Where does "pittsburgh" end in the abstract?

[PghUSA]

I would be interested in the responses. NYC is considered everything between Philly, Albany and Boston, LA is really considered the "southland" everything between SF and Phoenix. I know folks in Charleston, WV that lovingly refer to Pittsburgh as the "capital", when National News broke out in Stubenville and Youngstown Ohio they interviewed them in Pittsburgh. The Bluecross and Blueshiled organization consider everything from stubenville to altoona and south almost to NorthCarolina as Pittsburgh, so do the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. So if they consider all of WV a third of Maryland and Ohio and half of Pennsylvania with 1/8th of New York State the "pittsburgh district" why can't we?

[Evergrey]

This is an interesting topic and something I think about constantly.

Well, I guess I would consider Pittsburgh to be the MSA... but Pittsburgh country to be the 2nd last option... basically the extent of the designated market area/tv coverage. Pittsburgh country includes the western half of Pennsylvania... as far east as State College... although there is some Buffalo and Cleveland influences in the northwestern quarter... the western panhandle of Maryland (Cumberland/Frostburg region)... the northern sections of West Virginia (Weirton, Wheeling, Morgantown)... with a somewhat diminished presence throughout central WV (Charleston, Snowshoe)... east-central/southeast Ohio... as far north as Youngstown... which can also be partially claimed as Cleveland... and including such areas as E. Liverpool, Steubenville, St. Clairsville.

[DBR96]

Interesting topic.

Whenever I drive to Pittsburgh, I start to get that "Pittsburgh is just over those hills" feeling once I reach Clarksburg, WV.

A few other cities that I begin to "feel," and where I begin to "feel" them...

Atlanta, GA: I-75 southbound south of Chattanooga, TN, and northbound north of Macon, GA; I-85 southbound south of Anderson, SC, and northbound north of LaGrange, GA; I-20 westbound west of Madison, GA, and eastbound east of Anniston, AL.

Birmingham, AL: I-20 westbound west of Anniston, AL, and eastbound (with I-59 northbound) east of Tuscaloosa, AL; I-65 southbound south of Huntsville, AL.

Nashville, TN: I-24 westbound west of Monteagle, TN, and eastbound east of Hopkinsville, KY; I-65 northbound north of Huntsville, AL.

Jacksonville, FL: I-95 northbound north of St. Augustine, FL, and southbound south of Brunswick, GA; U.S. 1 southbound south of Waycross, GA.

New Orleans, LA: I-10 westbound west of Biloxi, MS; I-12 eastbound east of Baton Rouge, LA.

St. Louis, MO: I-64 westbound west of Mt. Vernon, IL; I-70 eastbound east of Warrenton, MO.

Kansas City, MO: I-35 southbound south of Cameron, MO; I-29 southbound south of St. Joseph, MO; U.S. 36 westbound west of Brookfield, MO.

Washington, D.C. I-95 northbound north of Richmond, VA, and southbound south of Baltimore, MD; I-70 eastbound east of Hagerstown, MD.

Philadelphia, PA: I-95 northbound north of Baltimore, MD, and southbound south of Princeton, NJ.

New York, NY: I-95 northbound north of Princeton, NJ; I-78 eastbound east of the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line; I-495 (the Long Island Expressway) for its entire length.

Los Angeles, CA: I-10 westbound west of Twentynine Palms, CA; I-15 southbound south of Barstow, CA; I-5 southbound south of Bakersfield, CA.

Las Vegas, NV: I-15 northbound north of the California/Nevada state line.

Phoenix, AZ: I-10 eastbound east of the La Paz/Maricopa County line; U.S. 60 eastbound east of Wickenburg, AZ.

Sacramento, CA: I-5 northbound north of Modesto, CA; I-80 westbound west of Donner Pass, CA; U.S. 50 westbound west of Placerville, CA.

Reno, NV: I-80 eastbound east of Donner Pass, CA; U.S. 50 eastbound east of Lake Tahoe, NV; U.S. 395 northbound north of Carson City, NV.

San Francisco, CA: I-80 westbound west of Sacramento, CA; U.S. 101 northbound north of Gilroy, CA; CA 152 westbound west of Los Banos, CA.

[PghUSA]

good points evergrey,

DBR, you point out something interesting many other cities (like NY and "southland" LA and "Chicagoland") claim every ear of corn or patch of sand between them and the next biggest city (in LAs case this sometimes includes San Diego and Riverside and Bakersfield and even Las Vegas, for Chicago really it stops around St. Louis and Cincinnati and Detriot--Indianapolis for years was just chicago southeast, Pittsburgh i guess because of the topography and the isolated culture it breeds doesnt have this "METROPLEX" view of the world where only a city of like size can end its influence, and if there is no city of like size its influence continues and continues for hundreds of miles. As far as I go its the SE/SC Ohio, all of West Virginia, West Maryland and a patch of SW NY State. Interested in more opinions though.

[TheGerbil]

I usually think of the Pittsburgh area as being the southwest corner of PA, parts of WV and bits of Ohio. But many people see it as extending further than that. In many ways, Erie is part of Pittsburgh. Yes it's a separate city, but the influence is very noticeable. The yshop at Giant Eagle, they root for the Steelers and Pens (though for baseball I think they tend to go Indians).

State College is considered by many to be part of the Pittsburgh area, too.

It's kind of fuzzy, I guess. But interesting to think about.

[Evergrey]

I consider State College part of the Pittsburgh area. Sure, there is a considerable Philly influence from the tons of Philly students here. But the local population definately gravitates towards Pittsburgh instead of Philly (Pittsburgh is also about an hour closer). We get Pirates games here, not Phillies games. We're also bundled in with Altoona and Johnstown when it comes to TV... and those 2 cities are definately Pittsburgh country.

[Oldmanladyluck]

I agree, Pittsburgh does have it's influence, and Erie would be part of Pittsburgh. Parts of SW Ohio are by Pittsburgh, and I'm sure that they even get some of Pittsburgh's radio stations playing in their car!!

[PghUSA]

Interesting Responses on this one,

Interesting further that on other BBs everyone seems to think Pittsburgh ends at the city limits and yet there is not a single vote for Allegheny County or the Census defined Metroplex, very interesting

[Evergrey]

What BBs are you referring to?

[PghUSA]

http://discuss.pittsburghlive.com/viewtopi...t=consolidation

true this is talking consolidation, but it proves my point in a way if most of us feel that the pittsburgh region spreads out 100 miles in every direction of the point, then why does the city proper only spread out 5 to 10 miles from the point? Shouldnt the city vs. burbs be at least a 50/50 endeavor or maybe 40/60, other metroplexes seem to get by with that.