Watch CBS News

New Jersey Native Creates New, 'Colorful' Map Of The Garden State

HOBOKEN, NJ (CBSNewYork) -- Every state has its certain regions. In New Jersey, there's the shore, the Pinelands, the New York and Philadelphia suburbs to name a few.

But a young man named Joe Steinfeld looked at the Garden State from a different point of view, one he hoped would be humorous but not everyone is laughing.

LISTEN: 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reports

Podcast

Steinfeld created his own regions of New Jersey using some of the state's stereotypes and posted it online.

The northwest part of the state he calls "The Vast Wilderness of Rednecks and Retired Hippies."

The Atlantic City region he renamed the land of "Sad Black People and Misguided Tourists" while parts of  Salem and Cumberland counties are divided up as "Pretty Much Alabama" and "Swamps and Toxic Waste."

EXTRA: View A Full Size Of The Map

He says once he put it online, the map went viral.

"I never expected it to get that big," said Steinfeld "I only expected it to be seen by maybe a few friends who would laugh at it, say it was funny. It really blew up overnight."

Steinfeld says most of the people who live in the areas he's labeled have taken it as a joke.

"I think one of the great things about New Jersey is the ability to laugh at ourselves sometimes," he said. "Almost all the feedback I've received has been positive."

For those who don't, Steinfeld says he never intended to offend anyone.

Also on the map -- "Italian Guys In Wife Beaters" for the Jersey shore, "Pineys ... Pineys Everywhere" for the Pinelands and "Christie County" for areas of Bergen County, among many others.

What do you think of the map? Do you find it funny or offensive? Sound off below in our comments section...

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.