Upstate New York

Image:Map of New York highlighting Upstate.png

Upstate New York is the region of New York State outside of the core of the New York metropolitan area.

The ambiguous definition of "Upstate New York"

The exact definition of Upstate New York is somewhat ambiguous, but the term often describes the whole of the state besides New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, an area sometimes correspondingly called downstate. Because both Rockland County and Orange County contain many communities of New York City commuters, they are sometimes not considered part of Upstate New York. Putnam County and Dutchess County (at least from Poughkeepsie on south) also are often no longer considered to be part of Upstate New York as more and more New York City commuters have moved there as well and turned once rural counties into distant suburbs of the metropolis. Some residents use the term in a sense relative to their location, and might consider only the far north upstate. Others consider Upstate New York as only those areas that are actually more-or-less due north of New York City. Still others view "upstate" vs. "downstate" in terms of weather and climate, particularly that of the wintertime. While cold snaps and snowstorms are certainly a part of many winters in the New York metropolitan area, there is a point somewhere north of New York City where winter mornings suddenly average 10 degrees colder and a rainstorm in Manhattan more often than not becomes a snowstorm. Some say that point (usually said to be north of I-287 or sometimes I-84) marks the beginnings of Upstate New York. Ultimately, most use the term upstate to denote areas that are both somewhat north of and considerably more rural than their home location. Only residents north and west of Albany tend to embrace the term "upstate" as describing their location; south of the Capital Region people tend to find it to be an insulting manifestation of the famous New Yorker magazine's view of the world.

Characteristics of Upstate New York

The region is culturally and economically distinct from the New York City area, though in the Hudson Valley Dutchess, Rockland, Putnam, and Orange Counties are considered peripheral sections of the metro area. The true upstate area consists of a handful of small and medium-sized cities, squarely in the Rust Belt, which are spread out across the broader region, astride a number of suburban communities, and are all set amid what is a largely rural landscape. Though there are some centers of wealth, much of the area is relatively economically depressed, with poverty levels comparable to the American South. Perhaps stemming from the region's semi-rural character, there is a stronger tendency toward conservatism in culture and politics than found in the more urban downstate area, and Upstate is the power base of the state's Republican Party. This has historically fueled many political struggles with largely downstate-based Democrats in the New York Legislature. There are several exceptions to this rule, including Erie County (Buffalo), Monroe County (Rochester), Tompkins County (Ithaca), Albany County (Albany), Clinton, Franklin, and St. Lawrence counties (influence of Canada). Ulster County, while having no urban centers, has consistently voted Democratic in presidential elections and is the epicenter of progressive U.S. congressman Maurice Hinchey's district.

Upstate New York geography

The headwaters of the Delaware, Susquehanna, and Hudson rivers are located in the region. The region is characterized by the major mountain ranges and large lakes. The sizes of upstate counties and towns are generally larger in area and smaller in populaton, compared with the downstate region, although there are exceptions. The smallest county in population is Hamilton County in upstate New York, while the largest in population is Kings County, part of New York City. The largest county in area is St. Lawrence County on the state's northern border, and the smallest county is New York County, also in New York City.

Upstate New York history

Before the arrival of European settlement, the area was inhabited by a mixture of Iroquois-speaking people (mainly west of the Hudson) and Algonquin-speaking people (mainly east of the Hudson). The conflict between the two peoples was an important historical force in the days of the early European colonization. The region was important beginning in the very early days of both the French Colonization and Dutch colonization, where much of the fur trade of the New Netherland colony was located in the upper Hudson Valley. The area was the scene of much of the fighting in the French and Indian War, events which were depicted in the work of James Fenimore Cooper. The region was strategically important in the American Revolution, and was the scene of several important battles, including the Battle of Saratoga, which is considered to have a signficant turning point in the war. While New York City remained in the hands of the British during most of the war, the upstate region was firmly in the hands of the Colonial forces. In the 19th century, with the opening of the Erie Canal, the area became an important component of the manufacturing industry in the United States. In recent decades, with the decline of manufacturing, the area has generally suffered a net population loss.

Lists of important features of Upstate New York

Famous political figures who came from the region:

The region is considered to be the cradle of Mormonism, as well as the Women's Suffrage movement. It was important historically in the Shaker movment.

Regions of Upstate New York:

Adirondack Mountains (sometimes "Upstate New York", or the North Country)
Capital District (Albany and the surrounding area)
Catskill Mountains
Central New York (includes Syracuse)
Finger Lakes
The Holland Purchase
Hudson Valley (except Westchester County)
Mohawk Valley
Shawangunk Ridge
Southern Tier (just north of Pennsylvania, excluding Western New York)
Western New York (the westernmost tip; includes Buffalo and Rochester)

Cities in Upstate New York include:

Albany (the state capital)
Binghamton
Buffalo (the largest city in Upstate New York)
Elmira
Ithaca
Jamestown
Niagara Falls
Poughkeepsie
Rochester
Rome
Syracuse
Troy
Utica
Watertown

Major universities in Upstate New York include:

University at Albany (part of the SUNY system)
Alfred University
Binghamton University (part of the SUNY system)
University at Buffalo (part of the SUNY system)
Clarkson University
Cornell University
Niagara University
University of Rochester
Syracuse University

Tourist attractions and resort destinations in Upstate New York include:

Largest Cities and Towns
Regions of New York	Flag of New York
Adirondack Mountains	Capital District > Catskill Mountains	Central New York > Finger Lakes	Holland Purchase > Hudson Valley	Long Island > Mohawk Valley	New York City > New York Metro Area	Shawangunks > Southern Tier	Upstate New York > Western New York
Albany	Amherst > Binghamton	Buffalo > Clay	Hempstead > Irondequoit	Mount Vernon > New Rochelle	Niagara Falls	Schenectady	Syracuse > Troy	Utica > White Plains	Yonkers
Counties
Albany	Allegany > Bronx (The Bronx) \| Broome	Cattaraugus > Cayuga	Chautauqua > Chemung	Chenango > Clinton	Columbia > Cortland	Delaware > Dutchess	Erie > Essex	Franklin > Fulton	Genesee > Greene	Hamilton > Herkimer	Jefferson > Kings (Brooklyn) \| Lewis	Livingston > Madison	Monroe > Montgomery	Nassau > New York (Manhattan) \| Niagara	Oneida > Onondaga	Ontario > Orange	Orleans > Oswego	Otsego > Putnam	Queens (Queens) > Rensselaer	Richmond (Staten Island) > Rockland	Saratoga > Schenectady	Schoharie > Schuyler	Seneca > St. Lawrence	Steuben > Suffolk	Sullivan > Tioga	Tompkins > Ulster	Warren > Washington	Wayne > Westchester	Wyoming > Yates

Category:New York geography

pstate New York Ustate New York Uptate New York Upsate New York Upstte New York Upstae New York Upstat New York UpstateNew York Upstate ew York Upstate Nw York Upstate Ne York Upstate NewYork Upstate New ork Upstate New Yrk Upstate New Yok Upstate New Yor pUstate New York Usptate New York Uptsate New York Upsatte New York Upsttae New York Upstaet New York Upstat eNew York UpstateN ew York Upstate eNw York Upstate Nwe York Upstate Ne wYork Upstate NewY ork Upstate New oYrk Upstate New Yrok Upstate New Yokr Upstate New Yor UUpstate New York Uppstate New York Upsstate New York Upsttate New York Upstaate New York Upstatte New York Upstatee New York Upstate New York Upstate NNew York Upstate Neew York Upstate Neww York Upstate New York Upstate New YYork Upstate New Yoork Upstate New Yorrk Upstate New Yorkk pstate new york ustate new york uptate new york upsate new york upstte new york upstae new york upstat new york upstatenew york upstate ew york upstate nw york upstate ne york upstate newyork upstate new ork upstate new yrk upstate new yok upstate new yor pustate new york usptate new york uptsate new york upsatte new york upsttae new york upstaet new york upstat enew york upstaten ew york upstate enw york upstate nwe york upstate ne wyork upstate newy ork upstate new oyrk upstate new yrok upstate new yokr upstate new yor uupstate new york uppstate new york upsstate new york upsttate new york upstaate new york upstatte new york upstatee new york upstate new york upstate nnew york upstate neew york upstate neww york upstate new york upstate new yyork upstate new yoork upstate new yorrk upstate new yorkk

Search box

More info