This post struck a chord with me as I'm from the central NY region, not too far from the OP. I get back to my hometown every year or two and the decline is more apparent every trip. Everything from my youth- the places I worked part-time, the schools I went to, the places I used to hang out at, the major local employers, they're all gone or in major decline. Many houses are boarded up, abandoned, and are being slowly reclaimed by nature. Most of my school friends have moved away, and most of those that have stayed around have basically wasted away. In my own lifetime I have seen long-term economic decline happen and it has scarred me in a way that is difficult to articulate.