Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've grown up and lived in Louisville almost my whole life (say for the brief times I lived in New York, Lake Tahoe, and Demark) and traveled to many different cities.
I've always been confused as to why so many people claim Louisville just feels like 'home' to them. Perhaps its the affordable living and cheap activities, but I've come to realize this city is extremely separated from eachother: East Enders look down on the South-End 'rednecks' (not everyone in the south end is trash), the artsy hipsters of Highlands look down on the wanna-bes of Old Louisville and everyone craps all over the West End.
And yet, at the same time, I can see the charm that brings people to this city. Perhaps in my 22 years I'm tired of this place, very aware of its flaws and attracted to larger city, but I chose Cincy. I have family up there and honestly, every time I explore the city I feel like I'm a little kid, full of awe and seeing a new world. I do like the dirty, gritty 'charm', it reminds me of living in New York. It makes me feel like the city has character and history.
I've yet to travel to Cleveland, but its on my list.
I have family up there and honestly, every time I explore the city I feel like I'm a little kid, full of awe and seeing a new world. I do like the dirty, gritty 'charm', it reminds me of living in New York. It makes me feel like the city has character and history.
A-MEN!!!
Nice to see someone appreciate grit like I do. This is what makes the east coast so great in my opinion. There's a story behind every building and house.
Lets hope that Kentucky isn't the model for the USA. After all, Kentucky is 47th in education, 44th in income, horrid job creation, high poverty, welfare statism especially in the southern and eastern parts of KY. School that produce generations of people that are dumber than a box of rocks. If thats what you want from America in the 21st century then KY is for you. If you are looking for better, buy some books at Amazon or Barnes and Noble and get some decent level of education. Because KY won't bother to educate you. Southern OH, WV, Southern IN, etc aren't much better in this regard but at least their states as a whole do focus on basic education especially Indiana and Ohio.
Wonderlandless, I think you hit it right on the head about Cincinnati. I've found the place to be a magnet for good quality jobs, college educated people, and people that take an interest in the community as a whole. Minus certain areas of west Cincy, Over the Rhine, it seems like a place I want to live. I've been to Indianapolis which was severely lacking especially its inner city areas. Once you get to 465 in Indianapolis it starts going downhill until you get to the northside.
In Cincinnati, you also have the outstanding communities of Blue Ash, Mason, Sharonville etc. Really prosperous suburbs. Over the Rhine and places downtown are lacking mostly because of the economic problems in those areas and culture that spawns problems. Northern KY is pretty decent too and really clean in most places. You have your slums everywhere but it seems that Louisville has about half of the city as a war zone. Anything west of I 65 IS a WAR ZONE with a lot of crime, violence, etc. South Dixie is severely lacking in cleanliness anywhere south of the Watterson and definitely anywhere north of 264. PRP, Shively, Valley Station need a can of paint and an operation Brightside cleanup crew. My area in Okolona needs to be cleaned up, painted, and people need to stop throwing trash out the windows of the heap they drive. The Preston corridor is dumpy to say the least especially between downtown and the Outer Loop.
East end is nice but people tend to be pretentious and arrogant. Or they look down on people not based on character but on the possessions that they have. I've actually found that there are a lot of rednecks in disguise over on the East End. They like to assume they are culturally superior than some of us South End folks but really I've met more rude, condescending, and iliterate people from the east End than anywhere. Its as bad or worse than being in New York, Boston or Philly. Culture is a thing that grows between their teeth rather than what they like to do here. Its just that laziness is a cultural value here both in the business community but also among people in general.
I hate to bash Louisville as I've lived either in Chicago, Louisville, Southern Indiana, or Indianapolis during most of my life but traveled everywhere else. There is a lot of fake perceptions people here hold about people not from here or with a background different than theirs. Its a silly perception because the city is hurting because of this. Its not just the old money guys but its the up and coming people here. If you don't act like them or emulate them, then you're pretty much an outsider.
Having been from Indiana as well as Chicagoland, I find this cultural arrogance to be highly amusing. There is also a educational and cultural arrogance as well that this area is superior than anywhere else in the United States despite its abnysmally low educational rankings being 47th in college grads and even it being way below other nearby states in educational acheivement. For example. Indiana was 20th in education, Ohio was in the top 30, yet KY is towards the bottom. So exactly where do inhabitants of Kentuckiana get their mentality of being educationally and intellectually superior than those from other states, Its not in the numbers, not in facts, or anything else.
I recall a few years ago Louisville produced a book called Louisville-The Greatest City talking about all the achievements. Now mind one that if Louisville was a grand community with a grand economy and culture that supported this mindset, then one would see Louisville in the top 100 rankings of Fortune or other publications. Why is it that the Mayor of Louisville has to go to other cities to find people for the workforce and try to get college educated professionals back here to jump start the economy here. Because even he knows that the college educated people are leaving here in mass and trying to find better opportunities elsewhere. Whether it may be in Cincy, Chicago, Atlanta, or elsewhere leaves little to suggest that Louisville is an up and coming business destination, cultural center or anything else.
A nice town in parts but nothing spectacular. You could find shopping opportunities anywhere shall that be Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincy, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc. Its not all here in Louisville. Some nice downtown stretches and the Highlands which is severely overrated.
The Highlands while being educated and ritzy also has a scent of low wage poverty at least in the lower wage businesses and shops of the area. Its not a major employment center and primarily revolves around entertainment, tourism, music, etc. The strip is decent at best and the stores are unique for this area but nothing special if you've been to New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, etc.
Wonderlandless, I think you hit it right on the head about Cincinnati. I've found the place to be a magnet for good quality jobs, college educated people, and people that take an interest in the community as a whole. Minus certain areas of west Cincy, Over the Rhine, it seems like a place I want to live. I've been to Indianapolis which was severely lacking especially its inner city areas. Once you get to 465 in Indianapolis it starts going downhill until you get to the northside.
In Cincinnati, you also have the outstanding communities of Blue Ash, Mason, Sharonville etc. Really prosperous suburbs. Over the Rhine and places downtown are lacking mostly because of the economic problems in those areas and culture that spawns problems. Northern KY is pretty decent too and really clean in most places. You have your slums everywhere but it seems that Louisville has about half of the city as a war zone. Anything west of I 65 IS a WAR ZONE with a lot of crime, violence, etc. South Dixie is severely lacking in cleanliness anywhere south of the Watterson and definitely anywhere north of 264. PRP, Shively, Valley Station need a can of paint and an operation Brightside cleanup crew. My area in Okolona needs to be cleaned up, painted, and people need to stop throwing trash out the windows of the heap they drive. The Preston corridor is dumpy to say the least especially between downtown and the Outer Loop.
East end is nice but people tend to be pretentious and arrogant. Or they look down on people not based on character but on the possessions that they have. I've actually found that there are a lot of rednecks in disguise over on the East End. They like to assume they are culturally superior than some of us South End folks but really I've met more rude, condescending, and iliterate people from the east End than anywhere. Its as bad or worse than being in New York, Boston or Philly. Culture is a thing that grows between their teeth rather than what they like to do here. Its just that laziness is a cultural value here both in the business community but also among people in general.
I hate to bash Louisville as I've lived either in Chicago, Louisville, Southern Indiana, or Indianapolis during most of my life but traveled everywhere else. There is a lot of fake perceptions people here hold about people not from here or with a background different than theirs. Its a silly perception because the city is hurting because of this. Its not just the old money guys but its the up and coming people here. If you don't act like them or emulate them, then you're pretty much an outsider.
Having been from Indiana as well as Chicagoland, I find this cultural arrogance to be highly amusing. There is also a educational and cultural arrogance as well that this area is superior than anywhere else in the United States despite its abnysmally low educational rankings being 47th in college grads and even it being way below other nearby states in educational acheivement. For example. Indiana was 20th in education, Ohio was in the top 30, yet KY is towards the bottom. So exactly where do inhabitants of Kentuckiana get their mentality of being educationally and intellectually superior than those from other states, Its not in the numbers, not in facts, or anything else.
I recall a few years ago Louisville produced a book called Louisville-The Greatest City talking about all the achievements. Now mind one that if Louisville was a grand community with a grand economy and culture that supported this mindset, then one would see Louisville in the top 100 rankings of Fortune or other publications. Why is it that the Mayor of Louisville has to go to other cities to find people for the workforce and try to get college educated professionals back here to jump start the economy here. Because even he knows that the college educated people are leaving here in mass and trying to find better opportunities elsewhere. Whether it may be in Cincy, Chicago, Atlanta, or elsewhere leaves little to suggest that Louisville is an up and coming business destination, cultural center or anything else.
A nice town in parts but nothing spectacular. You could find shopping opportunities anywhere shall that be Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincy, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, etc. Its not all here in Louisville. Some nice downtown stretches and the Highlands which is severely overrated.
The Highlands while being educated and ritzy also has a scent of low wage poverty at least in the lower wage businesses and shops of the area. Its not a major employment center and primarily revolves around entertainment, tourism, music, etc. The strip is decent at best and the stores are unique for this area but nothing special if you've been to New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, etc.
Let's see, you joined the site today at 4 PM and managed to make 5 extremely negative posts. Welcome to the forum! You are in the minority my friend. I am sorry you are not qualified for the job you desire. Louisville is a fine, progressive, growing city, and this is coming from someone who has ALSO lived in Chicago and Indiana.
Um, why is Lexington even in this debate? I say replace Lexington with Columbus or Indy. Anyways, my pick is Cincy hands down!!! Louisville is not too bad at all.
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 11-11-2008 at 02:01 PM..
Um, why is Lexington even in this debate? I say replace Lexington with Columbus or Indy. Anyways, my pick is Cincy hands down!!! Louisville is not too bad at all.
I like L'ville too...
Cincinnati
Louisville
Lexington
In this order, the bigger the city, the better (IMO).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
