Borders and Exurbs
On Sunday, December 18th, the New York Times published two fascinating articles about related issues in different parts of the nation. In the National Report, Rick Lyman's "In Exurbs, Life Framed By Hours Spent in the Car," discussed the exigencies of congestion-plagued residents of burgeoning towns just north of Dallas. In the Long Island section, "The Defining Line: Examining Exactly Where Long Island Begins," Richard Korman takes readers on an excruciatingly specific journey down the 15.5 mile border which separates Nassau from Queens.
In both places, borders did not really interfere in most residents' lives. On Long Island, however, borders featured prominently in some residents' very identity. Perhaps the official demarcation of New York City's end is more significant to Islanders because New York City is more of a "destination" than Dallas. But at the same time, the stories told in Texas seem nearly impossible to tell on Long Island. Massive exurban migration from Dallas enables people to change their lifestyles, living in larger houses with only one couple working, sacrificing only longer commutes and "urban identities" for a more family-oriented life. This migration and exurban development much resembles the lifestyles portrayed in "Desperate Housewives." Unfortunately, this seems like something of a fantasy, even in places are far-flung as Mount Saini, New York -- more than 50 miles from Manhattan.
The two articles are about settlement patterns, but they're also about the power of local politics and how counties can be transformed by the very people who inhabit them. The Texas example shows how a town of 2,000 can take on the characteristics of a city in short order, while the Long Island example demonstrates how the line between the city and "the Island" can be blurred to the extent that it is largely irrelevant, and in some places entirely unnoticeable and unmarked.
In both places, borders did not really interfere in most residents' lives. On Long Island, however, borders featured prominently in some residents' very identity. Perhaps the official demarcation of New York City's end is more significant to Islanders because New York City is more of a "destination" than Dallas. But at the same time, the stories told in Texas seem nearly impossible to tell on Long Island. Massive exurban migration from Dallas enables people to change their lifestyles, living in larger houses with only one couple working, sacrificing only longer commutes and "urban identities" for a more family-oriented life. This migration and exurban development much resembles the lifestyles portrayed in "Desperate Housewives." Unfortunately, this seems like something of a fantasy, even in places are far-flung as Mount Saini, New York -- more than 50 miles from Manhattan.
The two articles are about settlement patterns, but they're also about the power of local politics and how counties can be transformed by the very people who inhabit them. The Texas example shows how a town of 2,000 can take on the characteristics of a city in short order, while the Long Island example demonstrates how the line between the city and "the Island" can be blurred to the extent that it is largely irrelevant, and in some places entirely unnoticeable and unmarked.
posted by Matty at 2:06 PM
1 Comments:
I'm just getting to the Times now. Usually, I read it early in the day, but not today. Too much going on.
As for the Nassau-Queens border, there are places where the difference is very obvious as you cross the border. This is driven primarily by zoning. When you drive along Northern Boulevard, the difference at the Nassau-Queens border is very clear.
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