Common misconceptions about your city (crime, neighborhoods, theater)
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What are some common misconceptions about your city?
I don't live in St. Louis, but from talking to those who do, I've learned enough to realize a few misconceptions:
Misconception #1: All of St. Louis city is extremely dangerous
Reality: Not true. There are decent neighborhoods to live in. How about Lafayette Square, Soulard, St. Louis Hills?
Misconception #2: St. Louis is flyover country.
Reality: Far from the truth. There's a lot to do in St. Louis: Baseball, hockey, football, various art and history museums, one of the best Zoos in the country (and it's free). Of course there are other things, like brewery tours (Schlafly and Anheuser-Busch). There are also natural wonders within a couple hours of the city, like Lake of the Ozarks.
Misconception #3: St. Louis is a little Chicago
Reality: To me, this is a misconception. St. Louis is not little anything. St. Louis is what it is. St. Louis has it's own character and history.
Yes, St. Louis has a lot of things to fix, but I don't think the ideas about St. Louis being inhabitable or a cesspool are correct. The city is so vast it's hard to find one way to categorize it.
What are some misconceptions about your favorite city or the one you currently live in?
Two most common ones: alcohol is very hard to get or nonexistent, and everyone is Mormon. I'm sure everyone knows what city I am talking about.
Well, the vast majority of people in the U.S. come from cities where there are pretty much NO Mormons, so you can see why they might get that idea about Salt Lake City. I had no trouble getting a beer there myself while staying downtown, but the residential neighborhoods don't exactly have a plethora of "corner taverns" like you might find in most Northern cities.
1. It's a manufacturing town. Chicago now has a lower percentage of it's economic activity in manufacturing than the U.S. average, and the Chicago economy is very diverse and bustling with white collar activity.
2. Chicago has a polar climate. Winters can be rough here, but several Northern cities have it worse.
3. Chicago is a dangerous place. Sure, we've got a crime issue in Chicago. But vast swaths of the city are very safe, and I'd say Chicago is among the few American cities where urban life has been pefected for the upper classes.
1. you'll get shot walking into the city limits (there seems to be a lot of cities with this misconception)
2. it snows form sept to may.
You must be talking about my hometown of Rochester!
These are definitely misconceptions about Rochester. There are a number of nice areas in the city (N Winton, Park Ave area, Corn Hill, Upper Monroe, U of R area etc. ) and I have rarely ever seen it snow there growing up in Sept. Oct. or May
Kansas City: That it's in Kansas, even though a majority of the metro's population is in Missouri. All the touristy stuff one hears about is in Missouri.All the major sports venues are in Missouri, except for the Kansas Motor Speedway, which they can have. The hub city, Kansas City, is in Missouri. There's a Kansas City, Kansas right across the state line, but it's much smaller.
We produce a lot of steel. We use to, not anymore.
That our city is smoky and smoggy. That American Lung Association study is BS. They do the study 25 miles from the city next to one of the few coke plants in the metro. In any given city neighborhoood our air is clean.
The city is all about the Steelers. Pittsburgh has a lot of cultural assets, museums, theaters, etc. There is more to do than get drunk and watch the Steelers. Although getting drunk and watching the Steelers is fun too, there is just more to do.
Kansas City: That it's in Kansas, even though a majority of the metro's population is in Missouri. All the touristy stuff one hears about is in Missouri.All the major sports venues are in Missouri, except for the Kansas Motor Speedway, which they can have. The hub city, Kansas City, is in Missouri. There's a Kansas City, Kansas right across the state line, but it's much smaller.
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