Most of the regular members on here know very little of Chicago or it's history (Ina: transplants, real estate)

[Jack_Vardin]

There are a few guys on here who know their stuff (IrishTom, Near West Sider, etc..) but they are a handful. Most of the regular members, especially the prolific ones (multiple posts daily) know very little. Being that many of them are transplants, ex suburbanites, or current suburbanites, it's not really surprising that their knowledge would be limited. Living in Chicago for 5-6 years hardly qualifies one as an expert. Same goes for weekend warriors who come to Navy Pier from Dupage County on weekends. The other members who are native Chicagoans tend to be renters who are quick to give expert real estate advice on buying.
I've lived in Chicago for 40+ years and I still have much to learn about it's history or many of it's neighborhoods. There are plenty of places I have yet to explore.
I don't mean to diminish the contributions transplants have made to Chicago (increased tax revenue, sports bars, chain stores, and high fashion like khaki pants and backward baseball caps) I just don't think are the best ones to give advice on Chicago life. But then again, transplants and suburbanites are probably the most likely to come on here and ask for direction, so I guess it's kosher.

Moderator cut: Inappropriate language

[noid_1985]

Originally Posted by Jack_Vardin

There are a few guys on here who know their stuff (IrishTom, Near West Sider, etc..) but they are a handful. Most of the regular members, especially the prolific ones know very little. Being that many of them are transplants, ex suburbanites, or current suburbanites, it's not really surprising that their knowledge would be limited. Living in Chicago for 5-6 years hardly qualifies one as an expert. Same goes for weekend warriors who come to Navy Pier from Dupage County on weekends. The other members who are native Chicagoans tend to be renters who are quick to give expert real estate advice on buying.
I've lived in Chicago for 40+ years and I still have much to learn about it's history or many of it's neighborhoods. There are plenty of places I have yet to explore.
I don't mean to diminish the contributions transplants have made to Chicago (increased tax revenue, sports bars, chain stores, and high fashion like khaki pants and backward baseball caps) It just don't think they are the best equipped to give advice on Chicago life. But then again, transplants and suburbanites are probably the most likely to come on here and ask for direction, so I guess it's kosher.

Moderator cut: Inappropriate language .

Haven't seen you give any advice...how long have you been coming to this site w/o being a member??

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by Jack_Vardin

There are a few guys on here who know their stuff (IrishTom, Near West Sider, etc..) but they are a handful. Most of the regular members, especially the prolific ones (multiple posts daily) know very little. Being that many of them are transplants, ex suburbanites, or current suburbanites, it's not really surprising that their knowledge would be limited. Living in Chicago for 5-6 years hardly qualifies one as an expert. Same goes for weekend warriors who come to Navy Pier from Dupage County on weekends. The other members who are native Chicagoans tend to be renters who are quick to give expert real estate advice on buying.
I've lived in Chicago for 40+ years and I still have much to learn about it's history or many of it's neighborhoods. There are plenty of places I have yet to explore.
I don't mean to diminish the contributions transplants have made to Chicago (increased tax revenue, sports bars, chain stores, and high fashion like khaki pants and backward baseball caps) I just don't think are the best ones to give advice on Chicago life. But then again, transplants and suburbanites are probably the most likely to come on here and ask for direction, so I guess it's kosher.

Moderator cut: Inappropriate language .

I'm not really sure where you're going with this. As nice as it is to be well acquainted with a city's history, I would think that if I went on a message board like this asking a question about a city I'm moving to, and want to find out which neighborhood is right for me, or about rents/home prices, or transportation/commuting issues, crime/safety issues, or whatever, I'd prefer advice from someone well-versed and experienced in what is going on in that city today, as opposed to someone who can tell me all the ancient history of the place.

For example, let's say I was thinking of moving to Old Town, and was asking for advice about the neighborhood... housing, parking, how to get downtown (or wherever) from there, etc. I'm sure some native old-timer Chicagoans would love to tell me all about how the area was a hippie hangout 40 years ago, etc., etc., etc... interesting as that may be, how is that relevant to me now?

Or, if I'm thinking about buying a house in Austin on Chicago's West Side, and want to know how safe the area is, I'm sure some longtimers could tell me about what a lovely neighborhood it was in the 1950s, but how does that help me?

[ajolotl]

Why would being expert in Chicago and its history qualify you to post about some random neighborhood topic? I'm world expert on a total of about six blocks of Chicago's south side, never claimed more.

[coldwine]

Cities, like people, change. The Chicago I know is as real and as relevant as the Chicago of decades past. More so, in fact, because this Chicago is the one Chicagoans are currently living in.

I know quite a bit about Chicago's history. However, the Chicago I just spoke of-- the real one, the one people are living in-- is the one people often enquire about on this messageboard.

[linicx]

User's Guide: Searching the Encyclopedia of Chicago

This should answer most of the OPs questions.

[Drover]

The OP didn't have any actual questions.

[Banx]

Originally Posted by Jack_Vardin

There are a few guys on here who know their stuff (IrishTom, Near West Sider, etc..) but they are a handful. Most of the regular members, especially the prolific ones (multiple posts daily) know very little. Being that many of them are transplants, ex suburbanites, or current suburbanites, it's not really surprising that their knowledge would be limited. Living in Chicago for 5-6 years hardly qualifies one as an expert. Same goes for weekend warriors who come to Navy Pier from Dupage County on weekends. The other members who are native Chicagoans tend to be renters who are quick to give expert real estate advice on buying.
I've lived in Chicago for 40+ years and I still have much to learn about it's history or many of it's neighborhoods. There are plenty of places I have yet to explore.
I don't mean to diminish the contributions transplants have made to Chicago (increased tax revenue, sports bars, chain stores, and high fashion like khaki pants and backward baseball caps) I just don't think are the best ones to give advice on Chicago life. But then again, transplants and suburbanites are probably the most likely to come on here and ask for direction, so I guess it's kosher.

Moderator cut: Inappropriate language .

Bravo. I hate how transplants are always the first ones to jump in on a Chicago disscussion and state things so matter-of-factly. Not just this forum, but anywhere.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by andrew61

I'm not really sure where you're going with this. As nice as it is to be well acquainted with a city's history, I would think that if I went on a message board like this asking a question about a city I'm moving to, and want to find out which neighborhood is right for me, or about rents/home prices, or transportation/commuting issues, crime/safety issues, or whatever, I'd prefer advice from someone well-versed and experienced in what is going on in that city today, as opposed to someone who can tell me all the ancient history of the place.

For example, let's say I was thinking of moving to Old Town, and was asking for advice about the neighborhood... housing, parking, how to get downtown (or wherever) from there, etc. I'm sure some native old-timer Chicagoans would love to tell me all about how the area was a hippie hangout 40 years ago, etc., etc., etc... interesting as that may be, how is that relevant to me now?

Or, if I'm thinking about buying a house in Austin on Chicago's West Side, and want to know how safe the area is, I'm sure some longtimers could tell me about what a lovely neighborhood it was in the 1950s, but how does that help me?

True. If one is asking a specific question (such as housing, parking, etc.), then yes going on about its history may not be relevant.

However history always has some influence on the present.

The presence of say a historic jazz club such as the Green Mill and a beautiful theater such as the Aragon makes the Uptown area partly make the Uptown area a place that has a certain charm to some people and the potential to get better. Likewise for places such as Hyde Park with University of Chicago. Even Bronzeville is getting better, and I'm sure its history has partly to do with that.

Old Town of the Gold Coast has more charming local establishments than say Streeterville because of their historic legacy. Streeterville/near East side was largely warehouses a few decades ago.

Historical legacy partially makes a place what it is today, and is inseperable with the present. So in some cases a bit of knowledge of an areas history may very well be important in people looking for a place to live.

[linicx]

For someone who lives in Chicago, Jack_Varden doesn't seem to know much about the town where he lives. I gave him a resource. I think it is a reasonable response to Chicago history. Now he can learn. eh ???