Hype for the Future 98E: Notable College Towns Explained

Introduction

While there exists no such list of colleges and universities of the United States of America based on “college towns,” the definition of a “college town” often depends on communities revolving around a particular college or university (or, in some cases, multiple such institutions).

Table of Contents

1. Hanover, NH
2. Ithaca, NY
3. Princeton, NJ
4. Middlebury, VT
5. Alfred, NY
6. Oberlin, OH
7. Northfield, MN
8. Williamstown, MA
9. Amherst, MA
10. Brunswick, ME
11. Lewiston, ME
12. Waterville, ME

Hanover, NH

Located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, is the community of Hanover, which is currently associated almost exclusively with Dartmouth College in the area. The larger City of Lebanon is located nearby along the Connecticut River; however, not much is commonly known about the community from outside the region.

Ithaca, NY

Home to Cornell University, the City of Ithaca is most notable for the university presence in particular, with a significant town-gown divide and the community outside the Ivy League presence often feeling subordinate.

Princeton, NJ

Though Princeton is located within Mercer County and in close proximity to the City of Trenton, the capital city of the State of New Jersey, the particular community of Princeton is almost exclusively associated with the university, with many of the events of historical significance within the county often located nearer Trenton.

Middlebury, VT

An extremely small town centrally located within Addison County, Vermont, to serve as the county seat, the Town of Middlebury is perhaps best known for the presence of Middlebury College in the area. Middlebury College is located directly east of the New York state line and west of the Montpelier and Barre areas. Burlington and Rutland are larger cities quite a distance away, to the north and to the south, respectively.

Alfred, NY

Unlike the other college towns listed, both above and below, Alfred, located in Allegany County, is nearly exclusively associated with the universities within the area, namely Alfred University (private) and Alfred State College (public SUNY). The rare off-campus significance of Alfred is ceramic art and related opportunities in such a rural area, within the Appalachian Mountains yet north of the region typically considered part of “Appalachia.”

Oberlin, OH

Located in the north-central portion of the State of Ohio, Oberlin is a smaller and somewhat more isolated community within relative reach of the City of Cleveland around an hour to the east. Situated within Lorain County, the community home to Oberlin College is south of Lorain and Elyria but north of the community of Wellington—all within the area historically known as the Connecticut Western Reserve.

Northfield, MN

The City of Northfield, Minnesota, is home to not one, but two, distinct colleges within the community. While both Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges are private, Carleton is typically identified as prestigious while St. Olaf is identified more as a religious collegiate community. St. Olaf was originally named by the Norwegian community of the region, and both colleges are conveniently located around an hour south of the Minneapolis—St. Paul area, also known as the Twin Cities, largely analogous to the relative locations of Oberlin and Cleveland in northern Ohio.

Williamstown, MA

While Williams College is not the exclusive cultural significance of the Town of Williamstown, the collegiate community is often identified for the significant prestige associated with campus. Even outside campus, the Town of Williamstown is most notable for the liberal arts community, which also expands into the Clark Art Institute within the town and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) within the adjacent City of North Adams, also near the Vermont state line.

Amherst, MA

Though officially a city, the Town of Amherst, Massachusetts, officially prefers to retain the traditional “town” naming system. As such, the Town of Amherst remains notable and true to the historical significance of the colleges and universities within the town and surrounding regions. While Mount Holyoke College is located in the Town of South Hadley to the southwest and Smith College is located across the Connecticut River in the City of Northampton to the west, the Town of Amherst is almost exclusively defined by Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass).

Brunswick, ME

Though Brunswick is located within Cumberland County, the county home to the City of Portland and the largest share of the population of the State of Maine as a whole, the community is most commonly identified as the home of Bowdoin College first. Harriet Beecher Stowe was perhaps one of the most significant historical figures with connections—even if indirectly so—with Bowdoin.

Lewiston, ME

The second-largest city in the State of Maine and one-half of the urbanized area of Androscoggin County, the City of Lewiston is most notable for being home to Bates College, while the adjacent City of Auburn serves as the county seat. Interestingly, however, Lewiston serves as a city in the State of Maine with a Francophone population base out of the ordinary for such a southern latitude located within.

Waterville, ME

Located within the general vicinity of the City of Augusta in Kennebec County, the City of Waterville, though primarily associated with Colby College, is also home to Thomas College located nearby. Only Colby College is typically categorized with Bates and Bowdoin, with the role of a consortium for select intents and purposes.

Hype for the Future 87G: The Icelandic Diaspora

Introduction

Unlike other European source countries, Iceland has primarily represented emigration to Canada, as opposed to the United States, as a majority nation. While many other Nordic countries have primarily settled in the United States, Iceland has primarily been recognized as settling primarily in Canada, particularly in the Winnipeg area and the western shore of Lake Winnipeg in the New Iceland community now known as Gimli. Gimli is located around eighty (80) kilometers north of the City of Winnipeg along the western shore of Lake Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba in Canada.

Canada vs. the United States

Iceland is relatively unique in that Canada, rather than the United States, was the destination that had represented the majority of emigration. Icelandic Canadians were often associated with Gimli, the Greater Winnipeg area, and the Province of Manitoba in general, while Icelandic Americans were more often associated with the West, the Midwest, and just a few outlying areas in the nation. The majority states for Icelandic Americans are typically recognized as Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Hype for the Future 86L: Lincoln, Lyon, and Yellow Medicine Counties

Introduction

The three most Icelandic counties in the State of Minnesota, known as Lincoln, Lyon, and Yellow Medicine Counties, are each located south of the Minnesota River and along or relatively nearby to the South Dakota state line. The county seats are Ivanhoe in Lincoln County, Marshall in Lyon County, and Granite Falls in Yellow Medicine County.

Attractions — Lyon County

Within Lyon County, Marshall serves as the county seat and is home to the Whitney Statue and the Lyon County Museum. Tracy, located further southeast, is notable for the Cinnamon Hen and the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum.

Attractions — Lincoln County

While the community of Ivanhoe serves as the county seat and is the smallest county seat in the State of Minnesota, Lincoln County is also home to the community of Lake Benton, including the associated Heritage Center, in the south and the Swanson Lake Bottom in the north.

Attractions — Yellow Medicine County

On the western edge of Yellow Medicine County, the community of Canby is home to the Lund Hoel House. On the eastern edge is the Wood Lake Battlefield and associated monument, with the surrounding areas home to the Memorials and Centennial Time Capsule, Minnesota’s Machinery Musem, and the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum. The Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort is also situated nearby, though further downstream from the county seat of Granite Falls along the Minnesota River.

Granite Falls is located primarily in Yellow Medicine County and serves as the county seat. The vast majority of the community is located in Yellow Medicine, with the Andrew J. Volstead House Museum, the Veterans Memorial, the River Walk Murals, and Carl’s Bakery as notable attractions.

Hype for the Future 86J: Icelandic Minnesotans

Overview

While Icelandic Minnesotans do not represent a significant share of the Scandinavian or otherwise Nordic population of the modern State of Minnesota, the insular North Atlantic community is highly representative of the cultural divide that has indirectly influenced the culture in the modern Upper Midwest of the United States. Though Minnesota is largely associated with the eastern neighbors of Iceland, particularly Norway and Denmark, Iceland is also of cultural significance in the State of Minnesota, even if to a significantly lesser extent.

Icelandic Minnesotans had not settled Minnesota in large numbers primarily because of the smaller population that had lived in Iceland itself at the time. The reason for the Scandinavian and Nordic settlements in the Upper Midwest was literally because of the overpopulation issues that had largely plagued Sweden and Norway, and because of this exact reason, Icelandic Minnesotans are quite a rarity in comparison.

Hype for the Future 79D: Kittson County, Minnesota

Introduction

Located at the northwest corner of the State of Minnesota, bordering on both the State of North Dakota to the west and the Canadian Province of Manitoba to the north, is Kittson County, Minnesota, a county of under five thousand residents that uses Hallock as the county seat.

Amenities

Though the City of Hallock, a community of around nine hundred residents, serves as the county seat of Kittson County, the historical society associated with the county is located further east, in the Lake Bronson area along Route 59. Hallock is located at the junction of Routes 75 and 175, with minimal community amenities as is typical in many of the smaller communities throughout the northwestern portion of the State. Further southeast is the City of Karlstad, home to the Kick’n Up Kountry Music Festival and Moosefest. Every June, this country music festival represents one of the fastest-growing country music festivals in the Midwest, in recent years having attracted over sixty thousand attendees.

Hype for the Future 62FBM: Faribault, Minnesota

Introduction

Faribault is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Minnesota, in the exurban area located to the south of the Minneapolis—St. Paul region representative of the Twin Cities. Located in the Faribault area is the Rice County Historical Society, though the venue is physically located more or less on the northern fringe of the city. More centrally located are the Jesus Statue at Peace Park, the Alexander Faribault House, and the Batchelder’s Block. The Fleur de Lis Gallery is located within the downtown area, and across Central Avenue North is the Paradise Center for the Arts, representing the community values of education, civics, inclusivity, and fine arts and encouraging the freedom of identity and expression.

Where to Stay

The signature place to stay within Faribault, Minnesota, is the Inn at Shattuck-Saint Mary’s, notable for overlooking the Straight River near the confluence with the Cannon River. Unfortunately, however, the remaining places to stay are largely corporatized and otherwise privatized, resulting in a seemingly monolithic and repetitive experience outside the Inn.

Hype for the Future 62CSO: Northfield, Minnesota

Introduction

Northfield, Minnesota, is a smaller city located primarily in Rice County, Minnesota, with a small, extremely northern portion of the city extending north into Dakota County, home of the community of Hastings. The community is located nearly due south of the Saint Paul section of the Twin Cities region and is located slightly northeast of Faribault, the county seat of Rice County.

Colleges and Universities

The City of Northfield, Minnesota, is home to two (2) distinct colleges: Carleton College and St. Olaf College. However, the histories for either college are quite distinct from one another, with Carleton being named for William Carleton of the Charlestown area of Boston, Massachusetts (as opposed to Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦, which has received its present name from the former Ontario county, Carleton County, that had contained the national capital city) while St. Olaf was named for a Norwegian saint associated with the greater Scandinavian heritage of much of the region, including the small city of Northfield.

Carleton College is located east of the Cannon River downstream from the Downtown Northfield area, while St. Olaf College is located west of (and further removed from) the Cannon River. Only Carleton is typically considered an elite college, though both are private higher educational institutions in the city.

Places to Stay

As with many places across the United States of America at large, especially within closer proximity to the major metropolitan areas of the nation, places to stay are often relatively commercialized, with major brand names representing the chief hotels in Northfield. Most of the chains are located west of the Cannon River, including Country Inn and Suites by Radisson and Fairfield by Marriott further downstream.

Downtown Northfield

The downtown area of Northfield, Minnesota, is located chiefly on the east side of the Cannon River, with the more industrial areas on the immediate west side. The Historic Ames Mill and the Ames Park Peace Pole are the signature attractions to the west, while the downtown core is mostly known for the typical local amenities for the community.

Depending on the season of the year, Riverside Lions Park may host a Northfield in Bloom Butterfly mural, though the exhibition may not necessarily be guaranteed. On Division Street South, the fine art gallery at Tolle Fine Art is of cultural significance, while further north are the Northfield Historical Society, the Love Mural, Bridge Square, and the associated central fountain.

Hype for the Future 61F: Places of Liberation for novaTopFlex

Preamble

The novaTopFlex Three Identities maintain cultural values such as freedom of choice in connection and freedom of movement domestically. With the appropriate documentation and other features, for obvious legal security reasons and logistics, these values can be provided in various regions across the globe, including parallel societies with similar values.

Countries and Regions

novaTopFlex has identified several locales within the United States and Canada as matching energies and personal and cultural values, including, but not limited to, liberation from scripted roles and freedom of identity and expression. In the United States, the identified regions are New England, Chicagoland, the Twin Cities, and the Pacific Northwest, though the Mid-Atlantic and Front Range areas also have similarly shared values. For Canada, such regions include (from east to west) Newfoundland, the Maritimes, the Eastern Townships of Québec (including modern Estrie and regions now identified as Centre-du-Québec and Montérégie), the Greater Toronto area, and the Pacific Northwest extending into British Columbia. Pockets of the City of Montréal may also be suitable to the values and cultural preferences of novaTopFlex, though Canada as a whole often supports freedom of identity and expression to a significantly greater extent than the United States.

Hype for the Future 60/284: LGBTQIA+ Social Ekistics

Preamble

novaTopFlex has, for many years, been taught that the friendships and other social connections of today have been understood as impossible per societal expectation. While the teachings were appropriate for the early years for sure, the ultimate reality is very different with the social life of novaTopFlex, with not one, nor two, but Three Identities.

Introduction

In the lesbian, gay, queer, trans, bi, queer/questioning, and aroace community, as well as otherwise non-normative communities (and not just for gender or sexuality), individuals and groups have often relied on public appearance in order to minimize potential sources of confusion. Long-distance relationships are often integral to LGBTQIA+ life, especially as political differences can result in social ostracism in many home cities and towns, especially in the Southern United States.

Ekistics

Within the LGBTQIA+ community, political backgrounds are essential in addition to specific population densities and types of settlements. Though density can indeed increase visibility and, paradoxically, anonymity, the population size is often what matters more than the population density. Ultimately, however, the primary factor in LGBTQIA+ lifestyles is the political background of each community, thus the prominence of communities of modest size—between 25,000 and 99,999 residents. Urban cores are often preferred, along with urban clusters, while suburbia 🏘️, especially in its modern form, is often hostile to non-normative lifestyles and enforces gender and sexuality stereotypes by design.

Unfortunately, the economic system of the modern United States of America results in the privatization of the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as their further marginalization by the federal, state, and local governments across the nation. Ironically, for every attack on trans rights in conservative areas and societies, predominantly in the South, the Northern states are often either unscathed or oriented toward celebration and the continued occurrence of Pride events. Though Pride events can often feel performative in much of the nation, such events in truly walkable cities and towns, especially downtown (where such communities are typically the most walkable), genuine performances can occur without questioning at an extensive level.

Political Influence

Regarding the situation with politics, the LGBTQIA+ community is dependent on progressives and progressive policies, often for the purpose of survival, as right-leaning communities are often dangerous for the political leanings of the subcultural population of the community. Pride flags may be taken down, and occasionally otherwise forbidden, in such communities; however, in more liberal and progressive-leaning communities, many of the same actions can often be celebrated instead.

In general, the political leanings most conducive to nonconforming gender and sexuality identities are physically located in only a handful of regions within the United States of America, occasionally related to elite colleges and universities, but often in larger areas and in specific regions of the nation. Usually, the areas most likely to be considered include the Northeast Megalopolis, especially New England, as well as the areas further west into upper New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, and even throughout Minnesota. Of the aforementioned regions, communities in Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, and Minnesota can often stand out, albeit for different historical reasons.

Most Likely to Support LGBTQIA+ People 🏳️‍🌈

The following regions are the most likely contenders (areas especially unlikely to result in fear of judgment in bold; and this is not an exhaustive list):

• Maine
  • Bar Harbor
  • Vinalhaven
  • Monhegan
  • North Haven
  • Rockland
  • Portland
  • Bangor
  • Orono (home of the University of Maine)
  • Ellsworth
  • Brunswick (home of Bowdoin College)
  • Skowhegan
  • Farmington (home of the University of Maine-Farmington)
• New Hampshire
  • Durham (home of the University of New Hampshire)
  • Keene (home of Keene State College)
  • Plymouth (home of Plymouth State University)
  • Nashua
  • Manchester
  • Concord
  • Laconia
• Vermont
  • Burlington (home of the University of Vermont)
  • Castleton
  • Lyndon
  • Johnson
  • Randolph
  • Brattleboro
  • Bellows Falls (Rockingham)
  • Hartford
  • Springfield
  • Saint Johnsbury
  • Saint Albans
  • Rutland
  • Bennington (home of Bennington College)
  • Middlebury (home of Middlebury College)
• Massachusetts
  • Boston — all neighborhoods
  • Cambridge (home of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
  • Somerville (home of part of Tufts University)
  • Medford (home of the other part of Tufts University)
  • Waltham (home of Bentley University)
  • Chelmsford
  • Billerica
  • Lexington
  • Concord
  • Salem (home of Salem State University)
  • Framingham (home of Framingham State University)
  • Fitchburg (home of Fitchburg State University)
  • Worcester (home of Worcester State University)
  • Bridgewater (home of Bridgewater State University)
  • Westfield (home of Westfield State University)
  • North Adams (home to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art)
  • Williamstown (home to Williams College and the Clark Art Institute)
  • Pittsfield
  • Great Barrington
  • Springfield (home to American International College and Western New England University)
  • Longmeadow (home to traditionally-female Bay Path University)
  • Holyoke
  • Chicopee (home to College of Our Lady of the Elms)
  • Amherst (home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and University of Massachusetts Amherst)
  • Greenfield
  • Deerfield
  • Sturbridge
  • Provincetown
  • Northampton (home of all-female Smith College)
  • South Hadley (home of Mount Holyoke College)
  • Hadley
  • Ware
  • Peabody
  • Newbury
  • Newburyport
  • Gloucester
  • Ipswich
  • Lowell (home of University of Massachusetts Lowell)
  • Dartmouth (home of University of Massachusetts Dartmouth)
  • Nantucket
  • Edgartown
  • Shrewsbury
  • Shutesbury
  • Northfield
  • New Bedford
  • Fall River
  • Attleboro
  • Seekonk
  • Swansea
• Rhode Island
  • Providence (home to Rhode Island College and Brown University)
  • Newport
  • Warwick
  • New Shoreham (Block Island)
• Connecticut
  • New Haven (home of Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University)
  • Danbury (home of Western Connecticut State University)
  • New Britain (home of Central Connecticut State University)
  • Willimantic (home of Eastern Connecticut State University)
  • New London
  • Storrs/Mansfield (home to the University of Connecticut)
  • Torrington
  • Waterbury
  • Fairfield (home of Fairfield College)
  • Bridgeport
  • Stamford
  • Stratford
  • Milford
  • Guilford
  • Branford
  • Madison
  • Greenwich
  • Darien
  • New Canaan
  • Norwalk
• New York
  • New York City (select neighborhoods in all boroughs)
  • Yonkers
  • White Plains
  • Rye
  • Riverhead
  • Southampton
  • Fire Island Pines
  • Montauk
  • Orient
  • Poughkeepsie
  • Albany
  • Schenectady
  • Troy
  • Rensselaer
  • Saranac Lake
  • Tupper Lake
  • Lake Placid
  • Kingston
  • Coxsackie
  • Buffalo
  • Rochester
  • Syracuse
  • Ithaca (home of Cornell University)
  • Binghamton
  • Elmira
• New Jersey
  • Newark
  • Jersey City
  • Paterson
  • Elizabeth
  • Hackensack
  • New Brunswick (home of Rutgers University)
  • Princeton (home of Princeton University)
  • Trenton
  • Camden
• Pennsylvania
  • Philadelphia
  • West Chester
  • Media
  • Doylestown
  • Norristown
  • Allentown
  • Easton
  • Wilkes-Barre
  • Scranton
  • Pittsburgh
  • State College (home of Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus)
• Delaware
  • Wilmington
  • Dover
• Maryland
  • Elkton
  • Havre de Grace
  • Bel Air
  • Baltimore
  • Annapolis
• Michigan
  • South Haven
  • Saugatuck
  • Douglas
  • Holland
  • Grand Haven
  • Grand Rapids
  • Lansing
  • Ann Arbor
  • Ypsilanti
• Ohio
  • Oberlin
  • Columbus
  • Cleveland
  • Akron
  • Canton
• Indiana
  • Indianapolis
• Illinois
  • Chicago
  • Aurora
  • Naperville
  • Joliet
  • Woodstock
  • Waukegan
  • Wheaton
  • Rockford
  • Peoria
  • Bloomington
  • Champaign
  • Urbana
• Wisconsin
  • Milwaukee
  • Kenosha
  • Racine
  • Waukesha
  • Madison
  • Wausau
  • Rhinelander
  • Green Bay
  • La Crosse
  • Eau Claire
  • Oshkosh
  • Appleton
  • Hudson
  • Fond du Lac
  • Sturgeon Bay
  • Manitowoc
  • Ashland
  • Bayfield
• Minnesota
  • Minneapolis
  • Saint Paul
  • Northfield (home of Carleton College and Saint Olaf College)
• Washington
  • Seattle
  • Tacoma
  • Renton
  • Everett
  • Mount Vernon
  • Bremerton
  • Olympia
  • Vancouver (WA)
• Oregon
  • Portland
  • Astoria
  • Salem
  • Eugene
  • Roseburg
• California
  • Crescent City
  • Sacramento
  • San José
  • San Francisco
  • Redding
  • Claremont (surrounded by the Los Angeles area to the west and the Inland Empire to the east—both hostile; home to Pomona College and the Claremont Colleges at large)

Hype for the Future 59I: Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, Williams

Locations

The Six Colleges of prestigious liberal arts are scattered throughout much of the United States, with locations in Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and California. Two of the colleges—Amherst and Williams—are located in Massachusetts, though Amherst is located further east in the Pioneer Valley and Williams further west in the region known as the Berkshires. Bowdoin is located nearby to Portland in the community known as Brunswick, Maine, slightly north and approaching the Rockland area. Swarthmore is located within the Swarthmore community and the Greater Philadelphia area, while Carleton and Pomona are located elsewhere in the United States, significantly outside the Northeastern United States and the Northeast Megalopolis.

Pomona is located in the Los Angeles area nearby to Pomona in the community of Claremont, California, on the opposite side of the nation from the five other listed institutions. Even Carleton is a significant distance west from the Northeast Megalopolis, located in the low-key area known as Northfield, Minnesota, somewhat to the south of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

Hype for the Future 51T: Different Interests in Minneapolis and Saint Paul

Within the Twin Cities region, and especially within the portion located nearest the Mississippi River proper, the Three Identities have developed significant interests along the scenic views associated with the urbanized and suburbanized areas. Located within the region is the portion of the Mississippi identified as the Mississippi National Scenic River, and located elsewhere are numerous attractions associated with Minnesotan culture and society.

Hype for the Future 51P: The Importance of Augsburg to the Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair is bound to have many individuals and groups associated with Augsburg in Minneapolis, especially based on the geographic proximity to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. However, conflicting calendars may also provide confusing realities with respect to the Augsburg community, located within the city. Interestingly, Augsburg University is a private university located directly across the Mississippi River from one of the flagship state public institutions, and the university area as such directly overlooks the river.

Hype for the Future 51O: The Minnesota State Fair

For the twelve (12) days leading up to Labor Day, within the same neighborhood as Hamline University in Falcon Heights, a suburb between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, the State Fair of Minnesota is typically the busiest state fair by daily attendance in the nation, especially as the numbers at the State Fair in Texas have dwindled somewhat in recent years. In the near future, the Texas Fair may no longer receive as many people, thus resulting in the larger dominance of the Minnesota State Fair, which already maintains a higher daily count than any other state fair.

As a percentage of the total population of the State of Minnesota, the Minnesota State Fair typically hovers around 40% of the population of the entire state, with around two million total people attending over the cumulative course of the twelve-day event. The vast majority of the population of the State of Minnesota already lives within a fair proximity to the Minneapolis—St. Paul area, including the areas around notable and prestigious colleges and universities associated with the area. Augsburg and Macalester are each located in the inner core of the metropolitan area, though Augsburg is associated with Minneapolis and Macalester with Saint Paul. The aforementioned Hamline University also plays a large role in the area, especially in between the Twin Cities. Further south, St. Olaf College and Carleton College alike are associated with Northfield, located in the northern part of Rice County, Minnesota, north of Faribault.

Hype for the Future 42/284: Locations of the Six Colleges

The Six Colleges, referring to flagship liberal arts colleges, are Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams. Only Massachusetts contains multiple locations, with Williams at the extreme northwest and Amherst somewhat to the east and southeast. Bowdoin is also located within the New England region; however, the college is located in Brunswick, Maine, midway up the East Coast within the State. Swarthmore is located similarly near the East Coast; however, the college is located in the Mid-Atlantic region, in a western suburban area associated with Philadelphia known as Swarthmore. Carleton and Pomona are outliers, where Carleton is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and Pomona in Claremont, California.

Hype for the Future 29/284: Thankfulness and Gratitude by State

Every state has a place in being thankful and grateful, albeit for clearly and widely distinct reasons. While thankfulness can be understood at the regional level, such as regarding differences between New England, the Mid-Atlantic, the South, and elsewhere, the story of what to be thankful for becomes even more interesting under a state-by-state breakdown. While the following information may not be representative of every state in the union, novaTopFlex is utilizing the Travel Itinerary to provide an assortment of possible travels and events to be thankful for.

Maine

State residents should be thankful for having in-state access to such attractions as the Saint John Valley, Mount Katahdin at Baxter State Park, and even the Bar Harbor area. Apart from the natural and scenic beauty of the mountainous state, however, residents of the State should also be thankful for major and minor art galleries and collections on the Atlantic Ocean, whether at Kennebunk/Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, York, or otherwise.

New Hampshire

Residents of the State of New Hampshire should be thankful for the scenic beauty that exists throughout the State. From north to south, residents should be thankful for the Connecticut Lakes, Mount Washington, Lake Winnipesaukee, Laconia, Concord, Manchester, and Nashua. Apart from the communities along the central spine of the State, residents should also be thankful for Mount Monadnock and the area around Keene in Cheshire County at the southwestern corner of the State. Furthermore, the elite community, even from elsewhere, should also be thankful that Hanover, New Hampshire, is home to Dartmouth of the Ivy League. Additional sites that residents should be thankful for include the southern portion of the Isles of Shoals; New Hampshire’s Stonehenge at Salem; and iconic communities in Derry, Londonderry, and elsewhere.

Vermont

Any true Vermonter should be thankful to live with easy access to regions with minimal cell service or other online access, especially throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Northern Vermonters should be thankful for Lake Champlain in the west and Lake Memphrémagog in the east, with the Burlington area along the former and Newport along the latter. Residents should also be thankful to live in the state with the smallest state capital (Montpelier), the smallest largest city (Burlington), the second-smallest total population (only Wyoming is smaller), a moderately low population density (ranked 31st out of 50 states), strong progressive policies, the world’s tallest filing cabinet, and the nation’s largest zipper, just to name a few. Additional sites that any true Vermonter should be thankful for in-state include the Vermont State Fair at Rutland, the Tunbridge World’s Fair at Tunbridge in Orange County, and the Vermont SummerFest along Route 7, just to name a few attractions.

Massachusetts

Bay Staters should be thankful to have a wide and growing plethora of in-state attractions, including the origin stories of New England by way of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies. From Martha’s Vineyard and the Island of Nantucket to the Berkshires and everywhere in between, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is effectively a geographic cross-section of all of New England, even if the Commonwealth land area is particularly small. Perhaps in spite of the size of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, however, numerous attractions exist throughout effectively all corners of the Commonwealth, and understanding what such Bay Staters should be thankful for is every bit as complicated as the story of the Commonwealth itself.

For Nantucket County, residents should be thankful predominantly for the Maria Mitchell history and connections of the island to the Women in STEM community. Historically underrepresented in the industry as they were often forbidden under traditional gender roles, modern-day life encourages breaking the barriers to entry for such opportunities. Through the ability to break such barriers to entry, the Maria Mitchell Observatory and additional exhibits under her name can exist and remain steadily intact.

Within Dukes County, residents should be thankful for the geography of Martha’s Vineyard and of the Elizabeth Islands of the Town of Gosnold. The maritime history of Dukes County is of particular importance, with Buzzards Bay separating the Elizabeth Islands from the mainland and the Vineyard Sound separating the Elizabeth Islands from Martha’s Vineyard. Different towns of interest for residents may include Aquinnah, Chilmark, Tisbury, Edgartown, and Oak Bluffs—all with distinct historical backgrounds and subtext. While Vineyard Haven, located within Tisbury, often dominates the island region, Edgartown and Oak Bluffs also play roles in identifying the distinctive features of the region. However, even traveling into the island from elsewhere, different ferry routes provide service to Falmouth, Woods Hole, New Bedford, Fall River, and even North Kingstown (Rhode Island), just to name a few places with nearby access routes. While Fall River may not be directly located on the SouthCoast nor provide a direct ferry route to Martha’s as a result, the economic ties and partnerships with the region remain at the utmost of importance.

Unlike Dukes and Nantucket Counties, Barnstable County, located on the mainland of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is renowned for quite a uniquely iconic identity. Within Barnstable County, Massachusetts, the county seat is located at Barnstable. However, the county is also home to Provincetown “Ptown,” a popular vacation destination for the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, intersex, aromantic/asexual, and other marginalized genders and sexualities) community. While Provincetown is most renowned for the LGBTQIA+ community, the area, along with numerous other communities further up Cape Cod, is also known for numerous art galleries and places of historical significance, such as the Wellfleet Town Clock, the only town clock in the world that keeps time by sounding ship’s horn. In addition to the aforementioned elements of cultural vibrancy, residents and visitors to alike should also be thankful for access to excursions involving Monomoy Point and even the aforementioned excursions to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

If Barnstable County is renowned for Cape Cod sites, and if Dukes and Nantucket Counties are renowned for island locations, then Bristol County is notable for the SouthCoast. Located predominantly along Buzzards Bay in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the SouthCoast region may also extend into Little Compton and Tiverton in Rhode Island to the west. Residents of Bristol County, Massachusetts, along with neighboring Bristol County, Rhode Island, should be thankful for the Portuguese heritage of the region, as the region is home to a disproportionate number of Portuguese-Americans thanks to the whaling history of the region around New Bedford and, to a lesser extent, Fall River. Unlike Cape Cod, however, the SouthCoast of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts presents cultural vibrancy through larger art and maritime exhibits along Buzzards Bay and nearby to Rhode Island sites in Newport and Bristol Counties.

Even though the southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may be difficult to decode at first glance, Plymouth County is perhaps the easiest of such counties to identify with the Greater Boston area, since Brockton is essentially located due south of the City of Boston while Plymouth is located along the Massachusetts Bay. Perhaps the most iconic distinction between Plymouth, New Bedford, and Cape Cod is that Plymouth is renowned for the historic settlement by the Pilgrims, while New Bedford is about whaling and Cape Cod is about travel and tourism. Even within Plymouth County and the surrounding communities, traditional county lines become significantly more complicated, with Cohasset along Massachusetts Bay being entirely surrounded by the County of Plymouth and Brookline, directly to the west of Boston, being located directly in between Middlesex and Suffolk Counties. Outside the Plymouth area exhibits and Plymouth Rock, not much exists countywide in terms of tourist sites. However, residents should be thankful to live in communities on the south side of Boston, including a few communities approaching Buzzards Bay as well as numerous other communities along the Massachusetts Bay.

Also on the south side of Boston is Norfolk County, where residents should be thankful to have a football team at Foxborough, history with the Adams family and associated families in Quincy, numerous historic town centers, and other amenities associated with traditional “first suburbs” on the south and west sides of Boston. Dedham, the county seat of Norfolk County, is one of such suburbs, and is home to the Fairbanks House, while numerous other communities in Norfolk County are home to historical societies associated with their respective cities and towns.

More centrally located along the Massachusetts Bay is the early Puritan settlement area that would later evolve into modern-day Boston. Although Boston and Plymouth were originally in separate colonies, the Pilgrims would later become absorbed into the Puritans and, in turn, into Massachusetts Bay. Following the Plymouth absorption into Massachusetts Bay, the region would become well-renowned for numerous communities and community structures, including, but not limited to, land reclamation projects involving Boston Logan International Airport and even entire neighborhoods in the reclaimed area around the peninsula that defines the city. Located along the Charles River, residents of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop should be thankful for historic sites and communities, including, but not limited to, Faneuil Hall, the Old South Meeting House, Paul Revere sites, the New England Aquarium (though smaller aquariums also exist in other communities such as along Buzzards Bay in the SouthCoast), Boston Common, and numerous museums and additional historical sites that define the city. Residents of all four (4) communities should be very thankful that there is no escaping history from any of the communities in question.

Opposite the Charles River from the City of Boston and the surrounding areas is the County of Middlesex, home to Lowell, Cambridge, and numerous other world-renowned communities. The highly intellectual population of the nation should be thankful for Harvard University, the first in the United States of America and most prestigious of the entire Ivy League, as well as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Tufts University, UMass Lowell, Framingham State University, and perhaps more–all within just one county in the Commonwealth. Local residents of Lowell should be thankful to live in a historical place traditionally renowned for the textile industry, while the communities of Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford should be thankful for prestigious institutions that exist in all three. While Cambridge is home to Harvard and MIT, Medford and Somerville share the main campus of Tufts University further north. Throughout Middlesex County, including communities such as Lowell and Dracut along the Merrimack River as well as additional communities such as Framingham, Chelmsford, and Billerica, just to name a few, residents should be thankful for living in a very historic area associated with American history from as early on as the seventeenth century. Such history also exists further up the Charles River from Harvard, with communities such as Watertown and Waltham, the latter of which is home to Bentley University. Even apart from the numerous universities and industries of Middlesex County, the county is also often associated with beginning the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton and with Minute Man at Lexington and Concord from the Revolutionary War. While numerous modern and historical sites and amenities often coexist within Middlesex County, numerous lesser-known events and event venues also exist that contribute to the cultural vibrancy of the area north of Boston, even above the inner city area of Boston.

Further east is Essex County, Massachusetts, home to Lawrence, Salem, and numerous other communities. In the State University System of Massachusetts, which contains state university campuses at Bridgewater, Fitchburg, Framingham, Salem, Westfield, and Worcester, Salem State University is the university located within Essex County, Massachusetts. Salem is also highly renowned in American history for the witch trials, with modern-day reenactments existing atop both judgment and moral panics. The County of Essex is also home to the mouth of the Merrimack River, which defines the border with the State of New Hampshire, three miles north of and parallel to the river in the easternmost sections of the border, beginning with Lowell and Dracut in Middlesex County and ending with such communities as Salisbury and Newburyport. Throughout Essex County, the Merrimack River is of both cultural and historical significance, with numerous industrial zones existing on both the north and south sides of the river. While only three miles of Massachusetts exist to the north of the Merrimack River, the region is home to numerous historic towns and town centers, with nearly every amenity existing at a human scale typical of the New England region. Compact historical development that is often unmatched in similarly historic communities, even in Virginia, is a clearly distinctive feature of the region. Within the vast majority of the County, however, additional key locations that influence the regional culture as a whole include Ipswich, Beverly, Peabody, Marblehead, and Gloucester, the last of which is located on Cape Ann.

While Eastern Massachusetts is generally celebrated for the historical context of the origins of New England, Central Massachusetts is significantly less structured and renowned. Worcester County is the primary county associated with the Central portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, bordering the States of New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Although the central region of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is predominantly associated with Worcester, Leominster, and Fitchburg, additional communities located throughout the Commonwealth include Winchendon along the New Hampshire line; Oxford, home of Clara Barton; Webster, home of Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg; and Rutland, home to the geographic center of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The public state university cities of Worcester and Fitchburg are each home to art museums, albeit in somewhat different formats representative of the respective contexts. Worcester is also located fairly nearby to the source of the Blackstone River, which flows toward Pawtucket and Providence in Rhode Island.

At the western edge of Worcester County is the Quabbin Reservoir, which is also partly along the eastern county lines of Franklin and Hampshire Counties. East of the Quabbin Reservoir, the land remains fairly hilly, but becomes flatter as individuals and communities travel east. Therefore, residents of much of Worcester County should be thankful for their respective cities and towns. Further west, however, is the Pioneer Valley regional corridor, also known as the northern part of the Hartford-Springfield corridor. Numerous cities and towns in the region, both in Massachusetts and in Connecticut, have economic partnerships with one another. The Pioneer Valley name refers specifically to the communities along the Connecticut River that exist within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and include such communities as Northfield in Franklin County (which is one of only four [4] cities or towns spanning both sites of the Connecticut River). At the northern edge of the Pioneer Valley region is the state line with both Vermont to the west and New Hampshire to the east, since the Connecticut River divides those two states from one another. From north to south, residents of the Pioneer Valley region should be thankful for Greenfield, Deerfield, Amherst (home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass Amherst [the flagship campus of the UMass system, which also includes UMass Boston, UMass Lowell, and UMass Global, just to name a few]), Hadley, Northampton (home to Smith College), South Hadley (home to Mount Holyoke College and the namesake mountain), Holyoke (the birthplace of volleyball, invented by William G. Morgan of Lockport, New York), Chicopee (home to the College of Our Lady of the Elms), Springfield (home to Springfield College, American International College, and Western New England University), and Longmeadow (home to Bay Path University)–all along the Connecticut River on either side. Residents further away from the Connecticut River within Hampden County should also be thankful for Westfield State University in Westfield and the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield. Additional communities such as Palmer, Monson, and Agawam also play large roles in the county, even if more suburban and less conducive to tourism by nature.

At the western edge of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is Berkshire County, largely renowned for the Berkshires and a portion of the Taconic Mountains closest to the New York state line. Along the western border of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the areas nearby, residents should be grateful to live within reach of Tanglewood, the location of the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Additional amenities that residents and visitors alike should be thankful for include the Clark Art Institute and the influence of Williams College in Williamstown, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA) in North Adams, the W. E. B. DuBois National Historic Site in Great Barrington, and the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony in Adams. Additionally, Berkshire County is home to the official Autism Treatment Center of America in Sheffield along the line with Litchfield County, Connecticut.

Rhode Island

The state population of Rhode Island, the second most densely populated state after New Jersey, should be thankful to live in the smallest U.S. state by land area, containing thirty-nine municipalities in the entire state. Of the thirty-nine municipalities, the State of Rhode Island contains eight cities and thirty-one towns. The five counties associated with Rhode Island are Providence, Kent, Washington, Newport, and Bristol. Bristol County, Rhode Island, is not to be confused with neighboring Bristol County, Massachusetts. However, Bristol County residents should be thankful for the Towns of Barrington, Warren, and Bristol, the three towns that comprise the exceptionally small county. Most of the state should be thankful for access to the Narragansett Bay; however, Westerly residents should be more thankful for ferry access to New Shoreham on Block Island, the island located immediately to the east of Montauk and Long Island. Whether referring to Brown University of the Ivy League, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), or other institutions of Providence or elsewhere in Rhode Island, different communities should be thankful for the distinct characteristics that create specialty and uniqueness for every individual city and town.

Connecticut

Residents of and visitors to the State of Connecticut should be thankful for a plethora of different types of places, including the Gold Coast in the southwest, the Quiet Corner covering the predominantly rural areas of the northeast corner of the State, and the Greater Hartford and New Haven areas along the Connecticut River. While most renowned for Yale of the Ivy League, located within the City of New Haven, numerous additional colleges and universities, such as Trinity in Hartford, Quinnipiac in Hamden, UConn in Mansfield (Storrs CDP), and Eastern Connecticut State University in Windham (Willimantic CDP since 1983), have also largely impacted the culture throughout the State of Connecticut. History tourists in particular should be thankful for Nathan Hale historical sites, while art tourists should be grateful for the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art in Hartford and general/maritime tourists should be grateful for such communities as Old Saybrook and Mystic. Stamford, Bridgeport, Greenwich, Stratford, Danbury, Norwalk, and Fairfield are also vital to the culture of the State of Connecticut as a whole, and communities within that section of the area specifically should be thankful for wealth and proximity to the City of New York, including all five boroughs but especially The Bronx.

New York

Residents of the State of New York should be thankful for numerous types of communities, including all five boroughs of the City of New York, as well as locales further east along Long Island, further north along the Hudson, and beyond. Elsewhere within the State of New York, residents should be thankful for numerous historical interests, particularly due to the significant cultural differences alongside the Upstate/Downstate cultural divide. Upstate, residents should be thankful for historical figures including Susan B. Anthony in places like Battenville, Rochester, and Canajoharie. Additional historical traits that Upstate residents should be thankful for include baseball history in Cooperstown and Oneonta and boxing history in Canastota as well as the former university culture of Cazenovia. Furthermore, state residents of New York should be thankful for the notability of the Hudson River on both sides, not just on the east side nor just on the west side. The region is perhaps amongst the most professional of regions within the entirety of the United States, because of the modern and historical importance of the city center of Albany and surrounding regions to both the north and the south. New Yorkers who live in such a region should also be thankful to live in an area where the Hudson River is a tidal estuary as far north as Troy in Rensselaer County. But further south, very important communities of historical significance include Hyde Park, associated with the Roosevelt family lineage; Poughkeepsie; Hudson; and Catskill, just to name a few. Additional facets of New York that residents should be thankful for include IBM at Armonk, formerly at Endicott in the dissolved tri-city region with Johnson City and Binghamton. Even further west are locations such as Elmira, Corning (renowned for glass), Alfred (the most college-heavy of college towns by percentage of population, notable for ceramic art), and additional communities of small and medium sizes. By the western end of the State of New York is Niagara Falls which, while shared with Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦, is actually a place that New Yorkers should be thankful for on the United States 🇺🇸 side of the border. Additional regions of scenic beauty that should be considered in New Yorkers’ thankfulness include the Adirondacks, the Catskills, the Finger Lakes, the Mohawk Valley, the Borscht Belt, and more. The upper Delaware Valley also begins within the general area. Of these upstate regions, the Borscht Belt is particularly distinct, containing a disproportionate presence of Ukrainian and Jewish—especially Hasidic Jewish—populations ✡️ 🇺🇦.

For the City residents of New York, thankfulness should be centered around the five 5️⃣ boroughs and the distinct characteristics that distinguish between different portions of the city 🏙️. Such differences may include the distinction between Queens and the state population to the east, outside the city limits; as well as distinctions to be made between Manhattan, Brooklyn (formerly Breukelen), Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. While Manhattan contains nearly all of the globalized interests that serve modern capitalism, the four 4️⃣ other boroughs serve distinct purposes as well. While Staten Island is no modern suburbia, the borough, coextensive with Richmond County, often feels more suburban in spirit in traditional ways. Brooklyn and Queens, though sharing land, are also quite distinct from one another as municipalities. However, even the boroughs themselves often do not capture the entire story of New York, because the neighborhoods serve as the patchwork that is most clearly represented as a microcosm of capitalism. One of the more notable neighborhoods of Queens is Flushing, where the downtown area is largely determined by the more recent waves of immigration particularly involving China 🇨🇳, Taiwan 🇹🇼, India 🇮🇳, 🇯🇵, South Korea 🇰🇷, and possibly a few other countries and regions of South Asia and East Asia alike. While the aforementioned “melting pot” style may apparently resemble the cultural traits of Singapore 🇸🇬, Flushing is not truly a microcosm of Singaporean life stories, particularly since Malay influence is minimal in comparison to the additional ethnicities that determine Singaporean culture. Additional notable neighborhoods in the Queens borough include Long Island City, directly opposite Manhattan; and Astoria, home to the renowned Waldorf Astoria hotel for the city. Within the Brooklyn borough are such neighborhoods as Flatbush, with every neighborhood containing a sense of history that feels less tainted by capitalism and capitalist expectations. Such residents and visitors to Brooklyn should be particularly thankful for the Wyckoff, Schenck, and Lefferts families. Additionally of interest for elite scholars is Columbia University, which that section of the population should potentially be thankful for.

New Jersey

Residents of the Garden State should be thankful to live in a productive transitional zone, whether in the northern or the southern portions of the State. Within the northern part of New Jersey are such locations as Montclair State University, the Newark Art Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, and other productive locations associated with Newark, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Paterson, Hackensack, Morristown, and the surrounding areas. Unlike New York, however, the major satellites and perhaps independent cities in New Jersey are often overshadowed by the New York locations and lack a significant tourism industry as a result. Morristown contains particular historical significance as the site where George Washington and his troops spent the harshest winter on record. Further south are locations such as Freehold, Shrewsbury, Asbury Park, and related areas in Monmouth County, known historically for the Battle of Monmouth. Monmouth County, New Jersey, is named for Monmouthshire (now Gwent), Wales; however, the communities in New Jersey are significantly more productive in terms of connection to the global city of New York almost immediately to the north. Even further south in the State of New Jersey is the Ivy League’s Princeton University, the historic site of the Battle of Trenton, and even communities such as Camden opposite or otherwise nearby to the Philadelphia area. Along the Atlantic Ocean, however, residents and tourists alike should be thankful for the boardwalks and other amenities associated with the region, whether in Atlantic City, Ocean City, Cape May, or otherwise.

Pennsylvania

Within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, residents and tourists alike should be thankful to live in a highly productive part of the nation, particularly in the east around Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Reading, York, Bethlehem, Easton, and numerous smaller communities of the area. In the southeast of Pennsylvania, communities should be thankful for coexisting with different identities and expressions with minimal fear of judgment, negotiating boundaries both within and between communities. Communities should also be thankful for the numerous colleges and universities that exist within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including Penn State and the Borough of State College, where the university mailing address is known as University Park instead. Different industrial pasts should be recognized, even though much of the Commonwealth has since de-industrialized and such communities as Johnstown and Altoona may be more appropriately compared with the Rust Belt. Even Pittsburgh and Southwestern Pennsylvania should be thankful for upper Appalachian lifestyle traits and traditional frontier history. While the southern two-thirds of the Commonwealth can be thankful for authentic Pennsylvania history, the northern third may be better understood through the lens of Yankeedom and Yankee history. Mount Jewett residents should be thankful for the Swedish heritage of the community, while communities elsewhere in the rural Pennsylvania Wilds and the upper Susquehanna Valley may be grateful to live in compact communities in more peaceful harmony with rural surroundings.

Delaware

Residents and visitors of the State of Delaware should be thankful for the opportunity to be physically located in a state with only three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. While New Castle County is renowned for being home to the City of Wilmington, which is unfortunately subordinate to Philadelphia to the north, Kent and Sussex Counties are home to state administration in Dover and numerous smaller towns and communities, both inland and along the Atlantic Ocean, in such Sussex County locations as Georgetown, Milford, Rehoboth Beach, Lewes (home of the original Dutch colony of Zwaanendael), and Fenwick Island.

Maryland

Within the State of Maryland, residents and tourists alike should be thankful for the Tidewater heritage of the former colony, with a cultural fusion of different histories occurring even in spite of the original Roman Catholic intent of the Maryland Colony. Despite being intended for Roman Catholics, Maryland was among the colonies with more religious freedom, as was the case with Pennsylvania, a colony that had highly attracted not just Quakers, but also Amish, Mennonites, and other associated communities. Different historical sites associated with Maryland that communities should be thankful for include the Star-Spangled Banner, Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, the Potomac River, and select art exhibitions and communities located on either or both sides of the Chesapeake Bay. Throughout the nation, Marylanders should also be thankful for the history involving the National Road.

District of Columbia

Residents and visitors to the national capital of the United States of America 🇺🇸 should be thankful for existing in a highly governmental and political area, where every change to the city often symbolizes change to the entirety of the nation, whether for the better or for the worse. The National Mall and numerous amenities associated with the strip that is the National Mall should also be included in thankfulness, including, but not limited to, the Smithsonian collections. The District of Columbia is also divided into wards, with different wards for locals, tourists, and government officials.

Virginia

Virginians should be thankful for living in a society reminiscent of prom and prom culture, from the origins of plantation culture and traditional family values and social roles in the Tidewater region and the culture of slavery to the post-slavery culture that pushes the Commonwealth of Virginia to modern living. While human slavery has long been denounced, even in traditionally slave areas as with Virginia, following the Union victory with the Civil War, numerous Virginians continue to associate with the traditional industries of the region, such as tobacco farming, in various regions such as Southside Virginia. For all Virginians, thankfulness should include respect for the Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, Henry, Lee, Custis, and Tayloe families, just to name a few. The University of Virginia is yet another institution that should be identified as a direct result of Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson’s contributions to the region in and around Albemarle County, which also contains Monticello, now open for tours and more. Another element of Virginian culture to refer to is Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, renowned for the prestige of the institution.

North Carolina

North Carolinians should be thankful for the Outer Banks (OBX) region, as well as the Inner Banks (IBX), the Research Triangle, the Piedmont Triad, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Residents of North Carolina should be thankful to live in a culturally and geographically diverse state, from mountains in the west to the coastal plain in the east, with a Piedmont area, as with Virginia, in the middle.

South Carolina

South Carolinians should be thankful for the religious Charleston area, where traditional cultural values remain strictly enforced within most corners of the State. Unlike North Carolina, South Carolina is largely home to settlements directly related to Barbados 🇧🇧, with the City of Charleston resembling the Barbadian capital city of Bridgetown. Even outside Charleston, the State of South Carolina contains a highly religious community and hierarchical population structure. While South Carolinians already take pride in the roles assigned within the state population, the residents and tourists alike should also be thankful for the heritage of South Carolina lifestyles.

Georgia

Within the State of Georgia, individuals and communities should be thankful for the historic City of Savannah, located along the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Savannah River. Opposite South Carolina, Savannah is home to the Savannah College for Arts and Design (SCAD), as well as to the birthplace of the Girl Scouts as an organization. Cultural vibrancy in Savannah is otherwise fairly similar to cultural vibrancy in Charleston, though there are a few notable differences, resulting directly from the cultural transition from Charleston south toward Savannah and the southward migration of such Deep South settlers, even continuing on toward Brunswick and Glynn County. Apart from southward migration, westward migration from South Carolina has also influenced the cultural elements of life in the State of Georgia.

Alabama

The most notable cultural trait about the State of Alabama that residents should be thankful for is the City of Huntsville, which had recently surpassed Birmingham to become the largest city in the State while also being correctly identified as the “Rocket City,” referring to the strong outer space heritage associated with the area.

Tennessee

Within the State of Tennessee, three Grand Divisions exist, separating out the people around Memphis and Jackson from the Nashville and the Knoxville areas. While thankfulness and gratitude may be more difficult in more hostile or dangerous areas, thankfulness is always possible regardless of the socioeconomic factors and conditions at play. Within West Tennessee is Memphis, renowned for civil rights history and a significant musical impact. Middle Tennessee is very similar, except with rolling hills instead of the Mississippi River and with more diverse forms of music, largely renowned for the Grand Ole Opry and for being the true city associated with the “Music City” label. While all portions of the State of Tennessee are of historical significance, Middle Tennessee is notable for Andrew Jackson while West Tennessee is perhaps most famous for Elvis Presley. Unlike West and Middle Tennessee, however, East Tennessee is home to a more modest region where natural beauty and ample charm coexist with realities of life to a greater extent, with Knoxville being somewhat smaller than either Nashville or Memphis. However, Chattanooga and the Tri-Cities (Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City) do not exist far from the primary city of Knoxville and also share Appalachian cultural traits, such as a stronger sense of unity with Roanoke than with Nashville.

Kentucky

If Tennessee is about music in general and the Appalachians in the east, then Kentucky is about horses, country music specifically, and cultural vibrancy throughout the state. While economic conditions may affect individual and community abilities to be proud and thankful, societal norms remain fairly consistent nonetheless. Kentuckians should be thankful for the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln in Hodgenville, as well as for the Cumberland Gap with Virginia and Tennessee, the university city of Lexington, Muhammad Ali, the Louisville Sluggers, horse racing, Mammoth Cave, and more.

West Virginia

The population of West Virginia, including tourists to the State, should be thankful for Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, Ranson, Charles Town, the Washington family history, the upper reaches of the Potomac River, and the separatist movement that had resulted in the division of Virginia into two. Outside of the Eastern Panhandle, West Virginians should also be grateful for the Northern Panhandle including Wheeling and Weirton as well as the north-central communities of Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Salem, Pruntytown, Grafton, Buckhannon, and Elkins. Further south is Tamarack, the “Best of West Virginia,” located in Beckley on the journey south beyond Charleston toward Bluefield.

Ohio

Ohioans should be thankful for the world’s largest D-Day reenactment, located in Conneaut, as well as amenities located elsewhere in the Greater Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown areas such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, numerous historic town squares within the boundaries of the Connecticut Western Reserve, LeBron James, Charles Follis (largely associated with Ohio but born in the Roanoke Region of Virginia), and the Butler Institute of American Art. Apart from Northeast Ohio, numerous additional communities of cultural vibrance exist such as Columbus, home to the Center of Science and Industry, KEMBA Live!, the Ohio Theatre, numerous art galleries, the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair, Short North, the University District, Old North Columbus, and suburban areas including Worthington and Westerville in the surrounding areas. Granville is located further east and is the home of Denison University, while Gambier further north is home to Kenyon College. Additional communities of possible interest are largely determined by numerous festivals and events that occur throughout the State, including in Central and Southwest Ohio as well as perhaps less structured events in Northeast Ohio. Colleges and universities that the State of Ohio is grateful for in the State University system include The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio University in Athens, Central State University (historically black) in Wilberforce, Wright State University in Fairborn (near Dayton), the University of Cincinnati, Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, Youngstown State University, Kent State University, Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Miami University in Oxford, the University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, and the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown.

Indiana

The Hoosier State should be thankful for the Circle City of Indianapolis as well as for Brainerd’s roundabouts in Carmel, Indiana, immediately to the north of the capital city. Even further north is Grand Park in suburban Westfield, Indiana; numerous additional communities in Hamilton County can be thankful for wealth and prosperity within Central Indiana. Apart from Carmel, Westfield, Noblesville, Fishers, Cicero, Atlanta, Arcadia, Sheridan, and additional smaller and unincorporated areas, including agricultural areas in northern Hamilton County, the State of Indiana is also home to numerous additional cultural centers, including Evansville serving Southern Indiana, Bloomington of Indiana University, Lafayette, Fort Wayne, and South Bend. The city of South Bend should be thankful for strong cultural ties with Chicago to the west, while Evansville should be thankful for the position of the city along the Ohio River. Additional locations of potential interest include Terre Haute, home to Indiana State University and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in the surrounding area.

Illinois

Within the State of Illinois, residents and tourists alike should be thankful not just for Chicagoland, but also for the areas around Rockford, Bloomington—Normal, Champaign, Springfield, Decatur, Effingham, Mount Vernon, and the Metro East region opposite St. Louis, Missouri. Within the Chicago area, numerous cultural sites exist to represent the circumstances of modern living in the area, albeit to a lesser extent than in New York. However, Chicago, along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, is a place to certainly be thankful of for the Roosevelt Collection Shops in addition to the numerous towers and even skyscrapers that may exist throughout the city.

Michigan

Along four 4️⃣ of the five 5️⃣ Great Lakes—Michigan, Erie, Superior, and Huron—the State of Michigan is a scenic beauty where the residents should be thankful for the geographic perfection, including along the Strait of Mackinac, the Saginaw Bay, and numerous peninsulas associated with each of the Great Lakes. Perhaps the most notable of these peninsulas is the Keweenaw Peninsula along Lake Superior, geologically ideal for the copper mining industry and home to a disproportionate amount of the 🇫🇮 Finnish-American population. Additional cultural sites of interest include iron mining regions around Ironwood, Iron Mountain, and the Wisconsin line; as well as St. Ignace and Sault Sainte Marie on opposite sides of the eastern Upper Peninsula in the State. Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, is also located opposite the St. Mary’s River from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦. On the contrary, St. Ignace is located along opposite the Strait of Mackinac from Mackinaw City, Michigan, with Mackinac Island in the middle renowned for a complete ban on automobiles since the earliest moments of the twentieth century.

While most of the information above pertains to the Upper Peninsula of the State of Michigan, the Lower Peninsula, home to the vast majority of the Michigan state population, is home to numerous markers and historic sites, including a vast array of notable houses in the Detroit area. Apart from historical sites, however, the vast majority of the attractions that make Michigan unique are generally located along one of the Great Lakes. Unlike in Vermont, the Northwoods of the State of Michigan lack significant local cultural amenities, yet the beauty of the State is that the northern sections are mostly rural communities. Without much representation in American history in Michigan, however, relative to the history of westward migration that is publicly documented at tourist attractions, the State of Michigan draws tourists toward the Dutch-settled areas at such places as Neli’s Dutch 🇳🇱 Village in Holland, Michigan. For summer tourism, South Haven is also a popular tourist destination, and so are Saugatuck and Douglas, both of which are particularly attractive to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Wisconsin

Residents of the State of Wisconsin can be thankful for access to the Door Peninsula for tourism, as well as to major and minor cities alike, including Milwaukee, Kenosha, Racine, Madison, Janesville, Beloit, Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Wausau, Rhinelander, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Hudson, Hurley, and Marinette, just to name a few. Bayfield, Wisconsin, is one of just a few communities associated with Lake Superior. Although Wisconsin as a state touches Lake Superior, the technical boundaries of the State do not extend to touch the Canadian border in any way, since Michigan and Minnesota border one another within the waters of the Lake. However, even internally within the State of Wisconsin, communities such as Oshkosh, Appleton, and Fond du Lac exist all along Lake Winnebago, immediately to the south of the sound that separates the Door Peninsula from the mainland. Over the course of the summer, the City of Eau Claire hosts the official event known as Country Jam USA, though the name may also correctly refer to an event in Colorado that should be referred to as Country Jam Ranch to avoid confusion. Residents of much of Wisconsin—and even into the areas surrounding the Twin Cities in Minnesota, typically around a ninety-minute drive west of the City of Eau Claire—should be thankful for access to the Country Jam USA festival.

Missouri

Within the State of Missouri, residents and visitors should be thankful for the St. Louis Arch, better known as the Gateway Arch; the Lewis and Clark (Meriwether Lewis and William Clark) Expedition, and numerous amenities within the Kansas City area, the vast majority of which is technically located within the State of Missouri. While Jefferson City serves as the state capital, the City of Columbia is a larger city to the north that serves as a university community anchored around the University of Missouri.

Iowa

Residents and visitors alike, even in spite of the “flyover country” moniker and the stereotype that the State of Iowa is boring, should be thankful to live in perhaps a more manageable environment and a possible final frontier for economic success and upward mobility, apparently defying the rules of capitalism just based on discouraging geography and lack of cultural appeal. However, since the term “flyover country” can also refer to Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, the State of Iowa in particular is home to surprising attractions even in spite of the illusion of lower costs and prices. Such attractions include Dutch settlements and influence in and around Pella, as well as the Hinterland Music Festival at the Avenue of the Saints Amphitheater in St. Charles, Iowa. Throughout Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Dubuque, and numerous other communities and community locations, the region is home to numerous attractions even in spite of the corn and flat land stereotype that is largely true.

Minnesota

Within the State of Minnesota, residents and visitors should be thankful for the attractions that exist within the State, including the Minnesota State Fair. Although the Texas State Fair sees the greatest total attendance numbers of all regional and state fairs within the United States, the Minnesota State Fair welcomes the greatest number of visitors daily and a significantly higher percentage of the total state population overall, at nearly forty percent of the number for all of Minnesota! The State of Minnesota is also home to the American Swedish 🇸🇪 Institute, Swedish heritage (including the Swedish flag 🇸🇪) within the Chisago Lakes region, Itasca (the headwaters of the Mississippi River), the Mall of America, the Nicollet Mall, numerous prestigious colleges and universities, and more. Such colleges and universities include, but are not limited to, Carleton, St. Olaf, and Macalester, the first two 2️⃣ of which are exurban Northfield institutions and the last of which is within the inner Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Pride can also be taken at face value amongst the Paul Bunyan statues, and for urbanist communities, the Strong Towns movement had originated in Brainerd. Additional locations of interest include Digi-Key Electronics of Thief River Falls and industries and communities in Crookston and approaching Fargo, North Dakota. The northeastern portion of the State of Minnesota is also home to the Mesabi Range, the largest iron range in the United States of America and not far from the St. Louis River nor from Lake Superior, the only Great Lake that the State of Minnesota borders.

Kansas

While the State of Kansas is located within the “flyover country” region of the United States of America, significant cultural elements and differences also exist within the State. Although all respect to the remaining Indigenous populations should be granted as much as possible, reclamation may unfortunately not be possible under current systems. However, since reclamation is unlikely, the most important cultural difference that remains is the difference between the grasslands of Western and Central Kansas and the more developed areas of Eastern Kansas, such as around Kansas City, Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan, Junction City, Wichita, Emporia, Leavenworth, Atchison, Baxter Springs, and Pittsburg.

Nebraska

The State of Nebraska is, like the State of Kansas, a Great Plains and “flyover country” state where residents should be proud to live in a community that claims to remain a frontier and to celebrate frontier culture lifestyles. Unlike in Kansas, where Lawrence is a chief college town, Nebraska’s arguable college town is actually Lincoln, the capital city associated with the State. Additional interests associated with the State include Omaha of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as Hastings, Holdrege, Grand Island, Kearney, and potentially as far west as North Platte and McCook.

South Dakota

South Dakotans should be thankful for access to the East River and West River communities, either side of which contains cultural distinctions from the other. Western South Dakotans should be thankful for Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, and the Badlands, while Eastern South Dakotans should be thankful for the Corn Palace at Mitchell and for communities such as Aberdeen, Brookings, Pierre, Watertown, and of course, Sioux Falls.

North Dakota

Within the State of North Dakota, residents and visitors should be thankful for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the west and for such cities and communities as Williston, Watford City, Devils Lake, Minot, Dickinson, Medora, Jamestown, Grand Forks, Fargo, and Wahpeton. Residents may also be thankful for the very sparse population of the State, which is also ranked fourth-lowest in terms of population, after only Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming, albeit with a significantly lower population density than Vermont.

Hype for the Future 28F: More on Minnesota

Even though novaTopFlex is renowned for nearly complete coverage of the State of Minnesota, additional interests in the novaTop community continue to be discovered throughout time. Within the State of Minnesota, the interests can be expressed in surprising ways and at surprising locations, including, but of course not limited to, places and spaces of all shapes and sizes.

Hype for the Future 28D: Different novaTop Interests in Wisconsin and Minnesota

Preamble

Like the novaTop Travel Itinerary focuses on the East Coast for high-density, and thus high-intensity, human intelligence, extensions of the novaTop Itinerary continue along to focus on the Upper Midwestern states for a more moderate perspective on human intelligence and progressive values. While the Northeastern perspective focuses on the Northern (Yankee) origins of the modern-day United States of America, the more modest Upper Midwestern perspectives focus on the realities of modern-day living in the Yankee communities of the nation, particularly since communities in Wisconsin and Minnesota can never be fully understood based on the westward migration of the descendants of American Pilgrim and Puritan settlers from the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies.

Locations of Interest

novaTopFlex provides a massive itinerary of places of interest across the entirety of the State of Minnesota, representing the vast majority of counties within the State. Unlike further south, the State of Minnesota takes pride in utopian community values such as equality and inclusion. Unlike further east, however, the State of Minnesota is not notable for anticapitalist political views (which are more typical of Vermont or the western portion of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts).

Hype for the Future 17A: Notable Sites of Interest for 2026

As of November 17, 2025, the proposed summer plan (between May 19 and August 11) for novaTopFlex is as follows:

• The Mall of America → Bloomington, Minnesota (renowned for attracting large swathes of Midwesterners and Midwestern networks)
• “Country Jam USA” → Eau Claire, Wisconsin (located on the northwest side of the City of Eau Claire)
• The Ohio State Fair → Columbus, Ohio (located on the north side of the city, east of The Ohio State University at the Ohio Expo Center)
• Southwest Ohio: Voices of America Country Music Festival, Lebanon Country and Blues Festivals, The Ohio Challenge, Riverbend Music Center, and possibly additional events of local interest
• Greater Columbus: Events at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair and at KEMBA Live! and Downtown