[kletter1mann]

Originally Posted by dkv

I like the "panhandle" term because everyone instinctively knows what you are talking about. I can't believe you are getting pushback.

Pushback is a bit strong, but definitely raised eyebrows from panhandle residents. I was skiing at Snowbird a couple weeks ago and happened to ride a lift with a guy from new Canaan and a local. I high-fived the new Canaan guy cause we're neighbors and the other guy asked where we were talking about. I responded that Pound Ridge bordered New Canaan, which is in the CT panhandle. The look on the new Canaan guy's face was priceless.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by Raider111

I grew up in the "panhandle" and never used this term nor have i ever known anyone to use the term. Also, the whole lower FC is NY thing is an upstater perception. I, people I know, grew up with, friends always consider themselves 100% CT. I've never heard " Hey dude, were like kind of from NY" or "Hey dude, doesn't it feel like NY around here". Maybe it's an outsider, newcomer thing.

Actually (and this coming from someone in NY who lives near that area) I have seen the whole "lower FC is NY" phenomenon. First off, a lot of the people there (not all, but a significant number) moved there from NY. Second, here's a perfect example of it. A few years ago, when because of some dispute with ABC where the Oscars were not going to be shown on their NYC affiliate channel 7, I remember some Facebook friends (all ex-NYers I believe) from Greenwich and Stamford not realizing that unlike the NY and NJ parts of the metro area, they had the option to still watch it on channel 8/WTNH. Many didn't realize it even exists and a couple of them even "lamented" having to watch it on there as if it would be a really different negative kind of experience (only thing I could think would be different is they may see ads for "local" news).

("Fortunately" for them, they settled it right when the Oscars was starting)

[golden eagles fan]

Though it's geographically correct, I've never heard anyone use the panhandle term for that part of the state, not even meteorologists. Maybe because CT is so small.

If you think about it, a few other states besides Oklahoma, Texas and Florida that have panhandles, but may have other names for them, like Missouri's Bootheel region (the southeastern part wedged between Arkansas and Tennessee).

[Cambium]

"Panhandle" is about the territorial part of a state. When someone simply says SW CT it means Danbury, Weston, Redding, are part of it. But when you say "Panhandle", people know its the narrow strip part on the state.

Florida Panhandle is 40 miles North-South
Oklahoma Panhandle is 33 miles North-South.
Connecticut Panhandle is 10 miles New Canaan to Rowayton

I wonder if "Panhandle" refers to just an East-West shape because with Idaho it's easier to say northern ID and know where that is. But Idaho is 44 miles wide East-West

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by Cambium

"Panhandle" is about the territorial part of a state. When someone simply says SW CT it means Danbury, Weston, Redding, are part of it. But when you say "Panhandle", people know its the narrow strip part on the state.

Florida Panhandle is 40 miles North-South
Oklahoma Panhandle is 33 miles North-South.
Connecticut Panhandle is 10 miles New Canaan to Rowayton

I wonder if "Panhandle" refers to just an East-West shape because with Idaho it's easier to say northern ID and know where that is. But Idaho is 44 miles wide East-West

Per Wikipedia, CT made the list of US states with a panhandle -- so did Idaho, though apparently some refer to it as a "chimney" Panhandle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[seymourct]

No we don't call it panhandle. Yes we get the geography outline looks like it, but no. Sorry
I've always just heard that area colloquially called "lower Fairfield County" or refer to each town separately.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by seymourct

No we don't call it panhandle. Yes we get the geography outline looks like it, but no. Sorry
I've always just heard that area colloquially called "lower Fairfield County" or refer to each town separately.

Agree. Most people outside of FF/NH/LF counties call it "FFC". Anyone who resides in the previous three counties generally refers to it by town. I don't think its a coincidence that these three counties are also part of greater NYC. The culture is pretty similar (varies by town, of course, but regionally, similar culture).

[MrGompers]

I've never heard any one talk about the "panhandle" section of CT, but I'm from Hartford area. I've also never been asked about it even when traveling to other parts of the country.

One thing that comes up sometimes if you are talking to someone from another country and you tell them your from CT, they inevitably ask where's CT ? Simple answer is east of NYC or if you're in Hartford area "approx 100 miles northeast of NYC" Everyone seems to know where NYC is on a map.

[Cambium]

I only started to mention it lately and its growing on me. Not many inside the panhandle likes to be referred to as outside "NYC" or near southern NY. And since southern CT is to wide to use and SWCT means locations outside the handle, Panhandle has more meaning.. I like using that terminology. Good for talking weather too since that area is a bit different

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Having lived in both areas, this is 100% accurate. Mention Woodbridge to someone in Stamford, and they think of Woodbridge NJ. Heck, many people in lower FFC have never even been to New Haven, and view the rest of CT as inferior. Very strange.

Truth (not the part of viewing the rest of the state as inferior because I certainly do not -- just the sense of living almost entirely removed from the rest of the state). Btw, i have no idea where Woodbridge is, nor am I entirely certain I ever heard of it. I think double whammy for me (aside from living in FFC and on the border) is the fact that I live in New Fairfield ... My town borders only 2 other CT towns, (1) Danbury; and (2) Sherman (which almost doesn't count because in many ways NF and Sherman are extensions of each other since the two towns share so much). Not much "real" CT influence in these parts over here...