Do any other non-Chicagoans hate being call "down staters"?

[dcisive]

Interestingly enough, I have a home based business where I happen to follow building permit activities for my clients. But as mentioned before, if there was any commonality between the death or demise of virtually ALL cities or large towns over these last 40+ years, it would be the loss of the very industry that helped establish them. Danville as well as Decatur lost most all of their manufacturing jobs that made them what they once were. A thriving community. Throughout the Midwest and even back east it's much the same story.

I recall growing up in the 50's and early 60's in the South Deering area (the Manor) and how there was so much industry. Steel mills humming, All kinds of plants humming away, a Lever Brothers plant, a malting plant for beer production, Sherwin-Williams plant (little did we know emitting toxic fumes that caused many to end up with cancer later in life). But I digress. It's all about the industry and businesses that made all the areas so prosperous, that are now gone. What ends up often taking over is a lowering of the living standards and with that comes the crime. It's a sad change but one that can be well documented across the Midwest and back east. Chicago is no exception. I used to travel Wisconsin extensively and have to say for some reason, the areas outside of Milwaukee and Madison maintained very nicely indeed. They didn't experience the denigration one often sees throughout Illinois. I suppose the tight knit nature of those smaller cities and towns has something to do with it. A completely different mindset, I guess. And low crime as well. Go figure.

[Kmanshouse]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Kmanshouse good morning,

As much as a Positive person I hope you might believe me to be, I have to be honest:

I do have a slight concern on the housing development that they are proposing by your nearby L station.

I hope it only brings community-based residents! Your area unfortunately has enough incidents as of late that I hope it does NOT go back to the "iffy" neighborhood that it once was before you moved there (as you have been told it was, in prior years).

It definitely is one of my favorite areas of the city. If they put up the lights on the main street, with this light snow, I'm certain it looks BEAUTIFUL!

Time will tell. The bad activity seems to have subsided lately at least.

We rent - we can move pretty easily if need be. But I think it'll be fine.