NJ: Lack of identity?

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

Let me ask you

What do you think a suburb is?

When people in the urban ran out of room, they created the subURBAN so they could settle there.

So yes people from NYC came across the river and settled here.

Then where are we from? Are we all descendants of the Lenny Lenape?

When we talk to people in this areas of course we do not say we are from NYC. We need to be more specific.

Understood, but NJ'ans are not 'descendants' of NY'ers.

The government modeled suburban homes/districts in the 40s/50s/60s and people moved to them. This was the case with not only NYC but even old industrial cities like Newark, St. Louis, etc.

NJ has, without question, ties to NYC (and vice versa). However, the lines are drawn. NY wouldn't acknowledge Jersey as one of its own, and a lot of NJ'ers only acknowledge NY as our large neighbor (which isn't insignificant BTW).

It would be different if our cities came back

[cyntmac]

Central NJ has old small towns that were not considered as burbs until the 60's at least. Some are now calling that northern NJ too? The people who live there would disagree I can assure you.

I get the point in regard to much of Bergen County though. In the shadows sounds right for that area. I would say burb not borough though for most areas there.

[cyntmac]

Not everyone in NJ comes from Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, or Camden. We do have quite a few relatives of those areas on this board I think. My ancestors did not come from those towns including parents, grandparents.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

Northeast NJ is the sixth borough, plain and simple. Anyone who disagress is either not from here, or really very old.

Northeast NJ's landscape is just as dense as the other boroughs. Our traffic is just as bad if not worse. We have ethnic enclaves here as well. We are just as diverse. We are basically an extension of NYC.

Our Accent is even an offshoot of the NY accent.

I have never met anyone from Bergen, Hudson, Essex, or Union county say they are from anywhere other than New York when talking to an out of stater. When we talk to each other we get into more specifics. The same goes for anyone in Westchester, rockland, and long island.

The suburban areas were created for one thing. For people in the Urban areas to move too. Our closest urban area with the largest population is NYC.

How much of what goes on in NYC economics affects what goes on in northeast NJ and vice versa.

I beg to differ with you.....I was born & raised in Jersey City and I have NEVER, EVER claimed to have been from NYC

[hhughes]

NJ lost any identity years ago.....