What do People from Detroit Consider Their City? (Rochester: living, best)

[ainulinale]

Hello. We're having a little discussion on the General U.S. forum about what cities constitute the Northeast and the subject of Detroit came up. Basically, if you are a native from Detroit, would you be so kind as to vote for the region you believe best defines your city? If you'd like, you could post a little something of the reasons for voting the way you did. Thanks.

[illmatic774]

The only true wrong answer is NE. Absolutely no way is it a NE city.

personally I see this as a Great Lakes city, as I think "Midwest" is too broad.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by illmatic774

The only true wrong answer is NE. Absolutely no way is it a NE city.

personally I see this as a Great Lakes city, as I think "Midwest" is too broad.

I'm not from Detroit, but I agree that it is certainly not Northeast. Could you give some insight into what gives a Great Lakes city Great Lakes character (other than being on a lake!)

[nycjefftrain]

As a Detroit native living near New York City...I HATE when Detroit and Michigan get lumped in the same "midwest" as places like Kansas and Nebraska. HARDLY!! States like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin should actually be referred to as "mideast" but I'm afraid that would be taboo in this country right now...LOL!! So I'm ok with "midwest" but "great lakes region" is more appropriate.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by nycjefftrain

As a Detroit native living near New York City...I HATE when Detroit and Michigan get lumped in the same "midwest" as places like Kansas and Nebraska. HARDLY!!

Yeah, there seems to be a big difference between the plains states and the industrial Great Lakes states!

Originally Posted by nycjefftrain

States like Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin should actually be referred to as "mideast" but I'm afraid that would be taboo in this country right now...LOL!!

Telling someone your from the Mideast in this era of American society would probably be a little uncomfortable. I think Great Lakes defines the region well anyways.

Originally Posted by nycjefftrain

So I'm ok with "midwest" but "great lakes region" is more appropriate.

Just curious as to what you think...have you been to Buffalo? Would you consider it more Northeastern or more Great Lakes? That is one region I am very uncertain about.

[nycjefftrain]

Good point about Buffalo. I do consider western NY and western PA as part of that rustbelt "great lakes region". My reasoning is Buffalo is closer to Detroit in terms of industry and distance than it it to NYC. And Pittsburgh shares more of that hardworking, rustbelt image than the other big city in its state, Philly. Basically, draw a line at about Rochester, NY south..cut just east of Pittsburgh and then cut west along the Ohio River to Illinois, north through Wisconsin, back east between the UP of Michigan and the Canadian border and then back south all along the Lake Huron and Lake Erie shoreline and that is the good ole great lakes, rustbelt region of the midwest!! IMHO, of course....

[tuebor]

A recent Brookings Institute raises some issues that may interest some of you.

The Vital Connection: Reclaiming Great Lakes Economic Leadership in the Bi-National U.S.-Canadian Region - Brookings Institution

[Doc. T.]

Detroit, for me, has always been a Midwestern city. It has the topography of numerous cities located in the same region. At one time economies, work force, and socio-cultural issues were similar; perhaps, in recent years things have changed? Finally, since Detroit is not specifically on a Great Lake as a defining characteristic I would not place it in multiple categories. It's too confusing and ambiguous.

Born in downtown MOTOWN - Shalom.

[ainulinale]

Thank you all for your posts...I appreciate it. I think defining Detroit is much easier than cities like Pittsburgh, Baltimore and DC--which to me all seem rather eastern with a southern (or appalachian) flair. Anyway, thanks for all the love in the super bowl...next time the Mow is in a championship I'll be rooting for ya (as long as you're not playing Pittsburgh).

[hanna_house]

There is definitely a Midwest mentalitity here but I often feel connected to the Eastern part of the country as well. Perhaps because we are in the same time zone.