Dear Mahoning Valley

Dear Mahoning Valley,

I am from one of the most beautiful places on this planet. Well, I guess that may be a little biased, but still very accurate. I am from The Lakeshore City of Orono, Minnesota. I have often asked myself, why would they give my town such a name? It may seem pretty obvious knowing our geography, I mean we live on the shore of one of the biggest enclosed lakes in Minnesota. And with Minnesota being the land of 10,000 lakes, I guess that is saying something. However, when I think of the name “The Lakeshore City” I think it represents so much more. Lake Minnetonka, the most beautiful place in question, is not just a geographical masterpiece, but a culture for my community. Nearly every leisure activity we do in my town has some correlation to the lake. No matter what the season or what the weather, there are always people enjoying the bounty that the lake offers. In this letter I have attached some of the most beautiful images of my homeland that I wish to share with you, but keep in mind, I truly believe Lake Minnetonka’s beauty cannot be truly captured through these images.

The first image is the sunsetting, creating a beautiful mosaic of color on the horizon line. This image is taken facing away from Wayzata Beach. Downtown Wayzata was the city which I’d always felt so comfortable in. I would go out to eat with my family and friends at the plethora of restaurants the town hosted. I would bike down the Dakota Trail when I was old enough to go there alone. I even had my first kiss at the Wayzata Beach. This is my home.

The second picture shows the same bay as the first, but it may look a little different. You can see hundreds of people gathering upon the 30 foot ice to play in the annual Wayzata Chilly Open; the golf tournament on ice. Everyone in the community comes together and gathers in their groups of friends to take on this course. This is my home.

Staying in the same season, the third through fifth images show a few of the many winter activities enjoyed on the ice. The third image shows the infamous sport of broomball, similar to ice hockey in a way, it is played in boots as a ball is swatted towards the goal with a broom-like stick. The fourth image shows a couple of the hundreds of homemade ice rinks that families make on the lake. Kids work to shovel off the snow of the plotted section of the ice and sweep the dusting of snow off of the rink. As you drive along the lakeshore roads at night, you can see large flood lamps shedding light on the hockey players gathering to play a late night game of stick and puck. The fifth image shows a number of ice houses creating a sort of neighborhood upon the ice. These neighbors stay warm inside their ice houses as they wait for a bite on their hook. This is my home.

The cities that surround Lake Minnetonka happen to be some of the wealthiest communities in the country.  So, as you can imagine, wealthy individuals on the lake must have expensive boats. This sixth image shows some of the stunning boats seen on a nice summer day docked at the restaurant, Lord Fletcher’s. This restaurant has been such a prominent part of my childhood. I would come to this restaurant with my family and friends to get a Minnesota classic walleye sandwich. The seventh picture shows the awnings covering the restaurant’s dockside tables. This place is always packed, and we often have to stalk a table finishing their meal in order to snag their table before another group does. This is home.

The eighth picture shows my home away from home. When you live on Lake Minnetonka, it is super common to be a member of a country club, so this is mine. Lafayette Country Club was truly my second home during the summers. I would attend their Kid’s Camp, I was a member of their swim team, and took many tennis and golf lessons throughout the years. This is my home.

The final picture shows an aerial view of the beautiful Lake Minnetonka. Covering 125 miles of lakeshore, including around 25 bays, and stretching through a dozen cities, this is my stunning home. I still find myself standing to admire the view from the Arcola Bridge, or snowmobiling over Browns Bay, or even just taking in the smell of the lake as I drive along the lakeshore roads with my windows open. This is truly my home.

I hope to learn to love Mahoning Valley as much as I love my sweet Lake Minnetonka. I get to live in the most charming house across the street from Wick Park. I get to watch some of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen as the sun peaks over Stambaugh Stadium. I get to learn to love the Mahoning Valley for the next four years of college. This is my new home.

Dear Mahoning Valley,

I like living in the Mahoning Valley because of the opportunities available here, the togetherness of the community, and the unique environment we have available to us. I have grown up in the Mahoning Valley. One major thing that I hope to change in the valley is the racial divide. If I could have it my way, everyone would matter and be equal. We can do better as a community, and as the Mahoning Valley.

Sincerely,

A Youngstown Teacher

Dear Mahoning Valley

“Welcome home,” the robotic voice stated simply with no care one way or another. Perhaps there was a slight incline toward the end, a possible sign of enjoyment toward the word ‘home’. But then again, it was a machine and its ability to feel enjoyment was questioned, not much different from my own response.

Part of me warmed at the greeting. There was something about being told I have a home and have arrived at that home that makes it special. Makes it easy. Another part isn’t sure about the message. A boiling feeling—one of insecurity, worry, wondering—bubbles deep within me. This feeling is the one that takes over.

It is an odd thing to think of home. Or place for that matter. I’ve always struggled to write of places that are real, as I’ve spent most of my mind-space living in the daydreams of the fantastical.

Certainly, the three-story apartment in front of me didn’t feel like home. Not anymore than the state or city that I was born in.

I’ve always been more drawn to people and culture than I have places. My home town means very little to me—although the older I get the more appreciation I gain for it—but the people in it are what brings me back nearly once a month. If they lived somewhere else, I wouldn’t feel any different though, no sense of loss for the place itself—and that has bugged me.

Especially when the robotic voice claimed I was “home” at the green shingled apartment in front of me.

There is something to be said not about this apartment, but the city it resides in—the valley rather.

I’m hesitant to say the Mahoning Valley may be one of the first places that I’ve felt an attachment toward. I’m hesitant for many reasons, two of which are: 1). I’ve been here just over a year; and 2). I’ve always been hesitant to declare a fondness for something that I am preemptively grieving, as I’ll be leaving in less than 2 years.

That preemptive grief is key to why I haven’t attached to places. Well, at least that’s the hypothesis right now. There’s a solid chance that I just struggle to properly attach to things. Insecure attachment perhaps. But that is not the point here.

The point is that all my life, I knew I would be leaving places—leaving my hometown for college, leaving the college town for more college, leaving that place to be with my partner, and so on. And while I’m not entirely speaking of small moves—most are out of state moves—I think there is something to be said that in all of my twenty-something years I have not connected to a place as I have with the Mahoning Valley.

After some thought, I think I’ve decided it’s the culture that draws me in. And Mill Creek Park, which is arguably the most charming Metro Park I will ever encounter in my lifetime. But it is the notion of culture—subculture specifically—that I am drawn to when I sit to write about the Mahoning Valley.

There isn’t a good way to put something so ingrained, so integral to an area into words. But I will try, nonetheless. A good example to illustrate the culture of the Mahoning Valley as I’ve felt it is the Cinderella Bridge.

On Google Maps, the bridge is simply listed ‘suspension bridge’ but when I chat with locals and mention the suspension bridge, they will often correct me— “You mean, the Cinderella Bridge.”

I was dumbfounded the first time this happened. So much so, I showed them Google Maps and they simply responded, “No one calls it that.”

Another instance—Mr. Peanut Bridge. There was such fascination to a metal peanut man atop of a bridge in Youngstown that when the bridge was being renovated, there was an uprising when he disappeared. So much so, Mr. Peanut was touched up and returned promptly to the top of the bridge where he will, likely, forever remain.

Perhaps these two examples aren’t quite enough. I’ve also learned of the Witches’ Cabin in Mill Creek Park; the Jenny furnaces that inspired the literary magazine, Jenny; the Youngstown cookie table; and so many more.

Perhaps what I’m getting at is in the Mahoning Valley there is a subculture of storytelling. But this storytelling is deeply engrained in the residents and in the children. There are so many stories that the collective group of residents know and enjoy retelling. There’s so much local history that is shared orally from one generation to the next and in many ways become legend. It is the pull toward learning these stories and becoming part of this collective culture that has drawn me so deeply into being attached to this place. And perhaps why it took less than a year to feel attached.

And as I got out of the car, walking into the three-story apartment building, I found my holding back tears. I was preemptively grieving again, but this time it was for a place. A place that will likely stay with me for the rest of my life. A place of stories, tales, and legends—and of a beautiful Metro Park that brings people together. It will be a place that I miss deeply, and I can only hope that wherever I go next, that place has even half of the attachment as what I’ve felt here in the Valley.

Dear Mahoning Valley,

This is my home. I’m a nurse and I have experience working with inmates, chemically dependent persons, and now scholars. There is plenty of need for me here.

I love food, specifically pizza, chicken, pasta, and so much more, and this area has plenty of options for those things, the best of them in my opinion.

I love celebrating holidays and gathering with family. This area is strong with ethnic ties creating so many wonderful celebrations and reasons to gather.

I am a Christian. This area has a strong religious foundation and many beautiful churches.

But it is not all good. I do not like all of the shootings that have been going on in and around my neighborhood recently. It is sad that little kids cannot play outside and enjoy themselves while this is going on. It is my opinion that our community needs more programs to help our young people deal with the anger management, mental health issues, and trauma.

But still, I love my town.

A teacher/nurse

Dear Mahoning Valley,

It's been one crazy year for sure. I moved here in the summer of 2020, in the thick of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. I did not know what I was getting into nor what kind of people I'd meet.

When I moved to the area I had a couple goals for myself. The first was to support more local businesses. I mostly cook all my own meals so I didn't expect to explore the range of businesses I have. To my sweet surprise the Mahoning Valley is home to a plethora of unique flavors. I've enjoyed places from Barry Dyngle's, and Bruno Brother's Pizza in Youngstown, to Bombay Curry and Grill in Niles. The list is much more expansive, but these three are premium places to visit and I recommend any to go there.

I also wanted to be more involved in the community. I can proudly say I've experienced one of the greatest communities in my life. It's rich with wonderful people, deep culture, and strong connections. Each person here seems to love the area and that is especially true of Mill Creek Park. Everyone speaks highly of the large metro-park that features a magnificent gorge, a calm river, and an adorable pond of turtles. I'd be remiss if I didn't include the rustbelt writers here. All of these folk have such a reverence for the area that I am in awe whenever I see their works. To keep this brief I've been to Shaker Woods, the Canfield Fair, and the Italian Fest. They were all fantastic times with fantastic people and even more fantastic food.

I regret to say that the Mahoning Valley is not where I intend to stay. I fear my time here will be gone before I am ready for it. While I am here I am going to continue meeting new people and trying new places, as well as embolden the relationships and menus I have already discovered. Just know that I have memories that will forever root me to the valley. In February of 2021, I proposed to the love of my life right here in the valley. Walks at Mill Creek Park have been filled with our fantastical musings and our boisterous laughter. In exchange for pleasant memories in a challenging time period, allow me to say thank you for including me here.

Thank You Mahoning Valley,
Charles Normand

Dear Mahoning Valley,

I love you. Why? Because there’s great diversity here. Because of Mill Creek Park. Because of the amazing restaurants. Because of the four seasons market. Because of YSU. If I had to say anything is needed, it is more shops downtown.

YSU Student teacher