Have you noticed that Wayne County outlying communities use Detroit when convenient?

[angstlessk]

and deny it when it is not? Watching HGTV...saying it is about Detroit..but it is about Grosse Pointe....and NOT DETROIT...GRRRR

[mstinamotorcity]

1. Yes

Most people when asked from what part of Michigan they are from they will tell them their actual city. But the next question will be, how far is that from Detroit. But what gets me is when a person that you are talking with who once had residence in Detroit act as if when they moved to Warren,Grosse Pointe,Southfield,or Redford they act as if they moved a thousand miles away. I just start cracking up with laughter:rofl: and remind them there wittle town is only across the street from Detroit.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[dmr]

2. This is nothing new

I'm an old lady, I've heard this all my life. When my elderly relatives moved to Florida in the 50s, they told their new friends they were from Detroit. These people were born in the 1880s-1890s - that's why I said this is nothing new.

When I moved away in 1980, I said I was from Detroit. To my surprise, many people heard my Detroit accent! We all know everyone else has accents, we don't!

It's a regional thing. Today, with the computer you can key in Hazel Park & get a map that pin points where someone lives. Rest assured, someone in Nebraska will key in on the region, & say "Oh, ok, they're from the Detroit area".

If my elderly relatives, or myself in 1980 said that they / I were from Ferndale, Southfield or wherever, we would've been met with blank stares - because who else but a Detroiter would know those cities? Saying 'Detroit' adds ease to the conversation. If you have a more meaningful conversation, then you end up explaining your actual home town.

As an aside, I was born in Detroit, & lived inside Detroit for many years. I now live up north.

I also remember, back in the olden days, mail coming to our house which sometimes said after our street address "Detroit, 20, Michigan", instead of "Ferndale, 20, Michigan". That 20 eventually became 48220.

I know I'm rambling here, please forgive me. I just wanted to impress upon you that it's a regional thing. Those who live outside Detroit or Wayne County do have & feel strong connections.

I :hug: Detroit, & always will; & I never, ever let anyone bad-talk my city.

[susanna]

3. dmr, spot on!

This has been going on forever. NO ONE IN THE WORLD knows where Pontiac, Farmington Hills, Huntington Woods are...you say "Detroit" and they get it. Blame the automobile and Motown. :)

I'm one of those reverse-transplants...grew up in Oakland/Pontiac area and now reside in Detroit. So, for the first time in my life I can actually say I'm from Detroit, but I've really been saying it forever...because on the mitten-hand, we're all pretty much together.

It's never been any harm intended (to the OP). Just an easier way to explain where I'm from, that's all.

[spartan61]

4. I so agree with your post.

Even though I am a transplanted "Detroiter," (I'm actually from Downriver,) I still say I'm from Detroit. I have nothing but happy memories of Detroit from watching the Hudson's Christmas parade on Thanksgiving as a child, to taking the bus to go shopping at Crowley's, Kern's, Hudson's,etc., to eating a delicious ice cream cream puff with Sander's chocolate on top, and enjoying the Dakota Inn as a college student. BTW, I still use my mitten hand to show someone where I am from.

[Kaleva]

5. To me, all of SE Lower Michigan is Detroit.

[safeinOhio]

6. The best one is Eastpoint

use to be called East Detroit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastpointe,_Michigan