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Why always the hating on Morgantown? Morgantown certainly has he medical end education fields, but there's much much more. There's NETL research labs. There are a few technology companies headquartered here. We have biotechnology firms. There are accounting firms and large law offices. We have foresters and truck drivers. We have power plant operators and natural gas drillers. We have a regional retailer headquarters. There are many many construction projects. There's hardly a position that can't be found here.
There is a lot of hating of Morgantown by the Southern portion of the state, and RVA is from Charleston I believe.
Large parts of WV have an us vs them type mentality where if another area is successful they see it as somehow coming at their expense. CT has some good theories on it that ive noticed too. Anyway Morgantown has been one of the most successful cities not just in WV but ALL of the country and this has led to resentment in some parts of WV that they are not seeing this and they blame Morgantown for this. Morgantown has more of a Pittsburgh type attitude and culture that isnt particular liked by the more Southern type attitude of Southern WV. Morgantown also attracts lots of people not from WV, although it equally attracts WVians, but this leads some to accuse it of not being the 'real' WV. Finally Morgantown is seen as a threat to some areas. Parts of WV are very proud of their region and their identity is not to WV or even to the US but to their region. The fact that Morgantown has the most people from any area in WV, has the best economy, and is considered one of the best cities in the country leads people to think that Morgantown shines brighter than their local area and they get a chip on their shoulder.
To be fair some of it comes from the students whose behavior gives it a rowdy reputation, but c'mon young people will be young people. Also Morgantown is not the friendliest place in WV. Compared to where I live now Morgantown is VERY friendly but for WV it isnt as friendly mainly due to people moving in from less friendly places, the students being obnoxious, and traffic driving people crazy. It also has some of the Pittsburgh Yinzer no nonsense attitude.
There is a lot of hating of Morgantown by the Southern portion of the state, and RVA is from Charleston I believe.
Large parts of WV have an us vs them type mentality where if another area is successful they see it as somehow coming at their expense. CT has some good theories on it that ive noticed too. Anyway Morgantown has been one of the most successful cities not just in WV but ALL of the country and this has led to resentment in some parts of WV that they are not seeing this and they blame Morgantown for this. Morgantown has more of a Pittsburgh type attitude and culture that isnt particular liked by the more Southern type attitude of Southern WV. Morgantown also attracts lots of people not from WV, although it equally attracts WVians, but this leads some to accuse it of not being the 'real' WV. Finally Morgantown is seen as a threat to some areas. Parts of WV are very proud of their region and their identity is not to WV or even to the US but to their region. The fact that Morgantown has the most people from any area in WV, has the best economy, and is considered one of the best cities in the country leads people to think that Morgantown shines brighter than their local area and they get a chip on their shoulder.
To be fair some of it comes from the students whose behavior gives it a rowdy reputation, but c'mon young people will be young people. Also Morgantown is not the friendliest place in WV. Compared to where I live now Morgantown is VERY friendly but for WV it isnt as friendly mainly due to people moving in from less friendly places, the students being obnoxious, and traffic driving people crazy. It also has some of the Pittsburgh Yinzer no nonsense attitude.
It's actually really interesting that West Virginia has an identity at all, as its really the prime border state. Different parts of West Virginia share traits of the Midwest, the northeast, the south, and the east coast, yet somehow West Virginia is distinctly WV. I find it really fascinating.
Ok, well I think you are conflating low unemployment with good economy. I think larger cities with more jobs and companies have a better economy than a smaller town with less unemployment. A small town as less beaks to feed than a big town.
WV is 28 miles from Maryland but that is the western panhandle area where few people live. I would think it is at least 2 hours to hagerstown which doesn't have much.
I am surprised they don't just lump Morgantown in with Pittsburgh if it is only 5 miles outside the metro.
May I ask where you live prior to Motown?
Does the power company Dominion have some natural gas work there? I saw they had some jobs in a city named Elk something in WV a few months ago.
I am retired from the New York City area. Our quality of life in Morgantown is vastly superior to that of large cities. It is also superior to all but 7 cities of any size according to at least one national publication. I really don't care how many people live in Garrett County, MD. I am just pointing out that there are many thousands of people in our immediate region that have a direct impact on our local economy that are not reflected in anybody's official count. Drive around Morgantown and you see hundreds of cars from Maryland here on any given day. Folks from Cumberland, located an hour to the east, come here for healthcare on a regular bases. So do many from Uniontown, PA which is officially part of the Pittsburgh area.
It's actually really interesting that West Virginia has an identity at all, as its really the prime border state. Different parts of West Virginia share traits of the Midwest, the northeast, the south, and the east coast, yet somehow West Virginia is distinctly WV. I find it really fascinating.
I agree with that. We are a small state that basically picks up the traits of states located beside any of the several districts within the state. Culturally, every distinct part is closer to neighboring states than to the rest of our own state.
There is a lot of hating of Morgantown by the Southern portion of the state, and RVA is from Charleston I believe.
Large parts of WV have an us vs them type mentality where if another area is successful they see it as somehow coming at their expense. CT has some good theories on it that ive noticed too. Anyway Morgantown has been one of the most successful cities not just in WV but ALL of the country and this has led to resentment in some parts of WV that they are not seeing this and they blame Morgantown for this. Morgantown has more of a Pittsburgh type attitude and culture that isnt particular liked by the more Southern type attitude of Southern WV. Morgantown also attracts lots of people not from WV, although it equally attracts WVians, but this leads some to accuse it of not being the 'real' WV. Finally Morgantown is seen as a threat to some areas. Parts of WV are very proud of their region and their identity is not to WV or even to the US but to their region. The fact that Morgantown has the most people from any area in WV, has the best economy, and is considered one of the best cities in the country leads people to think that Morgantown shines brighter than their local area and they get a chip on their shoulder.
To be fair some of it comes from the students whose behavior gives it a rowdy reputation, but c'mon young people will be young people. Also Morgantown is not the friendliest place in WV. Compared to where I live now Morgantown is VERY friendly but for WV it isnt as friendly mainly due to people moving in from less friendly places, the students being obnoxious, and traffic driving people crazy. It also has some of the Pittsburgh Yinzer no nonsense attitude.
I agree with this, and would add that a prime reason folks from the southern part of the state resent us is they lack economic diversity and opportunity there, generally have a lower percentage of educated people with a low overall regard for education, and due to the decline of their economic fortunes as a result of having hard to reach, higher sulfur content coal and industrial losses, have become used to living on an artificial economy created by political ripoffs and pork. Relatively isolated, their world view is very limited.
Folks in South Central tend to continuously compare themselves with the rest of the state for self validation. For some irrational reason, it is hugely important to people from Charleston to have the "biggest" city in terms of population within the limits. They somehow configure that to mean they can at least dominate politically and continue to suck off the pork teat for relevance. Folks north of Sutton rarely even think of Charleston except when political forces intervene. Culturally and economically they are much more influenced by Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and DC than by the small number of people living in comparatively impotent South Central. Disadvantaged economically, they see success to the North as threatening their political pork lifeline and politically there might be a small element of truth to that. Little happens south of Sutton that does not have massive infusions of state money thrown at it coming from other parts of the state and the north is beginning to demand some accountability and fair play.
What they fail to realize is that success in the north ultimately leads to a healthier state overall, with larger spillover effects on them than pork can provide. They might lose the "bragging rights" that seem to be so important to them, but they will be more prosperous downstream and better off for it.
That said, the economy of the entire state does seem to be showing signs of improvement and continued growth is projected for Morgantown. This is from today's Dominion Post. ... http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repositor...sh-skin-custom
Last edited by CTMountaineer; 09-06-2013 at 06:44 AM..
Yes, I am a Charleston native, but jealous of Motown/Fairmont/Clarksburg? Not hardly. Charleston/Huntington is THE Metro area of WV. Sure, there are areas where the economy is good, and I include Morgantown in that equation.... Morgantown has ALWAYS had a relatively good economy - - as a sole result of being the site of the major West Virginia institute of higher learning - WVU. But for one to conclude that North Central WV is some major mecca in the WV and/or National economy, is a joke.
Yes, I am a Charleston native, but jealous of Motown/Fairmont/Clarksburg? Not hardly. Charleston/Huntington is THE Metro area of WV. Sure, there are areas where the economy is good, and I include Morgantown in that equation.... Morgantown has ALWAYS had a relatively good economy - - as a sole result of being the site of the major West Virginia institute of higher learning - WVU. But for one to conclude that North Central WV is some major mecca in the WV and/or National economy, is a joke.
Fuiji you see?
People from the Charleston area have this inferiority complex since Morgantown surpassed them both in economics, importance, and # of people.
Even though I haven't lived in Charleston in over 30 years, there is no jealousy - - Charleston/Huntington is the heart of WV - - end of story
You have already demonstrated my point. 30 years ago that was true, not so much today. Anyway, your area is still nice. It isnt a competition RVA. You dont need to feel threatened about these changes that are happening in WV.
You have already demonstrated my point. 30 years ago that was true, not so much today. Anyway, your area is still nice. It isnt a competition RVA. You dont need to feel threatened about these changes that are happening in WV.
Cry - not jealous at all - I have been out of WV for over 30 years. But I travel to WV several times per year and sorry to say, the Metro Valley is still the heart of WV despite WVU's, and Senator's Byrd's pork barrel contributions, to NC WV.
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