Does rural Kentucky hate Louisville? (Lexington, Owensboro: neighborhoods, schools, closing)

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by bw87a

i'd like to hear more on the idea of a state-supported university in SE kentucky. pikeville perhaps? sounds like a good idea.

I might propose this:

1. "True Southeast," say Prestonsburg or Hazard. These towns host the main campuses of Big Sandy and Hazard Community Colleges, respectively. I'll also add that Hazard has the southeast rural health facility for the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. It would, for the sake of convenience, be practical to construct a research university in close proximity to a cheaper option for college. That way, if you will, southeast Kentuckians can attend community college and knock the gen eds out, then complete the degree at the state university. It's kind of like the relationship that Lexington CC and UofK used to share, or that Bowling Green CC and WKU still share.

Personally, I'd probably pick Hazard. There is enough flat and "hollowed-out" land in Perry County from the old strip mines to develop quite a bit of land there. (At least that I know of.) It's within two hours of Prestonsburg, Pikeville, London, Corbin, and Lexington.

Perhaps the name could be Southeast Kentucky University.

[safetygirl-16]

Nope, I love Louisville. I left Harlan Co. as soon as I graduated to get away from these mountains, but then as I grew a little older and had children, I came back. I wouldn't want to raise my kids anywhere else. But still, I love to travel to Louisville to visit my friends.

[Hey_Hey]

Originally Posted by censusdata

It seems like people in areas roughly east of US 127 seem to associate more with Lexington, and areas west of US 127 tend to associate more with the city of Louisville.

For example, go to any of the small cities in Western Kentucky it is evenly divided between U of L & UK, while Eastern Kentucky is 99% Blue

You couldn't be further from the truth. Having grown up in the Jackson Purchase, I would say UK fans outnumber UofL fans 10 to 1. And that's not overstating it at all. I can literally only think of about 10 people I know that are UofL fans which compares to hundreds that are UK fans. The only people that are UofL fans in Western Kentucky are alumni, and there aren't all that many UofL alumni in Western Kentucky as a percentage of total college graduates. UofL's stronghold is only the city of Louisville, and even there it's probably only 60% UofL to 40% UK fans. In the Paducah/Jackson Purchase area there is one station that carries UofL athletics compared to probably 5 or 6 that carry UK athletics.

As for the rest of the state hating louisville, I don't think that's necessarily true. As far as Western Kentuckians are concerned we are much more closely aligned with Nashville, which offers much more in the way of entertainment, shopping, healthcare, air transportation (the typical attributes of a city that draw rural populations in). I can only think of a handful of times I've even been in Louisville other than driving through going to Ohio (I now live in Toledo). I can also say that we viewed Louisville (right or wrong) as a much dirtier and more dangerous city than Nashville. I wouldn't say this was a hatred though.

Lastly, being in Louisville I get the feeling that it is more Midwestern in culture than the rest of the state which is solidly Southern. Even moreso than the rural vs urban conflict between Louisville and the rest of the state I think the Midwestern vs Southern culture may have more to do with the division.

I personally like Louisville and am considering living there for a few years before ultimately moving to the Nashville area, which is where I really want to be. Louisville offers some great things without having a lot of the problems of larger cities like traffic.

[BLS2753]

Rural KY has less of a population disadvantage with Louisville, than alot of other states do with a dominant big city. The Louisville metro area accounts for about a 1/4 of the state's population. Compare that with Illinois, where Chicago consumes around 3/4 of the population. When you have that big of a disparity, you have much greater political inequities.

[BLS2753]

Western KY, really has no connection with Louisville other than being in the same state. Louisville offers nothing of distinction to warrant the travel time. As stated previously, Nashville and St. Louis are closer, larger, and with more amenities. Considering the drive to Louisville, one can just add an hour or two, and get to Atlanta or Chicago.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

I read yesterday that alot of rural Kentuckians see Louisville as "sin city" and full of "Northern Values" and don't like us. Is that true? It breaks my heart to think that the state that I love so much doesn't love me back

Hmmm, I have no problems with the Ville. It's just too big for me though.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by InLondon

Hmmm, I have no problems with the Ville. It's just too big for me though.

Honey it's getting too big for me too

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by BLS2753

Western KY, really has no connection with Louisville other than being in the same state. Louisville offers nothing of distinction to warrant the travel time. As stated previously, Nashville and St. Louis are closer, larger, and with more amenities. Considering the drive to Louisville, one can just add an hour or two, and get to Atlanta or Chicago.

BINGO!!! I can get to St. Louis, Nashville, and maybe Memphis in less time. They also have alot more to offer someone who wants a big-city fix.

[BLS2753]

Originally Posted by Hey_Hey

You couldn't be further from the truth. Having grown up in the Jackson Purchase, I would say UK fans outnumber UofL fans 10 to 1. And that's not overstating it at all. I can literally only think of about 10 people I know that are UofL fans which compares to hundreds that are UK fans. The only people that are UofL fans in Western Kentucky are alumni, and there aren't all that many UofL alumni in Western Kentucky as a percentage of total college graduates. UofL's stronghold is only the city of Louisville, and even there it's probably only 60% UofL to 40% UK fans. In the Paducah/Jackson Purchase area there is one station that carries UofL athletics compared to probably 5 or 6 that carry UK athletics.

As for the rest of the state hating louisville, I don't think that's necessarily true. As far as Western Kentuckians are concerned we are much more closely aligned with Nashville, which offers much more in the way of entertainment, shopping, healthcare, air transportation (the typical attributes of a city that draw rural populations in). I can only think of a handful of times I've even been in Louisville other than driving through going to Ohio (I now live in Toledo). I can also say that we viewed Louisville (right or wrong) as a much dirtier and more dangerous city than Nashville. I wouldn't say this was a hatred though.

Lastly, being in Louisville I get the feeling that it is more Midwestern in culture than the rest of the state which is solidly Southern. Even moreso than the rural vs urban conflict between Louisville and the rest of the state I think the Midwestern vs Southern culture may have more to do with the division.

I personally like Louisville and am considering living there for a few years before ultimately moving to the Nashville area, which is where I really want to be. Louisville offers some great things without having a lot of the problems of larger cities like traffic.

In the Paducah area, "Cardinals" means a baseball team.

[ttyl1979]

So true about Cardinals! I would have to say that I travel all over the state and see an overwhelming amount of "blue". I truthfully think Western Kentucky is way more blue. Now, The closer to Cincy like Florence/ La Grange up there I have seen support for Louisville.

No one hates Louisville, I just think that they are a region in their own. Most people IMO in Kentucky who don't live in Louisville, don't like being associated with it. Just like Louisville people don't like to be looked at like "country" folk.