Quote:
Originally Posted by skysoar
I lived in the Akron area for over forty years and the citizens there identify themselves from Akron and no other city. Northeast Ohio is more like the New England region (Boston, Providence, Manchester etc) but not like Dallas-Fort Worth or Minneapolis-St.Paul.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by westak
I've worked in Cleveland, Akron and the Canton area and the people from all three generally indentify independently of each other...Even Akron and Canton which essentially border each other.
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Yes, of course people from Akron identify with being from Akron to others within the NE Ohio region, as well as to others within the state and within the broader regional context.
But if they're talking to someone from Rhode Island or Florida or Oregon or Texas, and asked where they're from, people say "Akron, Ohio", and if met with any uncertainty or unfamiliarity, the follow up is possibly "Northeast Ohio" or "just south of Cleveland" or "it's near Cleveland" or "the Cleveland area".
The average person outside of Ohio and the general overall region has no clue where Akron is... they've likely heard the name, but don't associate it with any particular location. Cleveland is moderately relatable for the average person, and Akron is close enough and connected enough that "Cleveland" does indeed serve as proxy to respond to the majority of people who have zero clue about geography.
I used to witness it all the time in medical school and when training residents who were from the area going to school in NYC. Stow, OH (a northern Akron suburb) became just "northeast Ohio" and then when people were like "what's northeast Ohio?", it became just "Cleveland". Students who had attended Kent State went to school "near Cleveland".
Quote:
Originally Posted by westak
Nobod(or very few people) from Akron...and I mean born in/or raised in Akron or the Akron area(south of the Turnpike) would say they are from Cleveland. Northeast Ohio, yes...but not Cleveland or "The Cleveland Area".
Concerning Lebron he's never claimed to be from Cleveland, that's been sportscasters or writers from outside the area. In fact here is story were Leborn makes that clear:
The other thing is I don't believe most Clevelanders look at Akron as being a part of Cleveland. Do they look at Akron as being a part of the region and a neighbor, sure. However I don't think most look at Akron as some sort extention of Cleveland.
Ultimately I can see how you as an outsider may see or look at Akron as ring city of Cleveland, I'm just trying to explain to you how it is here on the ground, at least in Akron.
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I never said LeBron claimed he was from Cleveland. He is widely identified in the sports world as being from Cleveland though (false as it is)... the "hometown boy", "bringing a championship back to his hometown", "playing for his hometown team", etc. And that's because Akron is identified with Cleveland.
I don't believe Akron even has its own local TV channels anymore -- they're served by Cleveland's. Correct?
Again, I don't think Akron to Cleveland is an equal ring city situation to the examples of Waukegan or Aurora or Joliet to Chicago. I know that Akron is solidly its own city. And Cleveland obviously does not have anywhere near the pull on nearby cities, nor the instant national familiarity that Chicago has. So it's definitely not on that level... I said so initially.
I'm just saying that it is now valid to consider (at least for argument's sake) Akron as a ring city of Cleveland... not that Akron is "a part of" or an "extension" of Cleveland, per se. But Cleveland has indeed grown/sprawled to connect with and supersede Akron's full "independence" -- the Cleveland TV stations example is a prime indicator of that. And there's always been connection and outsized influence from Cleveland on the smaller city, Akron... for instance, small examples like the Cavs used to play in Richfield (smack dab at the halfway point between Cleveland and Akron), and 1970s and 80s Cleveland sprawl was pushing down 71 and 77 from Strongsville and Brecksville to Richfield and then to begin 1990s Cleveland McMansion sprawl pushing down further into Bath and surroundings closer to Akron. When bands on their summer tours play their "Cleveland" concerts, they play at Blossom... in an Akron suburb... and it's where the
Cleveland Symphony built their summer performance amphitheater home.
Akron will always have its individual identity, but like it or not, Akron has taken on many of the attributes of being a spoke on the ring around the main hub. And for regional economic good health, it should (and will) continue to do so.