up-state/down-state

[David Barnhart]

The "why" for up- vs. down- in the terms is suggested to have something to
do with river flow direction in some cases, anyway.



I suggest that people take a look at:



1.)    ADS-L archives (205 messages contain _down-state_ or _downstate_,
although not all pertain to this discussion)

2.)    The entry for _down_ (B., 1), in which one quotation in particular
struck me:



1943 LANE map 720 .. In western Vermont and in central and western
Massachusetts the regional orientation is very complicated and varied. .



I live in Poughkeepsie, NY, about 75 miles north of New York City
(approximately the same distance from Albany to our north).  I have lived
most of my life somewhere in the lower Hudson Valley-on the east bank of the
Hudson River.  The MetroNorth Commuter RR starts its early morning service
from Poughkeepsie.   I do not feel that I live "upstate".  Rhinebeck and
Hudson and Kingston, not very far to the north and west, seem upstate to me.
I'm not sure about Newburgh to the south on the west bank of the Hudson.  My
son, William (age 21, at last), this morning when prodded said Albany is
upstate to him and NYC is not downstate.  Give me a day or two and I'll
query some local folks.



Regards,

David



Barnhart at highlands.com

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