This REALLY ticked me off when I lived in NY

[smstonypoint]

No, NY is the only state I recall hearing the upstate term.

Georgia is generally north, middle and south and then Atlanta as if it's a seperate state.

South Carolina has an Upstate -- I have a residence there.

Steve

 

[Rustyiron]

Heck, I use to live around Morganton WV and not once did I ever hear the term "upstate West Virginia".

You sure do get around! Iirc you started in ME. I see a definite southern migration trend here.
Was this for work or just the way things worked out?

 

[Sigarms]

You sure do get around! Iirc you started in ME. I see a definite southern migration trend here.
Was this for work or just the way things worked out?

Air force brat, joined myself then, then college and after college working, single no children, and they paid me to move because they thought I needed a moving truck. I got married at around age 38, and up until that time, litterally slept in a sleeping bag on a thermarest, had ONE EMS folding chair and a box of pots and pans and clothes (guns occasionally, left the majority with my parents) . It was VERY easy to move. The biggest stuff I had to haul was my kayaks, mountain bike and snowboard.

 

[Sigarms]

South Carolina has an Upstate -- I have a residence there.

Came close to moving just north of Greenville, beautiful area up there.

 

[smstonypoint]

Came close to moving just north of Greenville, beautiful area up there.

Yes. Maintaining SC as my permanent residence has some tax advantages.

Steve

 

[Rustyiron]

my kayaks, mountain bike and snowboard.

Well that explains the back operation and your shoulder:laughing:
Your running out of east coast, but those boy's will settle you down:thumbsup:

 

[LouNY]

Oh, no, no, no! Sorry, my apologies if you thought I meant you. By stupid people, I meant other people, present company excepted of course!

When it comes to the term "upstate", I think there's at least 2 definitions.

1) Relative to the speaker's location, either north or upstream as has been pointed out. Speaker should be aware of their audiences location too as the term may not be relative to them. Thus if your speaking to a statewide or nationwide audience, Binghamton is NOT upstate NY!
Another definition is
2) A location that is not relative to speaker's location, but involves looking at a map. A location geographically in the northern part of NY. By northern, I mean at least north of Albany or the Mohawk River, but not west of (say) Syracuse, or otherwise part of central, western, or southern NY.

One can conclude that when a word has no shared meaning, it is meaningless.

I'd say that your #2 had a good definition of upstate. This wouldn't be a bad state if we could remove Albany and Buffalo toss them into NYC and then cut whole mess off and send it out to sea.
I was born and raised here, then the USMC got me to traveling for a few years after I got out ended up in Idaho :thumbsup: (Treasure Valley) for several years, till the silver bust ended up sending me to Texas :thumbsup: (West) for work then Colorado :thumbdown: (Front Range, Pueblo) then back to New York for family. As far as I'm concerned Idaho is #1, sorry Texas your #2, Colorado a distance 3rd(Western Slope is great), and now back here can't even give it a number of course it could be improved greatly with the removal of Cumo. In my opinion.
P.S. anything more then 10 miles south of me is downstate.

 

[Rustyiron]

P.S. anything more then 10 miles south of me is downstate.

:laughing:

 

[Sigarms]

Well that explains the back operation and your shoulder:laughing:
Your running out of east coast, but those boy's will settle you down:thumbsup:

The back was due to jumping and running. The shoulder due to kayaking.

Running of "mountain east" coast for sure. Took my girlfriend (now wife) out west with me one time. When it's time to retire, we have agreed it will most likely will be Utah or Arizona LOL

Now, all that said, the "real upstate" New York was one of my most favorite states

 

[PhysAssist]

I'd say that your #2 had a good definition of upstate. This wouldn't be a bad state if we could remove Albany and Buffalo toss them into NYC and then cut whole mess off and send it out to sea.
I was born and raised here, then the USMC got me to traveling for a few years after I got out ended up in Idaho :thumbsup: (Treasure Valley) for several years, till the silver bust ended up sending me to Texas :thumbsup: (West) for work then Colorado :thumbdown: (Front Range, Pueblo) then back to New York for family. As far as I'm concerned Idaho is #1, sorry Texas your #2, Colorado a distance 3rd(Western Slope is great), and now back here can't even give it a number of course it could be improved greatly with the removal of Cumo. In my opinion.
P.S. anything more then 10 miles south of me is downstate.

What beef have you with Buffalo?

Not that it's particularly near and dear to me in any sense...