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  1. You have a cousin who is an aspiring rapper
  2. You know how to get down Sumner Avenue — at 3 p.m. — without ever driving on Sumner
  3. You’ve been to the Alumni Club once or a hundred times — there is no in-between
  4. You definitely have an opinion about Melvin Jones III and the $575,000 settlement he got from the city after Jones was beaten following a 2009 police traffic stop
  5. You are willing to wait in line to eat Red Rose pizza
  6. You know a bar that doesn’t mind if regular patrons smoke cigarettes
  7. You’ve wandered into Mardi Gras just to see if your friends are there
  8. You’ve made long-term friends with a security officer standing outside a nightclub
  9. You’ve explored deep enough into Forest Park to get totally lost
  10. Someone took you to a show at Symphony Hall when you were a kid and you feel a little bad that you’ve never been back
  11. It doesn’t seem at all strange to you to drive to the Hall of Fame in the middle of the night in search of a good bar scene
  12. You know all the bikers hang out at Stearns Square in the summer
  13. You know where to get the best empanadas: Puerto Rico Bakery and Restaurant
  14. When the sun goes down, you stay the hell out of Six Corners
  15. You’ve chowed down at the “World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast”
  16. You own at least one Dr. Seuss book
  17. You have a favorite food truck
  18. You miss the Hippodrome
  19. You complain about Bright Nights traffic, but you go see the winter spectacle every year
  20. You know the crack in the Liberty Bell has got nothing on the Springfield bell-hole

10 replies on “20 Ways to Tell You’re From Springfield”

  1. 21. You remember the Allen & Cooley parking lot for more than just the shops.
    22, You’ve never been to the Springfield Armory.
    23. You know enough to slow down to avoid a rollover when exiting 291.
    24. You know NOT to go to Mercy Hospital without protection.
    25. You are still pissed you can’t take a left from Liberty onto Chestnut.

  2. Half of these are insulting to Springfield residents. There are so many wonderful things about Springfield, and you had to focus on so much of the negative? I thought this paper was a representation of ALL of the good in the valley. I don’t believe that anymore. No wonder Springfield has a bad reputation – too many people are observing the city from afar, judging it based only on media reports, repeating the stereotypes and hype. I am greatly disappointed in this article. Next time, try to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

  3. This piece looks like something that was thrown together in 10 minutes, by a non-Springfield resident, just to fill space. How do you think my friends from Six Corners feel about your opinion that folks should “stay the hell out” of their neighborhood after dark? Do you really think that all Springfield residents spend time at the Mardi Gras and go clubbing all the time? I am raising my kids in this wonderfully diverse city and they could have come up with a much more positive, clever and entertaining list.

  4. Lists like this depend on stereotypes and exaggeration. I’m a proud citizen of Springfield, raised my family here, volunteered for years in the schools and museums, and enjoy our city parks. There’s much to love about Springfield and the Advocate has only added to the negative hype. Yes, there are huge challenges in Springfield, but there are also good folks working to make it better.

  5. By far the stupidest and most insulting list. Completely stereotypical. Yes Springfield isn’t great or how it used to be but atleast 10 of those are absolutely ridiculous. Did an intern come up with these?

  6. Lighten up! This list is in no way contributing to the problems in Springfield. A little stereotypical, I’ll give you that. I also didn’t see any of you contributing your own experiences so why stop to say they are doing a bad job? I challenge each of you to come up with 5 of your own.

  8. I live – happily and safely – in Six Corners and I am very offended by the inclusion of the critical and incorrect item about my neighborhood. Who thought it was acceptable to print this? Did you think it was funny? Shame on you!

  9. Springfield is the 4th largest city in New England; the 3rd largest in Western Mass. Springfield is the economic and cultural hub of the Pioneer Valley. Surrounding towns suckle on Springfield, not the other way around. This is biting the hand that feeds you – and your readers. This is self-indulgent, ignorant garbage. It’s not funny, helpful, interesting or entertaining. It’s not accurate. It’s not news. I feel nothing but contempt for the Advocate for printing it.

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