History UsefulNotes / NewYorkState

* '''Central New York:''' Like many of upstate New York's urban centers, this area lived and died on the Erie Canal. Today, as one might guess, it is an economically depressed area, with cities like Syracuse, Oswego, Utica, and Rome all symbolizing the declining Rust Belt. Syracuse has a college which, due to its good journalism program and (arguably) better basketball program, often gets name-dropped in the news far more often than it probably deserves, and is also known for the Destiny USA mall. The eastern part of the region, formerly known as the Leatherstocking Country, is carved by the Mohawk and Susquehanna Rivers, and used to be the heart of the Iroquois Confederacy. It was of major strategic importance during the French and Indian War, as it was one of the main routes into the North American interior (which is why the Erie Canal is there) -- the British and French could easily attack the hearts of the other side's respective colonial empires through the Mohawk Valley. Syracuse also has the distinction of being the largest city in America to get the most snow, due in part to the lake effect off of Lake Ontario, and in part due to the Nor'easters that come up the coast. Cooperstown, best known for the National UsefulNotes/{{Baseball}} Hall of Fame and Museum, is in the hilly country in between the rivers.

Buffalo is notorious for getting blizzards that are gigantic even by the tough standards of upstate New York (though still not as large as the ones in Syracuse). The city made headlines in 2015 when a pile of plowed and shoveled snow from a massive blizzard the previous November was still there in ''July''. Dirt and debris had gathered on top, which not only insulated it from the summer heat, but even allowed ''grass'' to grow on it. The only reason it didn't last into August was because [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/31/humorless-buffalo-destroys-its-famous-snow-pile/ the city had it bulldozed]]. UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, meanwhile, was once a major hub of both the abolitionist and women's rights movements. In the early 19th century, the area, together with Central New York, was called the "burned-over district" due to all the religious revivals in the area -- it was so heavily evangelized that there was no "fuel" (people) left to "burn" (convert). Among the religious movements that emerged here were [[UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}} the Mormons]], the Millerites,[[note]]from which the Seventh-Day Adventists trace their roots[[/note]] the Shakers, the Oneida Community,[[note]]Who were originally a free-love Christian commune -- basically Jesus Freaks ''avant le lettre'' -- who eventually turned to making silverware as a means to support the community. The community fizzled by 1880, but the silverware company remains -- it's now known as Oneida Limited, it's one of the largest cutlery and tableware companies in the world, and it's still based in upstate New York. If you live in North America, you probably have Oneida flatware and tableware in your house.[[/note]] and the spiritualist movement, making it something of a 19th century version of UsefulNotes/{{California}} in terms of being a hub for new religious groups. In more recent times, they were home to the Eastman Kodak Company -- yes, ''that'' Kodak. Once [[TechnologyMarchesOn digital cameras and cell phone cameras decimated Kodak's business]], that left a lot of their employees in the lurch when they began downsizing (with other companies based in the area, like Xerox and Bausch & Lomb, following suit). All these technically-inclined unemployed people led to an influx of tech startups, so the city's economy has recovered from Kodak's faltering. Rochester is also home base of the regionally-beloved Wegmans, a chain of grocery stores with a significant following thanks to their sheer size/scope (though many of the ones in this area are their older, not as absurdly huge stores), commitment to quality product, and legendary customer service; you can find them as far south as Virginia these days.

** '''Hudson Highlands:''' A small chain of mountains that are part of the greater New York-New Jersey Highlands. It marks one of the most agreed-upon borders between upstate and downstate, or at least between the Upper and Lower Hudson Valleys, in terms of both geography (nothing like a big wall of mountains to do that) and culture (the suburban sprawl of Westchester and Rockland Counties halts almost entirely). Lots of state parks here, such as Harriman, Bear Mountain, and Clarence Fahnestock, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks United States Military Academy]] at West Point.

** '''Sleepy Hollow:''' The town made famous by Creator/WashingtonIrving in ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow''. It was actually known as North Tarrytown until 1996, when they finally changed the name to what everybody was already calling the place by that point.

* James Fenimore Cooper's ''Leatherstocking Tales'' were set in central New York, and helped to give part of the region the nickname of "Leatherstocking Country."

* '''Hudson Valley:''' The area immediately north of the city. Popular definition holds that "upstate New York" begins somewhere in this area -- exactly where depends on where in the Valley you live. [[note]]It's often said that people in the city think upstate starts at Yonkers, people in Yonkers think it starts at White Plains, people in White Plains think it starts at Stony Point, people in Stony Point think it starts at Newburgh, people in Newburgh think it starts at Poughkeepsie, people in Poughkeepsie think it starts at Kingston, and people in Kingston think it starts at Albany. Basically, unless you're sitting just south of Canada, wherever you live is ''not'' upstate, and everything north of you is.[[/note]] When most people talk about the Hudson Valley, they're usually speaking of Westchester and Rockland Counties, the two counties closest to the city, and the most suburbanized, home to happy, friendly, middle-class white families who commute to The City by Metro-North Railroad.[[note]]For reference, the other happy, friendly, middle class families in the area are in New Jersey, and commute to The City by UsefulNotes/NewJerseyTransit. [[/note]]\\

** '''Yonkers:''' The fourth-largest city in the state. Known for Music/LadyGaga, pro wrestling's Wrestling/TommyDreamer, Theatre/HelloDolly, and a long and sordid history of racial tensions that lasted well into TheNineties (they even made a racially-tinged fight over affordable housing in Yonkers into a Creator/DavidSimon-helmed Creator/{{HBO}} miniseries, ''Series/ShowMeAHero''). It followed the trend of many old industrial cities, though it never fell apart like they did. In addition to the usual Irish/Italian mix of the New York City area, it also has large Arab Christian and Eastern European communities.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] Also, New York is notable for its unusually high amount of public land, especially for an eastern state. While less than 0.3% of the state is owned by the federal government, the ''state'' owns more than 36%—the highest percentage of state-owned land in the country, including the West ''and even Alaska''. New York borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts by upstaters to split off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

* '''Southern Tier:''' Yeah, as you can gather, we're really not all that creative naming parts of upstate New York. (That's because all the creative types in the city don't care about upstate New York.) This area is located along the border between New York and UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}} west of the Catskills. Most of the area is hilly and sparsely populated, though there are a few pockets of industrial development in the river valleys (which include the upper reaches of the Susquehanna and Allegheny rivers). Binghamton, Elmira and Jamestown are the only sizable cities. Binghamton is the site of a large state university that often gets name-dropped in New York-based media, and the city recently entered the news after a guy went on [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binghamton_shootings a shooting spree]] at an immigration center[[note]]And then in 2022 an 18 year old man from nearby Conklin killed 10 people in a mass shooting in a Buffalo supermarket. The FBI is considering it a racially motivated terrorist attack[[/note]]. Not far from Binghamton is Apalachin, a small town that became very notorious for hosting a CriminalConvention of the [[UsefulNotes/TheMafia American Mafia's]] higher-ups in late 1957. As one can guess, it's a rather depressing place. The western part of the region also contains Allegheny State Park and Lake Chautauqua. Sits opposite the border from Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, with the combined [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Tiers Twin Tiers]] area being more of an item in local identity than which state you're in.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Principal Skinner claims ([[ASimplePlan as part of an elaborate scheme]]) that his family calls hamburgers "steamed hams" because they're from upstate New York. His boss Superintendant Chalmers explains that he's from Utica and he's never heard the phrase "steamed hams", but Skinner then clarifies it's an Albany expression.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] New York borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts by upstaters to split off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

* '''Capital District:''' As the name suggests, this area is home to Albany, the capital of the state of New York and a name that is often spoken in angry tones, accompanied by profanity, and likely in the pages of the ''[[UsefulNotes/AmericanNewspapers Post]]'' or the ''Daily News'' (as in "those f--kers in Albany are wasting my tax dollars"). Nearby Schenectady is the old home of General Electric, the part-owners (and former full owners) of Creator/{{NBC}} and [[Creator/{{Universal}} Universal Studios]]; they've since moved their headquarters to Connecticut, but they still have a ton of facilities in Schenectady and along the Hudson River, some of which are the reason why the Hudson has its reputation for being an extension of [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey]]. (They're gonna clean it up sometime. We swear.) It's also home to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WRGB one of the world's first television stations]] (where TV cooking-show host Creator/RachaelRay started her career) and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WGY_(AM) America's second commercial radio station]], which should be handy for trivia night. Less than an hour to the north at the foothills of the Adirondacks is Saratoga Springs, site of the Battles of Saratoga, a major turning point in UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution. It was once a prosperous resort town famed for its mineral springs (one of its restaurants is held by popular tradition to be the original home of the potato chip), and while it's since transitioned to high-tech manufacturing, it still has its famous racetrack, the third-oldest extant racetrack in the US (Freehold Raceway in New Jersey and Pleasanton Fairgrounds in California are older).\\

The area sits at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and is the eastern point on the Erie Canal. This allowed it to grow into a major industrial center in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and it also allowed many New Yorkers and New Englanders to settle in the Great Lakes region. Michigan, eastern Wisconsin, and northern Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois were historically known as being more traditionally Northeastern/"Yankee" than the actual Northeast for this very reason; a disproportionate number of settlements in these states, and particularly Michigan, are named after Upstate New York cities.[[note]]Seriously. They named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansing,_Michigan their capital]] after [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lansing,_New_York a tiny town in Tompkins County]].[[/note]] The rise of the more convenient St. Lawrence Seaway through Canada greatly reduced the old canal's relevance, and was a huge blow to the region's prospects (and those of upstate New York in general -- rest assured that this won't be the last time the Erie Canal is mentioned), but it is still the wealthiest part of upstate, home to over 1.1 million people. It has managed to weather the recession better than most places, thanks partly to its large sea of high-tech manufacturing jobs and companies (including the aforementioned GE) -- the "Tech Valley" would likely be considered the East Coast's Silicon Valley if it weren't for UsefulNotes/{{Boston}} being a rival for that title.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] New York borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts by upstaters to split off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] New York borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts by upstaters to split off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

Just as UsefulNotes/NewJersey is often [[{{Joisey}} stereotyped]] by NYC-based writers, so are the parts of New York State that aren't the BigApplesauce. To them, Long Island (or "[[UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents Lawn Guyland]]") is inhabited predominantly by the vapid East Coast cousins of the ValleyGirl, while upstate New York (meaning "everything north of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tappan_Zee_Bridge_(2017–present) Tappan Zee Bridge]]"[[note]]its official name is ''technically'' the "Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge" as of 2017, but nobody actually calls it that[[/note]]), to the extent that it's even acknowledged to exist, might just as well be a colder version of [[DeepSouth Alabama]][[note]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama,_New_York Like so]][[/note]] mixed with every [[DyingTown depressed Rust Belt town]] in existence--unless it's a ski resort or campground. Either that, or it's an extension of LovecraftCountry to the east, filled with [[HeadlessHorseman headless horsemen]] in Sleepy Hollow, {{time travel}} experiments in Montauk, and people in Buffalo and Rochester who talk to spirits. And then they wonder why upstaters want to secede so badly.

Just as UsefulNotes/NewJersey is often [[{{Joisey}} stereotyped]] by NYC-based writers, so are the parts of New York State that aren't the BigApplesauce. To them, Long Island (or "[[UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents Lawn Guyland]]") is inhabited predominantly by the vapid East Coast cousins of the ValleyGirl, while upstate New York (meaning "everything north of the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tappan_Zee_Bridge_(2017%E2%80%93present) Tappan Zee Bridge]]"[[note]]its official name is ''technically'' the "Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge" as of 2017, but nobody actually calls it that[[/note]]), to the extent that it's even acknowledged to exist, might just as well be a colder version of [[DeepSouth Alabama]][[note]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama,_New_York Like so]][[/note]] mixed with every [[DyingTown depressed Rust Belt town]] in existence--unless it's a ski resort or campground. Either that, or it's an extension of LovecraftCountry to the east, filled with [[HeadlessHorseman headless horsemen]] in Sleepy Hollow, {{time travel}} experiments in Montauk, and people in Buffalo and Rochester who talk to spirits. And then they wonder why upstaters want to secede so badly.

* UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}'s skyline, along with the land to the northeast of it along the Lake Ontario shoreline, serves as Port Charles, the city where ''Series/GeneralHospital'' is set.

* ''Film/BuffaloSixtySix'' is set in -- well, Buffalo.

* The sports movie ''Film/{{Miracle}}'', set during the Miracle on Ice at the [[UsefulNotes/OlympicGames 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics]].
* Despite its name, ''Film/LakePlacid'' is '''not''' set in the Adirondack town; it's actually set in Maine.

* ''Film/CanadianBacon'' is set partially in Niagara Falls, and is about a sheriff from the town.
* ''Film/TheManhattanProject'' is set in Ithaca. It was largely filmed not in Ithaca, but in Rockland County.
* The Creator/ElizaDushku b-movie ''Film/TheAlphabetKiller'' takes place in UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, and is loosely based on a actual serial murderer that plagued the city in the early 70s.

* In Film/PaperMan a struggling writer moves to a Long Island seaside town and develops a friendship with troubled high school student over the course of a winter.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] New York borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts to split the upstate off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] It borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts to split the upstate off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (NYC and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins; people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] It borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts to split the upstate off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (the city and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins – people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}, UsefulNotes/{{Florida}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wisconsin}}, UsefulNotes/{{Georgia|USA}}, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and UsefulNotes/NorthCarolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than UsefulNotes/{{Virginia}}. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War]].[[/note]] It borders the states of UsefulNotes/NewJersey, UsefulNotes/{{Pennsylvania}}, UsefulNotes/{{Vermont}}, UsefulNotes/{{Massachusetts}}, and Connecticut. While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts to split the upstate off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (the city and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins - people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

Has five boroughs, eight-and-a-half million people and is the center of the world. Oh, you were talking about that ''other'' New York? Well, then...

New York isn't called the Empire ''State'' for nothing. Of the state's estimated 19.5 million people, only 8.5 million live in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, leaving eleven million to be accounted for. The state is well and truly vast, being the fifth-largest by area east of the Mississippi,[[note]]After Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Illinois; if you exclude water area--which we aren't--New York admittedly drops down to seventh (with Alabama and North Carolina nudging ahead).[[/note]] and the second-largest by area of the original 13 states, behind only the state of Georgia.[[note]]Prior to about 1800, New York was larger than Georgia, but smaller than Virginia. Georgia gained a bunch of territory in about 1800 after some legal disputes were tidied up, and Virginia lost a bunch of territory when West Virginia [[RebelliousRebel seceded from Virginia when Virginia seceded from the Union]] during the Civil War.[[/note]] While the NYC suburbs within the state reach well up the Hudson River and nearly all the way down Long Island, the other 90% of the state (often known as "upstate") is culturally and geographically distinct from the city, and often resents the association. There have been several attempts to split the upstate off into the 51st state, and just as many attempts by downstaters (the city and its suburbs) to do likewise; such attempts usually flounder on who gets to keep the name "New York". Or even where "upstate" begins - people throughout the Hudson Valley especially tend to place the boundary one Thruway exit north of where they live. The state officially treats the counties from Dutchess southwards as part of the Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District; basically upstate begins with the Adirondacks and Catskills.

Buffalo is notorious for getting blizzards that are gigantic even by the tough standards of upstate New York (though still not as large as the ones in Syracuse). The city made headlines in 2015 when a pile of plowed and shoveled snow from a massive blizzard the previous November was still there in ''July''. Dirt and debris had gathered on top, which not only insulated it from the summer heat, but even allowed ''grass'' to grow on it. The only reason it didn't last into August was because [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/31/humorless-buffalo-destroys-its-famous-snow-pile/ the city had it bulldozed]]. UsefulNotes/{{Rochester}}, meanwhile, was once a major hub of both the abolitionist and women's rights movements. In the early 19th century, the area, together with Central New York, was called the "burned-over district" due to all the religious revivals in the area -- it was so heavily evangelized that there was no "fuel" (people) left to "burn" (convert). Among the religious movements that emerged here were [[UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}} the Mormons]], the Millerites, the Shakers, the Oneida Community,[[note]]Who were originally a free-love Christian commune -- basically Jesus Freaks ''avant le lettre'' -- who eventually turned to making silverware as a means to support the community. The community fizzled by 1880, but the silverware company remains -- it's now known as Oneida Limited, it's one of the largest cutlery and tableware companies in the world, and it's still based in upstate New York. If you live in North America, you probably have Oneida flatware and tableware in your house.[[/note]] and the spiritualist movement, making it something of a 19th century version of UsefulNotes/{{California}} in terms of being a hub for new religious groups. In more recent times, they were home to the Eastman Kodak Company -- yes, ''that'' Kodak. Once [[TechnologyMarchesOn digital cameras and cell phone cameras decimated Kodak's business]], that left a lot of their employees in the lurch when they began downsizing (with other companies based in the area, like Xerox and Bausch & Lomb, following suit). All these technically-inclined unemployed people led to an influx of tech startups, so the city's economy has recovered from Kodak's faltering. Rochester is also home base of the regionally-beloved Wegmans, a chain of grocery stores with a significant following thanks to their sheer size/scope (though many of the ones in this area are their older, not as absurdly huge stores), commitment to quality product, and legendary customer service; you can find them as far south as Virginia these days.

* '''Catskill Mountains:''' The source of the Delaware River, from which New York City gets its water.[[note]]Also UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}}, which is actually ''on'' the freakin' Delaware, but consistently loses to NYC over water rights (it's not a huge deal, since Philly's on the Lower Delaware where there's more water, but the Northeastern PA cities that get their water from near the state line always have Philly's support).[[/note]] Most of the area is kept as a forest preserve/state park, which serves the dual purpose of protecting the city's water supply[[note]]Contrary to popular belief, New York's water is some of the cleanest in the nation. It's only the Hudson River that's toxic.[[/note]] and providing New Yorkers with easily accessible nature. Consequently, the area is home to some of the closest ski resorts, hiking trails, and summer camps to the city -- and unlike [[{{Joisey}} New Jersey]], our campgrounds aren't stalked by [[Franchise/FridayThe13th masked, machete-wielding slashers]]. Located on the eastern edge of the region, the town of Woodstock, the namesake (but not the site) of [[UsefulNotes/{{Woodstock}} rock festival]], has a reputation as a center for art and music stretching back for more than a century. In the mid-20th century, before UsefulNotes/{{civil rights|Movement}} and the rise of cheap air travel, this area was home to the BorschtBelt, a collection of summer resorts and campgrounds that welcomed New York's Jews when most other resorts discriminated against them. The stand-up comics who performed here soon became famous for their trademark "Jewish humor".

** '''New Paltz:''' A small town in Ulster County that would've otherwise escaped notice if it hadn't [[FifteenMinutesOfFame briefly entered the news]] in 2004, when its mayor (representing the Green Party) conducted same-sex marriages years before the state legalized them.