[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by vter

Guys...lets try to stay on topic plz This thread is about "Flatlanders" vs. "natives"...not LI or illegals.
Don't hate me, just trying to do my job

My apologies Vter. Sometimes there are things which happen here and then head north. I'll try to keep myself reigned in. Mea Culpa!

[heidi777]

Originally Posted by Phoenix lady

When I lived in upstate NY, I went to New England quite a bit over the years, esp. Mass. next door and I think back now and yes, New Englanders are, by nature, reserved, cautious, wary even perhaps. Some states moreso, differences within each New England state,too, I think.
I think Maine'ers (?) are the most reserved, or insulated. I never felt comfortable in Maine, for whatever reason.

But, as you alluded to, there's something very helpful about people in general in NE and, I think, common sense is very widespread. Salt of the earth is the word I think of.

And, yes folks wanting to come in and change things could irritate natives. Can understand that--It's like when I lived in small town Hudson Valley and people from Manhattan came regularly to our small town and we were considered "woodchucks"--it was what they called us and we called them "city birds." Not maliciously, it was just the way we saw each other, although it was never much of a big deal.

Every hunting season, there would be a story, I think true, of how a person from the city would come up to hunt and mistake a cow for a deer. Or something similar. Different cultures within the same state.

I think they may be called Maniacs . . . (I love Maine - no disrespect intended).

[ContantlyWandering]

I always thought it was quaint and hilarious that native Vermonters would call anyone not from Vermont a "flatlander." I grew up in the Adirondacks (which has many, many mountains larger than the largest mountains in VT), yet was still known as a "flatlander." Several of my friends were from Oregon, Washington, Colorado, California, etc. with mountains 3X the size of Mt. Mansfield, but they, too, were "flatlanders." Idiotic term, but it's pretty hilarious nonetheless.

When I was living there, I preferred the equally hilarious term "white-plater" (in reference to the green VT license plate and the mostly white or white-ish plates from other states).

There definitely is a bit of tension between natives and non-natives, but in my opinion, it is usually just good-natured ribbing. Vermonters are definitely salt-of-the-earth types that value their privacy, the land, and their neighors.

[momof3heatherns]

[quote At least now I have shed the label as everyone in Florida is from someplace else.[/quote]
NO, No were really not. Born and raised Florida girl and truly believe Vermont will be a great fit as I'm moving there to get away from all the "progress" that I've seen Florida experience in my life. It sickens me when I see a 300 yr old oak cut down so they can put up a walmart or the like. Even with our preservation codes, if you have enough money you can get around them. Just look at The Villages.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by momof3heatherns

NO, No were really not. Born and raised Florida girl and truly believe Vermont will be a great fit as I'm moving there to get away from all the "progress" that I've seen Florida experience in my life.

Ditto, ditto, and ditto! I was born in Miami Beach at the same hospital where my mother was born. One of my grandfathers was a Central Florida native. So what. That didn't stop people from here, there, and everywhere from strip-malling and big-boxing most of the state. My grandfather was a commercial developer.

I moved to northern New England in 1988 and to Vermont in 1996. Regardless of my birthplace and when I arrived here, this is my home.

[Skadess1]

Wow I am glad I found this I am a native Floridian too but moving to VT (maybe) in August. Going to make my decision this week. For me it is just too hot here. Yes there are conveniences in Florida that there may not be up there, but this state is seriously like one giant strip mall and I hate it!!

[momof3heatherns]

Not all "flatlanders" want the conveniences of large towns. I'll pay the extra taxes (fl doesn't have a state income tax as we rely on tourists heavily), shovel my car out of the snow, allow an extra hour to get places, learn to drive in the snow, and truly enjoy the "fifth" season (down here we call it muddin' or rootin' ), all to get out ofa place that has been overdeveloped, and is rapidly becoming overpopulated. I want to raise my kids in a safe harbor. I want to live in a smalltown, with friendly neighbors who are also distant. LOL I know an oxymoron

[Jillaceae]

Originally Posted by ContantlyWandering

I always thought it was quaint and hilarious that native Vermonters would call anyone not from Vermont a "flatlander." I grew up in the Adirondacks (which has many, many mountains larger than the largest mountains in VT), yet was still known as a "flatlander." Several of my friends were from Oregon, Washington, Colorado, California, etc. with mountains 3X the size of Mt. Mansfield, but they, too, were "flatlanders." Idiotic term, but it's pretty hilarious nonetheless.

Yes, I have always wondered this as well! Having lived at two different times in my life in the Rockies, it always seemed kind of odd to me. I sent some (very lovely) pictures of the green mountains to my mom, who now lives in Portland, OR, and her response was "Wow, I didn't know Vermont was so hilly." I love to tease my native Vermonter boyfriend with that. Maybe it is the term "flatlander" that is causing the rift between natives and non-natives?

But in all seriousness, having lived in a few different areas, I think dislike of non-natives stems from the fact that people don't like to see the area they love change over time. It probably does have to do (or maybe sometimes, perceived has having to do), at least in part, with new people with different ways of doing things coming in to a community. But really, a lot of the examples of ways "flatlanders" are different probably have more to do with how our society as a whole has changed and developed. It is easier to see change in someone you perceive as "different" to begin with. I know I enjoy blaming the downfall of Portland, where I grew up, on jerks moving in from out of state. I probably can honestly blame them for the increased traffic, but perhaps not all the cultural things I would really like to say is besmirching the my beloved childhood home.

[NYLIER]

[quote]if you have enough money you can get around them. Just look at The Villages./QUOTE]

What happened there?

[ex-springfielder]

At the rate young people are moving out of Vermont due to it's lack of jobs and high cost of living it won't be long before it's similar to Florida where it's hard to find a native. I think the term flatlander evolved long ago before the interstates and flying became popular, when people didn't travel as far so most of the tourist were from Massachusettes, Connecticut and southern NY which are relatively flat...except for western Mass.