from: US 89 on May 24, 2023, 08:29:23 AM
I did not realize the degree to which Tampa and St Petersburg are different cities until I went there for the first time last weekend. I'd always figured St Pete was just a big suburb of Tampa, kind of like Aurora is to Denver. Turns out, this is not at all the case - they are very separate city centers with their own business districts and high rises, separated by a large body of water known as Old Tampa Bay.
Also, their residents of each city apparently hate the other and hate driving there, even though there's only a 10 minute bridge between the two sides of the bay. I asked my friend from Tampa if there was anything she recommended I do during my few hours in St Petersburg, and her reaction was something along the lines of "eww St Pete? why would I know anything about that place?"
The Salvador Dali Museum would be right at or near the top, though his works might be a little too much for some to handle.
I thought the same of Tampa Bay, there's a good deal of separation and they really grew with their own distinct histories and economic reasons. I think the traffic is slightly more annoying in Pinellas County, especially towards the northern environs of St. Petersburg, because it just seems to have nowhere else to go.
That was my observation as well; I did hit some traffic in Tampa downtown on 275 but it was nothing compared to what I sat through on the Pinellas side. It seemed to me that it could really benefit from 1) another lane on 275 from the Skyway through downtown St Petersburg, 2) a better freeway connection from 275 to US 19 north, and 3) an extension of the US 19 freeway up to at least the Pasco County line. None of which seem all that likely since they probably want to encourage people to use the tolled Suncoast Parkway.
Quote from: Rothman on May 24, 2023, 11:24:22 PM
There was at least one instance of foreign travelers showing up at the I-87 border crossing intending to go to Toronto and ending up Montreal-bound instead due to a sign that read "CANADA." This was before widespread use of GPS, though, and updating of signage to "Montreal" and the like.
And people say control states work just fine...
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 25, 2023, 09:38:19 PM
Quote from: Rothman on May 24, 2023, 11:24:22 PM
There was at least one instance of foreign travelers showing up at the I-87 border crossing intending to go to Toronto and ending up Montreal-bound instead due to a sign that read "CANADA." This was before widespread use of GPS, though, and updating of signage to "Montreal" and the like.
And people say control states work just fine...
Control states work fine if it applies to the entire state, such as Indiana from Chicago, where even if you don't stay on I-80/90, you'll follow the "Indiana" sign to I-65 for many Indiana locations. (I do prefer South Bend there, though.)
I haven't done this, but I have known people who think Sioux Falls and Sioux City are the same.
Quote from: Scott5114 on May 25, 2023, 09:38:19 PM
Quote from: Rothman on May 24, 2023, 11:24:22 PM
There was at least one instance of foreign travelers showing up at the I-87 border crossing intending to go to Toronto and ending up Montreal-bound instead due to a sign that read "CANADA." This was before widespread use of GPS, though, and updating of signage to "Montreal" and the like.
And people say control states work just fine...
1) they do, in certain cases and 2) Canada is the world's second largest
country.
Quote from: DandyDan on May 26, 2023, 06:36:09 AM
I haven't done this, but I have known people who think Sioux Falls and Sioux City are the same.
Reminds me of how people often mix up Vancouver and Vancouver Island. One is a city and one isn't, but I'm surprised that wasn't brought up yet.
Quote from: index on May 26, 2023, 09:06:17 AM
Quote from: DandyDan on May 26, 2023, 06:36:09 AM
I haven't done this, but I have known people who think Sioux Falls and Sioux City are the same.
Reminds me of how people often mix up Vancouver and Vancouver Island. One is a city and one isn't, but I'm surprised that wasn't brought up yet.
I did it in the FritzOwl compilation OP.
Quote from: Chris on May 24, 2023, 04:02:22 PM
There are stories about European tourists booking a flight to Sydney and ended up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Australia. They thought a transfer at Toronto was normal on a flight to Sydney, Australia.
And to confuse more thing, there's Sidney in British Columbia (note the different spelling) and Sidney, Manitoba.
Here in Quebec, sometime, I still think then Brossard is still part of Longueuil after the demerger. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000—2006_municipal_reorganization_in_Quebec#Demerger_referendums (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000%E2%80%942006_municipal_reorganization_in_Quebec#Demerger_referendums)
I don't necessarily merge them together, but I always have to remember, geographically within Oregon, which one is Medford and which is Redmond.
There are a few St Louis suburbs that caused confusion due to having the same name but in different states. O'Fallon IL and MO are about 15 miles east and 20 miles west of St Louis. Troy IL and MO are a little further out in each direction. Also, while Columbia MO and IL are much different in size, it was easy to confuse the two because the MO Columbia also hosts the primary state university and has more relevance to most in the St Louis area, especially those north and west of the city. It could get quite confusing if the speaker did not specify which O'Fallon, Troy, or Columbia was being mentioned, especially in news reports.
Also when you talk of the Pointes aka Grosse Pointe, Michigan. There's Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farm, Grosse Pointe Shores and Grosse Pointe Woods.
Quote from: index on May 26, 2023, 09:06:17 AM
Quote from: DandyDan on May 26, 2023, 06:36:09 AM
I haven't done this, but I have known people who think Sioux Falls and Sioux City are the same.
Reminds me of how people often mix up Vancouver and Vancouver Island. One is a city and one isn't, but I'm surprised that wasn't brought up yet.
Yeah, who's the doofus who decided Victoria should be on the island and Vancouver on the mainland?
Plus, that other Vancouver that's 300 miles away.
Quote from: Stephane Dumas on May 26, 2023, 11:01:10 AM
Also when you talk of the Pointes aka Grosse Pointe, Michigan. There's Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Farm, Grosse Pointe Shores and Grosse Pointe Woods.
Meh, they're all considered the same place, except for the people who live there. If I have to go to some address in the Pointes, I really don't care which one it is. Just find the street address.
Quote from: index on May 26, 2023, 09:06:17 AM
Quote from: DandyDan on May 26, 2023, 06:36:09 AM
I haven't done this, but I have known people who think Sioux Falls and Sioux City are the same.
Reminds me of how people often mix up Vancouver and Vancouver Island. One is a city and one isn't, but I'm surprised that wasn't brought up yet.
Don't forget to throw Vancouver, WA into this mix.
:nod:
Mike
New Albany, Jeffersonville, and Clarksville, Ind. They're all just suburbs of that one certain southern Indiana city called Louisville.
Lafayette, IN and Lafayette, LA
Springfield, IL and Springfield, MO
Green-cities, IN
Lawrence and Lawrenceburg, IN
Bloomington, IN and Bloomington, IL
When you're in Chicago you come into Wisconsin and Indiana in a corner of each stte so you have other roads there that are going to take you to many places in that state so I think using states as control cities in Chicago works pretty well.
(They're on opposite coasts, but...)
Portland, ME and Portland, OR
Budapest and Bucharest get confused often. I remember some fans going to the Europa League final (which that year was played at the Romanian capital) went to the Hungarian capital instead.
I'm surprised that no one in the Chicago area has mentioned the suburb variations.
Willow Springs and Western Springs
Park Forest and Forest Park
River Forest and River Grove
Oak Park, Oak Lawn & Oak Forest
Lincolnwood & Lincolnshire
Minooka, Minonk & Mokena
Elk Grove, CA and Elk Grove ILFairfield, CA and Fairfield, CTNewark, CA and Newark, NJConcord, CA and Concord, NHUnion City, NJ and Union City, CA
San Fernando, CA and San Fernando, Pampanga Philippines
These are the places I have subconsciously merged together.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on May 24, 2023, 04:24:36 PM
Quote from: Chris on May 24, 2023, 04:02:22 PM
There are stories about European tourists booking a flight to Sydney and ended up in Sydney, Nova Scotia instead of Australia. They thought a transfer at Toronto was normal on a flight to Sydney, Australia.
I've heard similar horror stories (possibly urban legends though) about Auckland, NZ and Oakland, California.