The reason why Westchester and Long Island are downstate and Rockland is upstate has nothing to do with urbanization or location, but rather historical connection to New York City. The Bronx used to be part of Westchester County until the late 19th century and much of Westchester's nomenclature still exists in the Bronx today; the Eastchester neighborhood used to be part of the present-day Town of Eastchester; there is an Eastchester Bay and Westchester Creek in the Bronx, as well as an Eastchester Road, White Plains Road, and Westchester Square. There is a Town of Pelham in Westchester as well as Pelham Bay Park, Pelham Bay, and Pelham Parkway in the Bronx. Also, there is a Bronx River and Bronx River Parkway running through the Bronx and Lower Westchester. However, by this method Upper Westchester might qualify as upstate because it really is not involved in the Bronx/Lower Westchester history, and has some upstate names (e.g. "-on Hudson","-kill" as in Peekskill).
Nassau County used to be part of Queens and that is apparent based on similar names on both sides of the city line. Little Neck is in Queens adjacent to Great Neck in Nassau County. There's an East Rockaway in Nassau and Far Rockaway in Queens. Also, some towns in Nassau on the Queens border have the same name as the QUeens neighborhoods on the other side, like Floral Park and Bellerose. Furthermore, many zip codes straddle the Queens-Nassau border.
Rockland has none of those. It does not border any borough of NYC nor share any history with it. In fact, Rockland County used to be part of Orange County (which is upstate according to most Rockland County residents) until about 1800. This is why Orangetown is in Rockland County.
Nassau County used to be part of Queens and that is apparent based on similar names on both sides of the city line. Little Neck is in Queens adjacent to Great Neck in Nassau County. There's an East Rockaway in Nassau and Far Rockaway in Queens. Also, some towns in Nassau on the Queens border have the same name as the QUeens neighborhoods on the other side, like Floral Park and Bellerose. Furthermore, many zip codes straddle the Queens-Nassau border.
Rockland has none of those. It does not border any borough of NYC nor share any history with it. In fact, Rockland County used to be part of Orange County (which is upstate according to most Rockland County residents) until about 1800. This is why Orangetown is in Rockland County.
Nobody seriously believes Rockland County is rural or far from the city, it just has no historical connection to the city, which Westchester and Nassau Counties do.
by YO Man July 16, 2004
Get the rocklandmug. by yo man February 20, 2003
Get the where you frommug. A phrase meaning adult height as opposed to a child. Does not necessarily mean a person measures at least 72 but no more than 73 inches.
by YO Man July 27, 2004
Get the 6 feet tallmug. Mount Vernon, NY. Near Yonkers and the Bronx. Used to have a large Italian-American population in the 60s and 70s, then a large black population moved in and the Italians moved to Eastchester (the next town up). Since then it has turned into a shithole.
by YO Man June 30, 2004
Get the MurDaVillemug. A city that people in Westchester get lost in and say to themselves "This is actually part of Westchester?" Yonkers is becoming more and more like the Bronx every day, especially the neighborhoods to the south and to the west. It ranges from the end-of-the-Earth looking areas on Tuckahoe Road to lower middle class guido areas in the southeast to horrible ghettos in the Nodine Hill area.
Strangely enough, Yonkers and Scarsdale are both in Westchester County, but then again the destitute city of Newark as well as the upscale burg where Tony Soprano lives are both in Essex County.
by YO Man August 02, 2004
Get the Yonkersmug. Possibly the most pathetic town I've ever been to. People often say upstate New York is more like the Midwest than New York City; that statement is downright insulting to the Midwest. Binghamton is an absolute shithole. It's not even nearly as nice and all-American as the Midwest, and no where near as cool and exciting as New York City. Locals are a bunch of fat Southern-wannabe Walmart-shopping rednecks with Confederate flags on their pickups. Binghamton Chamber of Commerce actually BRAGS that Binghamton was once the New York State Ku Klux Klan headquarters. My God. There's fucking one famous person to ever come out of Binghamton, Rod Serling, and they act like Serling is Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. BIG FUCKING DEAL! You know how many famous people came from New York City area! Like 75% of all celebrities!!! Binghamton is extremely one-dimension geographically. The whole city is Main St, and little side streets off Main St. In neighboring Vestal, everything is on the Vestal Parkway. That's it. By the way the food in Binghamton sucks. Upstate people really have no clue when it comes to food (except for wings though, that is ONE contribution Upstate NY made to society). It's also colder than southern Alaska in the winter. Whoopey.
If Spiedies are so fucking great why has no one ever heard of them? If they were actually good, why no national recognition?
by YO Man June 30, 2004
Get the Binghamtonmug. A city of 72,000 in the suburbs of New York City. Borders New York City (The Bronx specifically) by water but not by land. Consists of two very contrasting parts. The northern half of New Ro is Wykagyl which is an upper middle class snobfest with this gay chain deli called Cosi which looks like Starbucks and caters to country club Westchester types. The southern half of New Rochelle, downtown, is run-down and depressed. Not much here besides New Roc City, a large entertainment complex with a movie theater charging $10 per ticket. Singer Don McLean grew up here and New Rochelle is said to be the home of American Pie. Actor Ossie Davis is a current resident. Also, Matt Dillon was born in New Ro but grew up in Mamaroneck, the next town up the sound.
Why the fuck does UrbanDictionary now REQUIRE examples? OK, they just said that first sentence was too short and Now this is pissing me off.
by YO Man July 04, 2004
Get the New Rochellemug.