What region of your state is the black sheep? For some, it's obvious (West Virginia eastern panhandle). For Massachusetts, it's a bit tougher. I'd say the Berkshires are really more economically connected to New York than to Massachusetts. Lots of Yankee fans there.
Another day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
Since Rothman has abdicated his home state by not answering the question, I'd say that for New York, rural Western New York west of Buffalo is it. More Midwest Influences there, they say pop and such. Really Buffalo is not at all like NYC and even different from Albany.
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
Take your pick in California:
- State of Jefferson region (shared with southern Oregon).
- The western Sierra Nevada foothills.
- The eastern Sierra Nevada basins in Mono County and Owens Valley.
- The Ag Belt in San Joaquin Valley.
All are dissimilar from the big metropolitan areas in terms of economics and political leanings.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:16:18 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
To say Amherst is the same as Boston is silly. Sports allegiances are not the end all, be all of societal differences...
Just another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 13, 2025, 11:18:00 PMTake your pick in California:
- State of Jefferson region (shared with southern Oregon).
- The western Sierra Nevada foothills.
- The eastern Sierra Nevada basins in Mono County and Owens Valley.
- The Ag Belt in San Joaquin Valley.
All are dissimilar from the big metropolitan areas in terms of economics and political leanings.
Ah, but what about which hockey teams they root for?
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:16:18 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
To say Amherst is the same as Boston is silly. Sports allegiances are not the end all, be all of societal differences...
Just another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
The subjectivity makes it fun to argue. Amherst is not the same as Boston, but it's not the most dissimilar region to Boston in the state. It's certainly different, though. Reall,y Massachusetts is one of the more culturally homogeneous states so it's really not so different in there.
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:20:06 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on October 13, 2025, 11:18:00 PMTake your pick in California:
- State of Jefferson region (shared with southern Oregon).
- The western Sierra Nevada foothills.
- The eastern Sierra Nevada basins in Mono County and Owens Valley.
- The Ag Belt in San Joaquin Valley.
All are dissimilar from the big metropolitan areas in terms of economics and political leanings.
Ah, but what about which hockey teams they root for?
Every now and then I hear about the Fresno Monsters. None of them have much of a sports following aside from football and maybe baseball.
With San Joaquin the favored NFL team by far is the Rams. There seems to be some sort of perception that the Rams are a blue collar fanbase whereas the 49ers are not.
And sports teams aren't everything of course, but I'd say in Massachusetts fandom for Boston sports teams is an important part of our culture.
For Texas, I would imagine most people would think of the area of El Paso as being sort of an outlier. For one it's so far away from everything else in the state and feels distinctively different from say Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, or even the Rio Grande Valley.
For Iowa, basically the western quarter of the state. Essentially, if the water ultimately drains into the Missouri. Everything there seems more connected to Omaha, Sioux City, or Sioux Falls than to Des Moines.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:21:14 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:16:18 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
To say Amherst is the same as Boston is silly. Sports allegiances are not the end all, be all of societal differences...
Just another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
The subjectivity makes it fun to argue. Amherst is not the same as Boston, but it's not the most dissimilar region to Boston in the state. It's certainly different, though. Reall,y Massachusetts is one of the more culturally homogeneous states so it's really not so different in there.
If you think MA is culturally homogenous when comparing 'Sconset to New Bedford to Lowell to North Adams to Mount Washington, then you simply do not know MA.
Garrett County, Maryland.
It's hard to nail down one region for Indiana. Three different regions are part of metro areas of cities in neighboring states (Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati), making them each distinct from the rest of the state. I guess the NW region sticks out the most
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 07:00:55 AMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:21:14 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:16:18 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
To say Amherst is the same as Boston is silly. Sports allegiances are not the end all, be all of societal differences...
Just another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
The subjectivity makes it fun to argue. Amherst is not the same as Boston, but it's not the most dissimilar region to Boston in the state. It's certainly different, though. Reall,y Massachusetts is one of the more culturally homogeneous states so it's really not so different in there.
If you think MA is culturally homogenous when comparing 'Sconset to New Bedford to Lowell to North Adams to Mount Washington, then you simply do not know MA.
Instead of making rude comments like this, if you have your own insight about Massachusetts to add how about you add it.
Michigan:
The UP is definitely different from the rest of the state, and the western half aligns more with Wisconsin.
The northern Lower Peninsula is also much different than the southern part of the state.
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Get over yourself.
Both Wisconsin and Minnesota would be the Driftless region. Or maybe Door County in WI.
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMJust another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
Why would anyone turn to this forum for objective facts when those are easily found in far more reliable places than this?
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 14, 2025, 08:41:45 AMInstead of making rude comments like this, if you have your own insight about Massachusetts to add how about you add it.
Futile.
Quote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMJust another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
Or we could just have a factual only forum where we just post construction updates. Don't want to interact? Don't.
To answer for Colorado is a little bit of a challenge since we have pretty distinct regions. "Eastern Colorado" is the easy answer, but that's about 1/3 of the state. To make it more specific, I'll pick the High Plains as shown here:
(https://www.e-education.psu.edu/emsc297/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.emsc297/files/physiographic%20provinces%20of%20colorado.JPG)
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 14, 2025, 08:41:45 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 07:00:55 AMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:21:14 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMQuote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:16:18 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:12:49 PMAnother day, another RGT thread...
Could say everything Worcester County west is different from eastern MA...
I went to school in Amherst. It's certainly different from Boston but it's still all Boston sports there. The Berkshires have a lot of New Yorkers summering there and it is the Albany TV market so they get more New York sports games.
To say Amherst is the same as Boston is silly. Sports allegiances are not the end all, be all of societal differences...
Just another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
The subjectivity makes it fun to argue. Amherst is not the same as Boston, but it's not the most dissimilar region to Boston in the state. It's certainly different, though. Reall,y Massachusetts is one of the more culturally homogeneous states so it's really not so different in there.
If you think MA is culturally homogenous when comparing 'Sconset to New Bedford to Lowell to North Adams to Mount Washington, then you simply do not know MA.
Instead of making rude comments like this, if you have your own insight about Massachusetts to add how about you add it.
The insight is in the "rude" comment I made, which I still stand by. Check out those locations and see how different they are.
As I've mentioned to you before, you have repeatedly come to very stark, black-and-white conclusions on a variety of topics without really having nearly a comprehensive view of the information needed to support such. It's just another one of those times.
Take your assertion that Berkshire County is somehow more economically dependent upon New York than the rest of the state. The flow of traffic up I-84 into the Boston Area (and back) compared to the trickle that comes into Pittsfield would be a point against that fact.
And again, you're looking for an "outlier region" and making broad conclusions...on sports allegiances? I mean, fine, but again, you seem to present your opinions as facts, when they're much more tenuous.
Anyway, the more I think about this little exercise, the more I appreciate that even in a geographically small state like Massachusetts, generalizations about its regions can easily be found to be unfounded.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on October 14, 2025, 10:02:49 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMJust another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
Or we could just have a factual only forum where we just post construction updates. Don't want to interact? Don't.
If I didn't want to interact, I would not have...I've stayed out of RGT's threads for the most part. Just decided to get into this one...since I wanted to...
Anyway, you and thspfc seem to think subjectivity and objectivity are binary. Or, you can only be subjective or objective, and there's no inbetween, hence your comments that the only other alternative is just cold factual content.
I think it's really a spectrum. I mean, RGT did use sports teams as some sort of criteria. And, of course, there are lots of ways to interpret the OP. But certainly some parameters would increase the quality of the thread.
Look, if you think all my conclusions are wrong that's fine- I don't pretend to know it all. You can tell me that I'm wrong. I just would appreciate leaving out all the snarky side comments that really don't add to discussion.
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 14, 2025, 11:05:21 AMLook, if you think all my conclusions are wrong that's fine- I don't pretend to know it all. You can tell me that I'm wrong. I just would appreciate leaving out all the snarky side comments that really don't add to discussion.
I don't think all your conclusions are wrong. Just some of them.
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 10:38:56 AMQuote from: JayhawkCO on October 14, 2025, 10:02:49 AMQuote from: Rothman on October 13, 2025, 11:19:34 PMJust another thread that's left up to way too much subjectivity...
Or we could just have a factual only forum where we just post construction updates. Don't want to interact? Don't.
If I didn't want to interact, I would not have...I've stayed out of RGT's threads for the most part. Just decided to get into this one...since I wanted to...
Anyway, you and thspfc seem to think subjectivity and objectivity are binary. Or, you can only be subjective or objective, and there's no inbetween, hence your comments that the only other alternative is just cold factual content.
I think it's really a spectrum. I mean, RGT did use sports teams as some sort of criteria. And, of course, there are lots of ways to interpret the OP. But certainly some parameters would increase the quality of the thread.
I'm well aware there's nuance. Just trying to convey to you that some posters are less interested in your sarcasm and your comments regarding your opinion of the quality of others' posts/threads I get the joke so it's no worry to me. Others seem less receptive so maybe don't continually poke and prod.
Just trying to contribute to a kinder, gentler forum.
Quote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 09:00:05 AMMichigan:
The UP is definitely different from the rest of the state, and the western half aligns more with Wisconsin.
The northern Lower Peninsula is also much different than the southern part of the state.
Yea, the central and western (especially) YooPee is definitely Packer county, NOT Lion country.
Mike
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on October 13, 2025, 11:04:13 PMWhat region of your state is the black sheep? For some, it's obvious (West Virginia eastern panhandle).
That may have true back in my day, but today the opposite seems to be true: the Eastern Panhandle is the place to be in West Virginia (the six largest high schools in the state); and the rest of the state is trying to catch up. Maybe John Denver wasn't wrong about the roughly 14 miles of the Blue Ridge being indicative of the entire state.
75% of the population of my state lives in one county.
Quote from: Scott5114 on October 14, 2025, 01:04:51 PM75% of the population of my state lives in one county.
Yeah, I've been wondering about which region is actually the "outlier." An outlier is a region outside of the norm. So, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP? Why is Clark County the outlier and not the rest of the state?
Could be we're just finding difference rather than "outliers."
I would say MN's version of Forgottonia is the western "horn" region that juts into South Dakota.
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
For Kentucky, I'd nominate two separate regions.
1.) Everything west of the Cumberland River/Land Between the Lakes. It's almost a Deep South/Delta feel compared to the rest of the state.
2.) Northern Kentucky (Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties). I know the "Florence Y'All" water tower is considered to be a gateway to the South, but that whole area gives off Ohio vibes, given that it's in Cincinnati's metro area.
If you want to talk about other identifiers such as socioeconomic, political, sports team loyalties, etc., that opens up a whole bunch of other discussions.
The outliers in Québec are definitely the areas with majority English speakers, such as near the US border in the Eastern Townships and along the Ottawa River. I'd argue the weirdest such area is Grosse-Île on the Magdalen Islands, essentially a segregated village of English speakers.
Quote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Quote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 03:26:34 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Quote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
For an example of what I'm looking for in this, the outlier region in Arizona would be the Navajo nation as they have a different language and culture from most of the state. So most states don't have a region that speaks a different language, but this is kind of what I'm going for.
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 03:26:34 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
OK, because it's less than 1/3 the state area? And that 1/3, and 3% population, is different from the rest of the state.
Quote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 04:12:35 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 03:26:34 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
OK, because it's less than 1/3 the state area? And that 1/3, and 3% population, is different from the rest of the state.
So, Clark County, NV would be the outlier in NV...?
For a user who was discontented with this topic to the point of opening it and voicing their discontent for it (as opposed to scrolling past), a certain user seems to be very involved in this thread.
For North Dakota the obvious answer to me is the Turtle Mountains. The plateau rises about 500 feet above the surrounding flat prairie and it's pretty heavily wooded compared to the rest of the state. The eastern part is also a reservation so it's different politically from most of the rest of ND. For a rural area in North Dakota, it's fairly densely populated, especially in the reservation. It lies on the border with Manitoba so it's somewhat geographically isolated, although Lake Metigoshe and the Peace Gardens are two tourist draws.
Quote from: thspfc on October 14, 2025, 06:04:02 PMFor a user who was discontented with this topic to the point of opening it and voicing their discontent for it (as opposed to scrolling past), a certain user seems to be very involved in this thread.
And said user still hasn't answered the question for his home state of New York.
York and Lancaster County in South Carolina is one. Especially north of the Catawba River. In the Charlotte TV market and don't have a SC station on cable except for WIS-TV's newscasts, and even that was dropped a few years ago.
Also is more into the Charlotte sports teams than the South Carolina college teams unlike everywhere else in the state.
Still only 50 or so miles from Rock Hill to the northern Columbia suburbs like Blythewood.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a lot like the Nothern Lower Peninsula just with a lot less population. The difference with the Nothern L.P. and Southern L.P. is that the Southern L.P. is a lot more populated. About half the state is a forest and you don't even have to go Up North to go the lake, there are about 400 lakes in Oakland County alone. But in answering the question I'd say the Upper Peninsula is the answer.
There's North Carolina, then there is Ocracoke. Ocracoke is so isolated that the road was originally paved by the U.S. Navy in the early 1940s. The residents there were still drinking out of cisterns until the late 1970s.
Once upon a time, there was also nearby Portsmouth Island but alas, only Ocracoke has survived.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 14, 2025, 02:18:05 PMI would say MN's version of Forgottonia is the western "horn" region that juts into South Dakota.
I feel like anything southwest of I-94 in Minnesota (roughly half of the state) has more in common with Iowa and the Dakotas (seemingly actually flatter than much of Iowa/the Dakotas, but defined by row crops and small towns). Minnesota is interesting as the part that's like what people conceptualize the state to be (lakes/trees or the Twin Cities metro) isn't too much of the state. There's a lot of the state that is not at all "lakes and trees" and is instead ag-driven and anchored by towns like Marshall, Albert Lea, Worthington, etc. Growing up there gave me a different perspective than most who assume most of the state is like the Brainerd lakes area or similar.
Quote from: tman on October 14, 2025, 10:26:01 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 14, 2025, 02:18:05 PMI would say MN's version of Forgottonia is the western "horn" region that juts into South Dakota.
I feel like anything southwest of I-94 in Minnesota (roughly half of the state) has more in common with Iowa and the Dakotas (seemingly actually flatter than much of Iowa/the Dakotas, but defined by row crops and small towns). Minnesota is interesting as the part that's like what people conceptualize the state to be (lakes/trees or the Twin Cities metro) isn't too much of the state. There's a lot of the state that is not at all "lakes and trees" and is instead ag-driven and anchored by towns like Marshall, Albert Lea, Worthington, etc. Growing up there gave me a different perspective than most who assume most of the state is like the Brainerd lakes area or similar.
"On the edge of the prairie" = Lake Wobegon...
Quote from: Dirt Roads on October 14, 2025, 09:49:14 PMThere's North Carolina, then there is Ocracoke. Ocracoke is so isolated that the road was originally paved by the U.S. Navy in the early 1940s. The residents there were still drinking out of cisterns until the late 1970s.
Once upon a time, there was also nearby Portsmouth Island but alas, only Ocracoke has survived.
I've been to Portsmouth Island.
Remoteness is an interesting way to define what an outlier is. So...Gosnold for MA? What's remote for NY? Shelter Island? Clare? Do dinky, hard-to-get-to townships count as regions?
We've been to Jackson and the national parks, but some may contend that we haven't been to Wyoming.
Quote from: tman on October 14, 2025, 10:26:01 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 14, 2025, 02:18:05 PMI would say MN's version of Forgottonia is the western "horn" region that juts into South Dakota.
I feel like anything southwest of I-94 in Minnesota (roughly half of the state) has more in common with Iowa and the Dakotas (seemingly actually flatter than much of Iowa/the Dakotas, but defined by row crops and small towns). Minnesota is interesting as the part that's like what people conceptualize the state to be (lakes/trees or the Twin Cities metro) isn't too much of the state. There's a lot of the state that is not at all "lakes and trees" and is instead ag-driven and anchored by towns like Marshall, Albert Lea, Worthington, etc. Growing up there gave me a different perspective than most who assume most of the state is like the Brainerd lakes area or similar.
I agree. Most of my Minnesota experience as a young child was in the Red River Valley, so for a while I thought of MN as just being ND but with more trees. Moving to the Cities didn't do much to change that because I-94 in MN is still mostly farmland. In my mind the 'outlier' part of MN is the North Shore/Boundary Waters region because, with the exception of Duluth, it's pretty sparsely populated in addition to the obvious geographic differences from the rest of the state. And Duluth, while not small, is a drop in the bucket compared to the Cities, and it's very different from other large non-metro cities in MN both in topography and industry. I've also traveled around the northeastern part of the state much less than everywhere else which probably contributes to that division in my mind.
From my perspective, SW Indiana was a region that I felt like it was an outlier to Indiana, especially before I-69 was built between Indy and Evansville. My first visit to Evansville was in 2019 thanks to I-69 being completed between Martinsville and Evansville via Bloomington!
Quote from: flan on October 15, 2025, 12:06:57 AMQuote from: tman on October 14, 2025, 10:26:01 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 14, 2025, 02:18:05 PMI would say MN's version of Forgottonia is the western "horn" region that juts into South Dakota.
I feel like anything southwest of I-94 in Minnesota (roughly half of the state) has more in common with Iowa and the Dakotas (seemingly actually flatter than much of Iowa/the Dakotas, but defined by row crops and small towns). Minnesota is interesting as the part that's like what people conceptualize the state to be (lakes/trees or the Twin Cities metro) isn't too much of the state. There's a lot of the state that is not at all "lakes and trees" and is instead ag-driven and anchored by towns like Marshall, Albert Lea, Worthington, etc. Growing up there gave me a different perspective than most who assume most of the state is like the Brainerd lakes area or similar.
I agree. Most of my Minnesota experience as a young child was in the Red River Valley, so for a while I thought of MN as just being ND but with more trees. Moving to the Cities didn't do much to change that because I-94 in MN is still mostly farmland. In my mind the 'outlier' part of MN is the North Shore/Boundary Waters region because, with the exception of Duluth, it's pretty sparsely populated in addition to the obvious geographic differences from the rest of the state. And Duluth, while not small, is a drop in the bucket compared to the Cities, and it's very different from other large non-metro cities in MN both in topography and industry. I've also traveled around the northeastern part of the state much less than everywhere else which probably contributes to that division in my mind.
Hm. Makes me think about how the Iron Range and the North Shore are different. They are, beyond just topography.
Come to think of it, MN is just another example of how defining an "outlier" is difficult. I mean, the plains are a huge part of the state, while the North Woods are as well. Not sure how you choose which one gets to be the "norm" against an outlier is defined.
Having lived in the Twin Ports, it's probably more influenced by where one lives and thinking that it is the norm rather than the place halfway across the state...
Quote from: Flint1979 on October 14, 2025, 08:30:53 PMThe Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a lot like the Nothern Lower Peninsula just with a lot less population. The difference with the Nothern L.P. and Southern L.P. is that the Southern L.P. is a lot more populated. About half the state is a forest and you don't even have to go Up North to go the lake, there are about 400 lakes in Oakland County alone. But in answering the question I'd say the Upper Peninsula is the answer.
Probably not quite as controversial of a topic as "How do you define Upstate NY," but I've often wondered what marks the dividing line for "Up North" in Michigan.
Someone probably already mentioned this, but the Berkshires in Western Mass. has more in common with upstate New York and Connecticut's Litchfield Hills than the rest of Massachusetts.
Also, in Rhode Island, the Town of Westerly seems more like southeastern Connecticut than the rest of the Ocean State.
Quote from: Ted$8roadFan on October 15, 2025, 05:42:27 PMSomeone probably already mentioned this, but the Berkshires in Western Mass. has more in common with upstate New York and Connecticut's Litchfield Hills than the rest of Massachusetts.
First post of the thread.
Quote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 04:55:38 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 04:12:35 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 03:26:34 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
OK, because it's less than 1/3 the state area? And that 1/3, and 3% population, is different from the rest of the state.
So, Clark County, NV would be the outlier in NV...?
In that light, NYC is the most 'different' part of New York state. Ditto Milwaukee County v. the rest of Wisconsin.
Mike
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2025, 05:38:51 PMwhat marks the dividing line for "Up North" in Michigan
Personally for me, it's when you start seeing white birch trees. Except for that one stand near Saginaw, that doesn't count.
Another line could be defined by when you see less and less farms. That means Up North starts farther north in West Michigan, because the calming effect that Lake Michigan has on cold weather means there are farms further north.
US-10 is often a convenient divide.
There's no real dividing line. For some, being in the Thumb counts.
Bringing back an old forum cliche...Southern Illinois differs from the rest of Illinois because of things like hills and valleys...aka NOT FLAT
Quote from: ilpt4u on October 15, 2025, 08:30:11 PMBringing back an old forum cliche...Southern Illinois differs from the rest of Illinois because of things like hills and valleys...aka NOT FLAT
And northwest (Galena).
Quote from: ilpt4u on October 15, 2025, 08:30:11 PMBringing back an old forum cliche...Southern Illinois differs from the rest of Illinois because of things like hills and valleys...aka NOT FLAT
Watched a video of someone exploring Cairo, Illinois. Seemed more like the Mississippi Delta than most of Illinois.
Quote from: mgk920 on October 15, 2025, 06:28:55 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 04:55:38 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 04:12:35 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 03:26:34 PMQuote from: GaryV on October 14, 2025, 02:22:28 PMQuote from: Rothman on October 14, 2025, 02:13:32 PMSo, why is the UP of Michigan the outlier and not the LP?
Maybe because it's roughly 3% of the population?
Wouldn't that mean that the outlier in states would just be rural areas?
OK, because it's less than 1/3 the state area? And that 1/3, and 3% population, is different from the rest of the state.
So, Clark County, NV would be the outlier in NV...?
In that light, NYC is the most 'different' part of New York state. Ditto Milwaukee County v. the rest of Wisconsin.
Mike
Hm. Half the state's population down there...half north of the City...
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2025, 05:38:51 PMProbably not quite as controversial of a topic as "How do you define Upstate NY," but I've often wondered what marks the dividing line for "Up North" in Michigan.
Oh, let me tell you if you spend any meaningful time in MN/WI/MI you will quickly discover that the definition of "up north" is, in facr, a wildly controversial topic. :biggrin: