We're not what you think.

[edsg25]

Often times perception of what a city is like lag far behind the reality of what the city is today. People's image of your city may be 5, 10, 15 or more years out of date.

Share with us some of the ways that your city today differs from the paradigms people have about it based on the way it used to be.

Why would we be surprised if we vistied your hometown and end up saying, "I had no idea that ______ has become such a terrific city."

What don't we know about what you have become?

[Susie]

The popular local opinion is that we are a wealthy, white collar city. The reality is that we have the highest percentage of blue collar jobs in NY State and our city itself has the lowest per capita income in the state.

We still consider ourselves smug city, which was the title of a book about Rochester, NY written way back in the 60's. Many locals view that moniker with pride.

I would be very interested to see what image Rochester NY has to people outside of NY State.

[Evergrey]

My image of Rochester, NY is that it is the "Image City".

[Sabretooth]

Buffalo would go both ways. I think there is enough that would greatly impress most visitors, but there is still alot where the impressions and stereotypes are still spot-on. I suppose that's probably true just about everywhere, though; just maybe a little more "black and white" here.

[jmancuso]

houston:

[Xusein]

Nobody would know that Hartford has become the most Spanish speaking (%) state capital in the US.

Hartford's economy isn't only Insurance and Government.

And, contrary to common thought, I can walk in Hartford at midnight and not be shot at.

Also, although we have seen incredible development and projects in the last 5 years, people who even live minutes out of the city limits think wrongly about Hartford.

[Evergrey]

Isn't Hartford a center of firearms manufacturing?

[Unionstation13]

Indianapolis has changed dramaticly in the past ten years,(and even the last few.) From a dieng city, to a very vibrant downtown,(for its size and region).
But very few people even know what Indianapolis is like, very few people even know about the circle, or the monuments.

[Xusein]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

Isn't Hartford a center of firearms manufacturing?

It was historically, but not really anymore.

[Sabretooth]

Originally Posted by rotten777

And, contrary to common thought, I can walk in Hartford at midnight and not be shot at.

I've never thought of Hartford as being a crime-ridden cesspool. I've always seen it as a sort of Boston "Lite".

Of course that's just pure impression, not necessarily based in whole or in part in truth. Exactly what this thread is talking about.

[Xusein]

Nice comparison. I wish more people would think of it that way.

Hartford has a kind of a false reputation of being the hellhole of New England, with Bridgeport sharing this distinction. Some people as far as Maine and as close as West Hartford see Hartford as a bombed out cesspool. Which is wrong.

...and when they come visit downtown Hartford, they are pleasantly suprised.

[triadcat]

Well, Greensboro was not really known for anything ; except having no nightlife DT in the evening. Greensboro used to be called: "Greensboring" not long ago for that reason. But our nightlife has improved greatly over the last 5 years.

[Sabretooth]

I just have trouble putting "Connecticut" and "cesspool" together in the same context. I think it has more to do with the state in general probably having a more positive impression than perhaps it should have.

I can't think of any major city in New England which I have a negative impression of. Hartford I've explained, Bridgeport isn't very prominent so I really don't have an opinion. Providence, Boston, Burlington, and Portland pretty much rounding out the region as far as well-known cities (from the outside at least) are concerned. I have fairly positive impressions of them all, except Burlington - which I think is nice and all, but it's overrated as far as the utopia that many people seem to think it is. But I'm not too big a fan of VT in general anyways, I'm more of a NH-ME "sort of guy".

[Xusein]

I just have trouble putting "Connecticut" and "cesspool" together in the same context. I think it has more to do with the state in general probably having a more positive impression than perhaps it should have.

Yes, well sadly this is the reality that us Nutmeggers fail to face. Not being a cesspool, but that we have places that need more help than other areas.

People forget that there are places like Bridgeport, Hartford, and Springfield in "safe and homogeneous" New England. And people want to keep that way here, sweeping it under the rug.

[Nic]

I often read people's comments in these type forums that I would deem outdated regarding Austin.

Being a state capital, and having the state's flagship university, and being in a state with several larger cities, many assume that Austin is a fairly small "college town". I know people's opinions on what defines a "college town" differ, but unless the university is the town's primary employer, and/or the students make up a large percentage of the total population, I do not think the term applies.

I have heard people compare Austin to places such as Madison, WI and Boulder, CO, but I believe these to be poor comparisons.

The closest place I can find in terms of being a state capital, having a large flagship university, being relatively close in city and metro population, and also being somewhat overlooked due to larger, more well-known cities in it's state would be Columbus, OH.

[mhays]

Seattle's problem goes the other way. Some people show up expecting us to be larger, denser, and more "complete" than we really are. Basically they think we're San Francisco or Boston. Seattle is going in the right direction, but we're way behind those cities.

[ReggieZ]

Originally Posted by jmancuso

houston:

Hey, where's the cacti and tumbleweed?

[DBR96A]

PITTSBURGH

What you THINK we are...















What we REALLY are...

[triadcat]

[QUOTE=DBR96A;12412424]PITTSBURGH

What you THINK we are...













Sure you didnt mean Greensboro?
I took out a couple of them to make them fit a Greensboro/Triad stereotype.

On a serious note, my mom graduated from Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh.
Bet Evergrey would be surprised

[Sean in New Orleans]

Many people think that New Orleans is cajun. In Louisiana, there is a "cajun triangle," in the Center of the State and New Orleans is outside of that triangle, which has a pretty distinct line. Very few to no cajuns live in Metropolitan New Orleans. There is no cajun influence in New Orleans other than some cajun food you can find here and there in a handful of restaurants.