girls from Michigan (Chicago, Carol Stream, Riverdale: apartment, condos, employment)

[Anthera]

Oh, I agree that madison is in Chicago's "orbit", just as A2 is in detroit's "orbit" , but they are not suburbs.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by MassVt

...for college graduates/others who live all over the Midwest? I would think that for IN, WI, MI, MN, IA residents, the "big city" would have tremendous appeal. I know that here in New England, Boston is the magnet city, especially for kids from Northern New England (VT, NH, ME).

In another thread, someone mentioned Madison, WI. I feel that Madison is within Chicago's orbit, albeit with a little more distance, as opposed to being in the orbit of, say, Minneapolis. Chicago newspapers are on sale in vending machines in Madison, and I ran into many Cub fans during my time there.

Is New York ever the magnet city for kids in the New England states? After all, New York is much bigger than Boston.

[MassVt]

...but the majority head for Boston, especially college-bound students. I remember a few even went to WashDC, but the majority stayed in New England.

BTW, New England stops "being" New England around Hartford, CT. New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, etc., are much more in the NYC orbit, even though CT is considered to be part of New England. (more NYC references, more Yankee caps, etc,.)I'm sure that it's similar around Chicago and Wisconsin (how does Iowa relate to Chicago or Minneapolis, or is central Illinois more in tune with St. Louis than Chicago, etc.)

[usroute10]

I am a resident of the city of Detroit who occasionally checks out the Chicago forum just to read about the happenings of a vibrant city.

It is amazing the contrast between the Detroit and Chicago forums. The Chicago forums are full threads about all of these exciting neighborhoods that are thriving or on the rise, or how close to an "L" line is this or that place, etc. In the Detroit forums, people start threads entitled "Is Detroit really that bad?"!

To Anthera, I work for the federal government in Downtown Detroit. There are at least 5 of my co-workers who live in Ann Arbor who commute to Detroit to work. The commute is less than an hour if rush hour traffic is not bad. Plus, I also went to U of M, and I knew students and faculty who lived in the city of Detroit and commuted to Ann Arbor.

To the original poster, I believe that girls (and boys) from Michigan bash it, because the economy is faltering, and its largest city, Detroit, has (or is perceived to have) very high violent crime, and whole lot of decay and abandonment, and the downtown area is not in the same league as the "Loop". ( I would guess that these are white girls from the suburbs who have never stepped one foot in any Detroit neighborhoods, and get all of their information from watching the local news at 11:00 pm.)

So they have a reason to bash Michigan. We have some things going for us like the natural beauty of being surrounded by the Great Lakes, and having a neverending supply of water (unlike Atlanta, Phoenix). But the fact that Detroit is very depressed and crime ridden, and because the Detroit area is so suburban-centered, with ZERO rapid transit, and everything is so spread out, Michigan is definitely a turn-off to those seeking an urban lifestyle.

But Michigan is not a cultural wasteland, either.

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by usroute10

I am a resident of the city of Detroit who occasionally checks out the Chicago forum just to read about the happenings of a vibrant city.

It is amazing the contrast between the Detroit and Chicago forums. The Chicago forums are full threads about all of these exciting neighborhoods that are thriving or on the rise, or how close to an "L" line is this or that place, etc. In the Detroit forums, people start threads entitled "Is Detroit really that bad?"!

To Anthera, I work for the federal government in Downtown Detroit. There are at least 5 of my co-workers who live in Ann Arbor who commute to Detroit to work. The commute is less than an hour if rush hour traffic is not bad. Plus, I also went to U of M, and I knew students and faculty who lived in the city of Detroit and commuted to Ann Arbor.



But Michigan is not a cultural wasteland, either.

Mapquest has a A2 to Detroit commute of 45 miles, how can that possibly be less than an hour in rush hour? Sorry, I don't believe it. My father used to commute from Southfield and it took him almost an hour to go 15 miles.

I believe that you might have collegues that commute, but the exception doesn't make the rule. I cannot imagine faculty that commuted from Detroit to Ann Arbor. Frankly I find it astounding. Maybe they were kidding you. The faculty I knew at Wayne State(friends parents) all lived in Bloomfield Twp. Most of my professors didn't discuss where they lived, but the ones that did all lived in A2.

If, as you suggest, Detroit is not a cultural wasteland, would you mind listing Detroit's cultural assets? The DIA is nice, but most major cities have multiple museums of that caliber(AIC, Field, S&I, Oriental Institute in Chicago for example).

Michigan has a great deal of natural beauty, but as far as culture , well "Go Tigers!"

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I agree. If we're talking about cute, moderately cultural near-Southern cities my vote goes to Louisville over Nashville any day (But I think they both beat Memphis, which I've never been a fan of.)

Wow, no love for Nashville!

I agree, I will take it over Memphis any day, but..come on! I guess I didn't connect with Louisville at all, because I certainly liked Nashville better. What's wrong with me?

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by usroute10

I would guess that these are white girls from the suburbs who have never stepped one foot in any Detroit neighborhoods, and get all of their information from watching the local news at 11:00 pm.

Oh yeah, and Detroiters are far more likely to make blatent racist assumptions than Chicagoans.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Mapquest has a A2 to Detroit commute of 45 miles, how can that possibly be less than an hour in rush hour? Sorry, I don't believe it. My father used to commute from Southfield and it took him almost an hour to go 15 miles.

I believe that you might have collegues that commute, but the exception doesn't make the rule. I cannot imagine faculty that commuted from Detroit to Ann Arbor. Frankly I find it astounding. Maybe they were kidding you. The faculty I knew at Wayne State(friends parents) all lived in Bloomfield Twp. Most of my professors didn't discuss where they lived, but the ones that did all lived in A2.

If, as you suggest, Detroit is not a cultural wasteland, would you mind listing Detroit's cultural assets? The DIA is nice, but most major cities have multiple museums of that caliber(AIC, Field, S&I, Oriental Institute in Chicago for example).

Michigan has a great deal of natural beauty, but as far as culture , well "Go Tigers!"

How about Illinois just annexes Michigan? Then we would have a perfect state with a world class city with world class natural beauty, like California or New York.

I would love to go visit Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford musuem.


Plus Detroit had permanent white settlement since 1701, by someone names Cadillac, making it the oldest large city west of the eastern seaboard. The fact that I don't have to travel to Conn., Mass., Virginia to possibly see structures and recorded history that old is kind of neat.

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

How about Illinois just annexes Michigan? Then we would have a perfect state with a world class city with world class natural beauty, like California or New York.

I would love to go visit Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford musuem.


Plus Detroit had permanent white settlement since 1701, by someone names Cadillac, making it the oldest large city west of the eastern seaboard. The fact that I don't have to travel to Conn., Mass., Virginia to possibly see structures and recorded history that old is kind of neat.

Well, if we annexed just western Michigan. Otherwise we couldn't afford all the unemployment, welfare, medicaid and other social services Michigan requires.

Last fall, I was in AA and all the Detroiters were joking about what should happen to metro Detroit - Give it to Canada, turn it into a wildlife refuge, a giant theme part, etc. And should UM go private, because the state may have to stop funding it. These were the residents of the area. People who live and work in Metro Detroit. It was terrible.

If you've never been to Detroit, you should visit the Detroit forum, they have a thread of pictures showing the decaying city and its really amazingly awful. The mayor is Detroit is going to trial over a sex scandal and is also being investigated for having ordered a stripper to be killed. His wife admits to roughing up the girl.

The violent crime is terrible, and every group blames each other. And the other threads are all about "just how bad is Detroit".


ETA - you won't find any old structures in Detroit. There is nothing left of any historic value. Greenfield Village is cute though.

If you like history, you should spend your spring break some year in St. Augustine, FL, it has the old fort intact and the old historic district is utterly charming, functional and safe. it was founded in 1565.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Well, if we annexed just western Michigan. Otherwise we couldn't afford all the unemployment, welfare, medicaid and other social services Michigan requires.

Last fall, I was in AA and all the Detroiters were joking about what should happen to metro Detroit - Give it to Canada, turn it into a wildlife refuge, a giant theme part, etc. And should UM go private, because the state may have to stop funding it. These were the residents of the area. People who live and work in Metro Detroit. It was terrible.

If you've never been to Detroit, you should visit the Detroit forum, they have a thread of pictures showing the decaying city and its really amazingly awful. The mayor is Detroit is going to trial over a sex scandal and is also being investigated for having ordered a stripper to be killed. His wife admits to roughing up the girl.

The violent crime is terrible, and every group blames each other. And the other threads are all about "just how bad is Detroit".


ETA - you won't find any old structures in Detroit. There is nothing left of any historic value. Greenfield Village is cute though.

If you like history, you should spend your spring break some year in St. Augustine, FL, it has the old fort intact and the old historic district is utterly charming, functional and safe. it was founded in 1565.

I've been to the Detroit burbs before, mostly the airport and Plymouth.
I do check out the Michigan and Detroit forum.

historic Ft. Wayne sounds really cool. According to wikipedia I guess its still in operation.

Maybe tracts of Detroit city land should just be sold very cheaply or given away for free to anyone who wants to use it and make money on, just like a modern version of the Homestead Act.

I still think (specifically rowdy) Cubs and (specifically) rowdy White Sox even more so) are kind of the antithesis of culture and class in Chicago.