Sides of Atlanta (Roswell, Marietta, Alpharetta: transplants, living in, airport)

[youngMichaelJackson]

I'm in Chicago right now and I noticed something, people here who live in the suburbs dont say that they are from the northside, southside, etc. I met a nice young lady from the Rolling Meadows area up in the NW suburbs of Chicago and when I asked her what part of Chicago she was from she didn't say the Northside or Northwest side, she said the Northwestern suburbs. Why is it some people in the metro from say Roswell or Alpharetta will tell you that they are from the northside, or people from Lithonia will say that they are from the eastside?? When someone says they are from the eastside I think of Moreland Ave, L5P, Candler Park etc...when someone says they are from the northside I think of Mt.Paren, Tuxedo Dr etc....Why is that people who live in the metro area in Atlanta, but dont live in the city itself, say they are from a particular side instead of the actual area they are from? Not all in the metro do that, but there is a sizeable portion of folks who live in the metro who do this. Can anyone shed light on this?

[Atlantasfinest]

Because they want to feel apart of Atlanta...when they meet friends they always say I live in Atlanta then when you ask which part they say north atlanta but they really mean some far off suburb...lol.

Alot of times especially with transplants I think they are kind of ashamed of the perception of a town called for example...Snellville, Marietta, Lithonia, Douglasville, etc because outside of Atlanta people don't know much about the cities outside of here until they move here or visit for awhile and most of those towns sound country as HELL so living in the south is already conisdered country to some people from the NE so Atlanta is at least acceptible to some snobby Northeasterns...Just my opinion .

BTW That's why I'm glad my address says ATL baby!

[aries4118]

Because Metro Atlanta is "Atlanta."

[youngMichaelJackson]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Because Metro Atlanta is "Atlanta."

I feel you and I respect your viewpoint. But to me places like Lilburn, Actworth etc... are not Atlanta, they are their respective cities. They are in the metro area, but to tell someone that you live on the northeast side of Atlanta, but yet you live in Lawrenceville is misleading IMO. The northest side of Atlanta stops right before you get to N. Druid Hills on I-85, it does not go all the way up to Lawrenceville. People in Chicagoland from say Schaumberg wont tell you they are from the NW side, they will say the NW suburbs. People in the LA metro from say Compton dont say they are from LA, they say they are from Compton. What is the difference between Schaumberg or Rolling Meadows in Chicagoland to areas like Lawrenceville or Lilburn in the metro Atlanta area?

[PKCorey]

simple: when you go out of town, if I say I live in conyers, ga, folks will say huh...

if I say I live in atlanta,they will get it.

Now, when you are home, if you say that..well, you're just fronting...lol

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by youngMichaelJackson

I feel you and I respect your viewpoint. But to me places like Lilburn, Actworth etc... are not Atlanta, they are their respective cities. They are in the metro area, but to tell someone that you live on the northeast side of Atlanta, but yet you live in Lawrenceville is misleading IMO. The northest side of Atlanta stops right before you get to N. Druid Hills on I-85, it does not go all the way up to Lawrenceville. People in Chicagoland from say Schaumberg wont tell you they are from the NW side, they will say the NW suburbs. People in the LA metro from say Compton dont say they are from LA, they say they are from Compton. What is the difference between Schaumberg or Rolling Meadows in Chicagoland to areas like Lawrenceville or Lilburn in the metro Atlanta area?

Actually, almost all of the people I've met from Chicagoland (and we're talking up to 60 miles out from the loop) say they are from Chicago.

Chicago-Rockford Airport is over 68 miles from Downtown Chicago!

The problem is that people get too technical...and worried about arbitrary boundaries...when in reality, a city or "area" is about connectivity and relationships between the parts of the city or "area."

What if (just saying what if) the entire Metro Area decided to consolidate into one government entity...because we already function as a giant city/metropolis? It would all then be offically called "Atlanta," but our area would not be any different than it already is now.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by PKCorey

simple: when you go out of town, if I say I live in conyers, ga, folks will say huh...

if I say I live in atlanta,they will get it.

Now, when you are home, if you say that..well, you're just fronting...lol

This sums it up, perfectly.

And so does this...

http://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...l#post10626419

[ATLHRLGUY]

I guess some people feel if they get the nightly local atlanta news, they are "apart" of the city. I can understand that. When you start getting radio/television stations from other towns, then I don't consider you apart of Atlanta.

[iudiehard]

Because those suburbs exist because of Atlanta and are products of Atlanta. Not to mention, most people that live in the suburbs work in Atlanta. So if you work 7:00-5:30pm 5 days a week in Atlanta and choose to live outside the loop, you can't say your from Atlanta??? Are you saying those people have no claim on Atlanta? If you get in your car and drive into Atlanta and fight this traffic on a daily basis, I'm going to give you a step and let you tell people from Ohio your from Atlanta.

Not to mention that is how everyone explains where they are from. Chicago, NY, Dallas, Seattle, etc. At minimum, you would say "just outside of Atlanta".

[PKCorey]

Or as I say, the eastside boondocks...lol