Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Sorry to nitpick on your basic geography, but rivers flow all directions. In the US except for the Mississippi, the Colorado, and maybe the Rio Grand and a few others, most rivers flow generally east or west. Just saying.
I read this map a little differenly than you. The majority of US major rivers flow south in that their mouths are south of their headwaters. Few rivers run north (Snake, Yellowstone and San Joaguin).
Even the few rivers that truely flow east or west eventually flow into south flowing rivers (Gila, Platte and Tenn.).
Doesnt st.louis break this theory? North st.louis is the worst area of St.louis city.
And what about Detroit? The worst area is everywhere and the best area is the central downtown area
No, Detroit has this issue as well. The term "downriver" is used frequently in that area and it is a disparaging term. It refers to a handful of communities that are south of a certain point, in which everyone feels are the least desirable places to live in the whole area.
The South Side of Pittsburgh has gone from being a blue-collar steelworker area to being one of the "hip" parts of town. One of the southern suburbs, Mt. Lebanon, is considered a prime place to live.
The rivers in an area have a lot to do with it because the areas near the river were developed first with running water, sewers, police and fire protection. As the population grew and industry developed, the better off moved "up the hill" away from the downtown area because of the stench ( think horses and railroad steam engines and cars ) and busy activity of the growing towns. This up the hill movement, on the east coast, usually meant west or northwest. This left the downtown and adjoining area to the development of the lower class by race or whatever nationality was out of favor at the time and this downhill slide continues yet today but with some kinks that have changed the playing field.This also left it to decaying infrastructure that did not have the clout to be repaired as the outlying upperclass neighborhoods. This then led to layers of circles and the attempt to become the upper class ( good ) neighborhood over others and politics.
Another factor that dictates the deviation between good and bad areas is the prevailing weather. In the steel belt where I grew up, the wind usually blew from the west and north. This meant that the dust and dirt of industry would be swept across an area and this led to people leaving an area of industry, especially if they were not a part of it
With the coming of the '50s of the last century, there was a scurry to leave the inner city and the suburbs had a start. To move out of town meant an investment which limited some people of race or that years unliked minority to remaining in the city. Also strong discrimination was shown to people that people in the suburbs did not want in their community. This move to the suburbs changed the demographics that I have outlined so far but rivers, prevailing winds and topography played a large part in developing the good, or bad side of town.
South Milwaukee would fit that bill,OP.
The "south side" of towns were usually the undeveloped or underdeveloped parts of town that minorities were forced to live in during segregation.
No jobs + rental housing + no prospects = Bad neighborhood
I realize this response is 5 years old, but if you think south Milwaukee is bad...you've probably never been north of the river
I believe East St Louis is worse than north, south, and west.
I believe East St. Louis is a separate city. The city of St. Louis, Missouri does not have an east side, it has a river. But StL does buck this alleged trend of the south side always being worse.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
