What is with all the black sheep? (Charlotte, Greensboro: schools, live in)

[SunnyKayak]

Ever notice how all the metro areas have there own black sheep

For the triad the black sheep is High Point
It a cute town kinda lost it luster from it's hay day in the 80's but there is some nice areas specifically close to Jamestown but out of the threee cities it is the one to avoid.

For the triangle area the black sheep is Durham.
For people who have not been there or have not been there in last 8 years are very unaware there is some nice sections to this city the area around the mall and parkwood community and RTP. Yet often people will say gangs and hoodlums dominate the area

For Charlotte Metro area the black sheep is Gastonia
Out of all the suburbs recomenned to newcomers this city is rarely ever mention unless you happen to be working in that vicinity then you are refer to areas like aroun kings mountain.

It doesnt seem to matter what revitalization these black sheep go thru they will always be known as the black sheep.

I do not know if wilmington or asheville has a black sheep

[friendnc]

SK, my wife and I were talking about this very subject a few weeks ago. I have many relatives who live in High Point. It has its bad areas like ANYWHERE else, but on the whole it's a nice town with some really attractive areas.

I was raised in Gastonia and my parents still live there. The same is true here. really nice areas and a very well laid-out city, especially the road system. Very beautiful with the lakes to the east of town and mountains to the west. The bad rep seemed to start in earnest back in the early-mid 70's. It was either the Outlaws or Hell's Angels gang that moved in and began making its presents known in the area. They really gave the community and law enforcement problems. We elected a new county sheriff in the mid-late 70's who really went after these guys hard. I went to junior high with the sheriff's son and remember him having a deputy escort him to school due to death threats. The gang problem was finally taken care of be the end of the 70's,but the bad reputation seems to hang on to this day. Most don't really even know why they have a bad opinion of Gastonia, jus that they've "heard" it's a bad place. My wife and I lived there during the first part of our marrage and loved it, even better than where we live now (Concord). It's only big knock is the schools system. It's not horrable, but not great either. But in the other areas, it's really a great town with a lot to do. It's just funny how a bad rep can form in our minds and is seldom based in reality. Good Thread!!!

[superk]

Did you ever notice also that there's always some accepted "knocking" of another town? We like to frequent the comedy clubs. At the Comedy Zone in Greensboro, the comedians always have to put down Kernersville. At the (former) Funny Bones in High Point they'd put down Salisbury. In Charlotte the target is always Gastonia.

[groove1]

Yes, in Buffalo it was always Depew...prononced DA pyuuuu when mocking it. Gastonia is somewhat deserving of its knocks, but there are a lot of nice areas. Remember that drunk weather guy Mark Mathia on Fox always making fun of Gastonia?

[statefan]

I never tell anyone I am from Gastonia, I always say the Charlotte area. Then if they want more specifics, I usually say, you know, Gastonia, the redneck capitol of the South.