Column by Jeff Katz
Where Are You From?
If you’re from White Plains or Scarsdale and someone asks you, “Where are you from?” you’d likely answer “Westchester County.” If you’re from Hauppauge or Port Jefferson and the same question is posed, you’d probably say “Suffolk County.” But if you live in Otsego County, what do you say?
Due to the prominence of Oneonta (regionally) and Cooperstown (nationally and internationally), we all tend to answer, “Where are you from?” using either Oneonta or Cooperstown as our reference point. Yet we all know every village and town in Otsego County has its own unique and special history. Why not start answering “Otsego County?”
Otsego County often feels disconnected. The distance between Cherry Valley and Unadilla is large, geographically and psychically. Edmeston doesn’t feel any shared sense of place with Worcester. Cooperstown and Oneonta are, as stated, dominant in name recognition.
You have reached your limit of 3 free articles
To Continue Reading
Our hard-copy and online publications cover the news of Otsego County by putting the community back into the newspaper. We are funded entirely by advertising and subscriptions. With your support, we continue to offer local, independent reporting that is not influenced by commercial or political ties.
