Is there animosity or rivalry between Anchorage and Fairbanks? (Kenai: living in, vs)

[Harrier]

Harrier got the impression through reading some comments in another thread that there may be some "bad blood" between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

This is interesting to Harrier because in California, such animosity has existed between northern and southern California going back to when the state belonged to Mexico.

Whatever the reasons - cultural(L.A. people think of SFers as being snobs while SFers think that Angelenos are slackers and "barbarians"), geographical(the north is green and rural with the exception of the major "real" cities that really began the growth of the state, while southern California is a desert that took away the prestige of the Bay Area by building "unauthentic" cities that are defined by urban sprawl), political(north=liberal, south=conservative), or natural resource conflict(the north hates L.A. because we "steal" their water), there is a rift between our two distinct regions, and in particular San Franciscans don't like Angelenos and vice versa.

Harrier walked into a barber shop on Market Street in San Francisco and asked for a haircut. He made the mistake of telling to barber where he was from. The man said "you can leave".

He ended up cutting Harrier's hair, but that illustrates the mistrust that exists between our two cities.

So, is there a similar disconnect between Anchorage and Fairbanks, or is Harrier trying to hard to see something that is just not present?

[Dakster]

Was Harrier referring to himself in the third person when Harrier asked for a hair cut?

[notoriouskelly]

FairWHO?

You've heard of 6 degrees of separation? well, in Alaska it's more like 2° - if that.

So people choose their battles wisely and I didn't notice much rivalry in my time up there.

Kenai vs Soldotna however..........

[Harrier]

Originally Posted by Dakster

Was Harrier referring to himself in the third person when Harrier asked for a hair cut?

No.

[Glitch]

Naw, there is no rivalry between "Squarebanks" and "Los Anchorage."

[AK76]

Perhaps a little between Fairbanks and Anchorage, but none between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

[Glitch]

Anchorage, in general, is not thought very highly by anyone in Alaska, except perhaps those who live there. Anchorage is more culturally and socially tied to the lower-48 than the rest of Alaska (which is one of the reasons why we recommend lower-48ers move to Anchorage first). You will find pretty much the same attitude toward Anchorage in Fairbanks as you would in Delta Junction, Glennallen, Talkeetna, etc. Anchorage is a nice place to shop, but nobody wants to live there.

[heathen]

Originally Posted by AK76

Perhaps a little between Fairbanks and Anchorage, but none between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

The impression I got when living in southcentral was that everyone in Fairbanks were backwards inbred hillbillies who couldn't make a go of life anywhere else, so they settled in a place so cold that reasonable civilized people would stay away... Kinda like how eastern seaboarders have traditionally viewed Appalachia. Personally, I think regional rivalry is great, it helps ensure that different types of people are attracted to different places, allowing real variety and options when one is deciding where to live. Otherwise we end up with everywhere looking like the main drag in Eagle River...

[AK76]

Originally Posted by heathen

The impression I got when living in southcentral was that everyone in Fairbanks were backwards inbred hillbillies who couldn't make a go of life anywhere else, so they settled in a place so cold that reasonable civilized people would stay away... Kinda like how eastern seaboarders have traditionally viewed Appalachia. Personally, I think regional rivalry is great, it helps ensure that different types of people are attracted to different places, allowing real variety and options when one is deciding where to live. Otherwise we end up with everywhere looking like the main drag in Eagle River...

I will go as far to say that many who live in the Fairbanks/North Pole area are generaly anti-social, but that does not make FB/NP an exception, that is a common trait in Alaska, people enjoy their independance and many prefer anonymity.

I think regional rivalry is ridiculous, but I do not waste any energy, or worry over it to begin with. At least many have respect and appreciation for a fellow "Alaskan", though, sadly, that is fading rapidly. Alaska is no where near as "friendly" as it once was.

[Chilkoot]

Originally Posted by Dakster

Was Harrier referring to himself in the third person when Harrier asked for a hair cut?

There's a Sienfeld episode like this.