Does anyone know why Minnesotans dislike fences?

[Vintage_girl]

Originally Posted by drishmael

Oh, I agree that there are legitimate reasons for having a fence. It's just that if everyone has one -- which, in a lot of places, is the norm -- it certainly detracts from the 'community' vibe.

IME, community is kind of a double-edged sword, or a mixed bag in Minnesota.

For people who live in urban areas where there's a lot of ethnic diversity, there's a strong sense of community as people are sometimes from the same culture, or they are welcoming of the cultural differences and see the community as an extension of their family. I also see this in more rural places, where there's more homogeneity.

However, my experience overall has been regardless of fencing people tend to want to keep to themselves. I've been told it's a "Scand" thing, but the Scandinavian culture no longer has a strong influence. I've chalked it up to a Minnesota thing. People are polite, friendly and all that but I have yet to see a lot of people go out of their way to know their neighbors. It's very much an "outsiders" vs. clique thing.

[mn shutterbug]

Originally Posted by Vintage_girl

People are polite, friendly and all that but I have yet to see a lot of people go out of their way to know their neighbors. It's very much an "outsiders" vs. clique thing.

I don't look at my new neighbors as outsiders and I'm definitely not cliquish. I just don't like people.

[demtion35]

Half my yard is fence chain link between the main garage and the house back of the property line to the end of the front of the second small garage used for storage and holds lumber, and along the front sidewalk, I like it. Everyone ask me why I don't put in a gate when I go out to the shop around the fence, maybe someday I will do that. We have a vine that grows in the front of the fence and in the fall it turns bright red and orange. It is called Boston something. The deer eat the vines in the winter, but it always comes back it is beautiful.

[TheInternationalGeek]

I've been travelling to the US frequently since 1998 and have been to many States across the country, from Texas to Minneosota and many in between (mostly along the east coast). On my first trip, I was visiting a friend in the Houston area and her house (and the neighbourhood) had fences between the properties but other housing areas nearby didn't. Many neighbourhoods around the Newtown area in Bucks County in Pennsylvania don't have fences either. I've come across many areas in the States where there are no fences between houses. I find this fascinating as here in the UK, all houses have fences, walls or high thick hedges between properties.

[chessgeek]

My first 12 years I lived in a Fridley neighborhood. No fences. Made it easy for me to visit some good friends with a very short walk through a couple back yards. With fences it would have been several blocks. Think it especially gave my my mother a little peace of mind that I could visit them without walking along or across a street when I was very young. None of our neighbors had a vicious dog, so that also helped. Lol.

[Kayekaye]

I have lived in South Minneapolis, Southwest Minneapolis, North Minneapolis, Northeast Minneapolis and several suburbs. They have all had fences. Redwood fences, chain link fences, cedar fences. Never had a cement wall fence like in other states. So outside of that I don't see anything cultural about this.

[Yosh01]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

It's a suburban thing where they want to feel like they're out in the country. We have fences in the city.

Yes, city lots nearly all have fences, but usually short (3') ones. This is very unlike the 6' totally closed fences you'll find in places like Texas.

[1stpontiac]

You know what I kind of miss? Front porches. I lived for a little while in an Anoka rental where all of the houses had little front porches, and I got to know more of the neighborhood just because we'd be hanging out on the front porch while they walked by. Plenty of foot traffic past my place now, but because we don't have a front porch, we tend to hang out on the back deck and miss those little interactions that help you feel like you know your neighbors just a little better.

[warmwxrules]

Across the river i would say its a mix. A lot of fences, but then a lot of houses don't have them. The big thing as of late is the dog craze. Seems like everyone and their 1st cousin has a dog...and with dogs usually you like a fence. I put up a fence so people don't have to see my heaps of junk. I love collecting junk, but neighbors don't like to look at that.

Fences make good neighbors or some crap like that.