Ithacaview.com

In Ithaca, we all live somewhere that’s not Ithaca. Long-time residents always talk "neighborhoods" to each other and "Ithaca" to outsiders. "I live in Belle Sherman, Fall Creek, South Hill, Northeast. Oh, you don’t live here? Then I live in Ithaca. Have you seen the falls yet?" To an outsider like me it’s a bit of a chuckle because you could throw a rock from the center of some neighborhoods and hit a house in the center of another.

A couple recently told me they lived in Cayuga Heights (known for some pricey homes) as we stood outside of their house which didn’t look particularly pricey. The odd thing was, we weren’t in Cayuga Heights. I am sure we were standing in Northeast in the town of Dryden, but who knows? It seems there is a marker for some boundary every 50 yards around here. Ithaca is defined by boundaries: the city, the town, the village, the neighborhood. Was it a sad case of neighborhood or village envy or just locals knowing better than the map?

BTW, I now live on West Hill. I wouldn’t say it’s the best, because I haven’t lived here long. However, I have turkeys in my front yard and a view. That’s pretty cool compared to where I used to live.