Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Baltimore is very important in US history. I'd even argue that it rivals Philly and Boston. I guess the only difference is that the other two are slightly older.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spade
It's weird that DC has so many more votes than Baltimore IMO.
Yeah I guess as a poll people who aren't that familiar with history will go with the more familiar cities they see in the movies, documentaries, etc. So I guess even though Baltimore rival Boston, Philadelphia, New York, DC and other cities in the history department most voters on here only know Baltimore for the ravens, orioles, the usual crime stereotype, and look past all the significant history which is not as famous/well known to your average joe I guess.
Last edited by Northernest Southernest C; 04-07-2015 at 08:46 AM..
It depends on what you mean by history. Not all cities are equal in that they were more famous or "important" in different eras than others. Colonial history? 19th and 20th century immigration history? Revolutionary War history? Civil War history? It's hard to answer this, and New York should definitely be an option btw.
People will either pick their city or a city like Boston or Philly which are very rich in early American history from our first days but pale in later times to other cities.
People will either pick their city or a city like Boston or Philly which are very rich in early American history from our first days but pale in later times to other cities.
Can one city's history really pale in comparison to another city's?
I mean technically Boston hasn't been the most important city in the US since the Rev. War, but it's not like the city disappeared after that period, either. Boston went through pretty much all the changes, stages, and periods that the other US cities went through. Industrialization, jazz age, urban renewal, etc.
The only difference is that Boston's been around a lot longer than most other US cities.
(With NYC being the debatable exception. Theoretically it was incorporated earlier, but Boston was the bigger, busier city for close to a century after the two were founded. I do agree that NYC should've been in the poll though.)
Can one city's history really pale in comparison to another city's?
I mean technically Boston hasn't been the most important city in the US since the Rev. War, but it's not like the city disappeared after that period, either. Boston went through pretty much all the changes, stages, and periods that the other US cities went through. Industrialization, jazz age, urban renewal, etc.
The only difference is that Boston's been around a lot longer than most other US cities.
(With NYC being the debatable exception. Theoretically it was incorporated earlier, but Boston was the bigger, busier city for close to a century after the two were founded. I do agree that NYC should've been in the poll though.)
Yeah, I believe it can. Some cities were way more prominent than others during specific times in history, so on a whole they might wind up being pretty equal.
You could argue that due to NYC's prominence specifically during the immigration period from the 1880s to 1920s or so, which changed its demographics, industry, housing, neighborhoods, culture, and flair to help make it the animal of a city it is today, makes New York the most historic city. If it weren't for the European immigration boom, we would see a very different NYC, NYC region, and even greater Northeast today since those immigrants that came through Ellis Island often branched out to nearby states at that time or later years.
It just depends on how you look at it. All cities are historic, no matter their age. One could argue (reasonably) that the older the city, the more historic, but it's not necessarily true.
It depends on what you mean by history. Not all cities are equal in that they were more famous or "important" in different eras than others. Colonial history? 19th and 20th century immigration history? Revolutionary War history? Civil War history?
I mean all of the above^^^as far as history in Baltimore with maybe some historic urban renewal thrown in there with the waterfront revitalization and the War of 1812. Baltimore was a very prominent city in all aspects of US history and importance I would say up until the 1980 census which is the last time it was in the top 10 for cities with the largest population. Baltimore became the second U.S. city, after New York, to reach a population of 100,000. Every census up until 1980 it was the # 2 city or #3 city behind new York or Philadelphia or in the top 10.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JerseyGirl415
Yeah, I believe it can. Some cities were way more prominent than others during specific times in history, so on a whole they might wind up being pretty equal.
You could argue that due to NYC's prominence specifically during the immigration period from the 1880s to 1920s or so, which changed its demographics, industry, housing, neighborhoods, culture, and flair to help make it the animal of a city it is today, makes New York the most historic city. If it weren't for the European immigration boom, we would see a very different NYC, NYC region, and even greater Northeast today since those immigrants that came through Ellis Island often branched out to nearby states at that time or later years.
I don't know. I mean definitely early immigration helped NYC form its early structure, culture, and grid. But I can't give all credit for the evolution of NYC today to one period of immigration, because immigration is still a living history in NYC. Only difference is that people come in by air instead of boat now and that JFK is the new Ellis Island. You could even argue that its more cosmopolitan due to the fact the immigration never slowed down for NYC. There's definitely more ethnicities languages spoken in todays NYC than that of the period of solely European immigration.
Key comparison to Baltimore
Some sources have Baltimore as the second or third city behind new York ellis island and boston for European immigration from 1820-1920. Between 1820 and 1989, almost 2 million who were German, Polish, English, Irish, Russian, Lithuanian, French, Ukrainian, Czech, Greek and Italian came to Baltimore, most between the years 1861 to 1930. Thanks in large part to the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which linked the port of Baltimore, first to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and, in 1853, directly to the Ohio River making Baltimore the quickest route to major Midwestern cities and the closest East Coast port to the Midwest. Today the city's nationality is mainly American with little to no international flavor (immigration) compared to new York. As a result Baltimore lost some of its prosperity, stability in population, jobs, industry, tax base, etc from immigration that its just starting to recover from along with other things. My point is that if Baltimore was still living history like NYC by continually bringing in millions of immigrants to BWI Airport (our version of JFK) like it did in its early history through the Port of Baltimore it would probably be a different city. Same could be said for NYC the other way around if immigration slowed down significantly after 1920 like it did in Baltimore. By 1913, when Baltimore immigration was averaging forty thousand per year, World War I closed off the flow of immigrants. After the war there were not enough new arrivals. By 1970, Baltimore's heyday as an immigration center was a distant memory.
Quote:
It just depends on how you look at it. All cities are historic, no matter
their age. One could argue (reasonably) that the older the city, the more
historic, but it's not necessarily true.
Also in a way true but not always.
Last edited by Northernest Southernest C; 04-07-2015 at 12:15 PM..
I mean all of the above^^^as far as history in Baltimore with maybe some historic urban renewal thrown in there with the waterfront revitalization and the War of 1812. Baltimore was a very prominent city in all aspects of US history and importance I would say up until the 1980 census which is the last time it was in the top 10 for cities with the largest population. Baltimore became the second U.S. city, after New York, to reach a population of 100,000. Every census up until 1980 it was the # 2 city or #3 city behind new York or Philadelphia or in the top 10.
I don't know. I mean definitely early immigration helped NYC form its early structure, culture, and grid. But I can't give all credit for the evolution of NYC today to one period of immigration, because immigration is still a living history in NYC. Only difference is that people come in by air instead of boat now and that JFK is the new Ellis Island. You could even argue that its more cosmopolitan due to the fact the immigration never slowed down for NYC. There's definitely more ethnicities languages spoken in todays NYC than that of the period of solely European immigration.
Key comparison to Baltimore
Some sources have Baltimore as the second or third city behind new York ellis island and boston for European immigration from 1820-1920. Between 1820 and 1989, almost 2 million who were German, Polish, English, Irish, Russian, Lithuanian, French, Ukrainian, Czech, Greek and Italian came to Baltimore, most between the years 1861 to 1930. Thanks in large part to the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which linked the port of Baltimore, first to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and, in 1853, directly to the Ohio River making Baltimore the quickest route to major Midwestern cities and the closest East Coast port to the Midwest. Today the city's nationality is mainly American with little to no international flavor (immigration) compared to new York. As a result Baltimore lost some of its prosperity, stability in population, jobs, industry, tax base, etc from immigration that its just starting to recover from along with other things. My point is that if Baltimore was still living history like NYC by continually bringing in millions of immigrants to BWI Airport (our version of JFK) like it did in its early history through the Port of Baltimore it would probably be a different city. Same could be said for NYC the other way around if immigration slowed down significantly after 1920 like it did in Baltimore. By 1913, when Baltimore immigration was averaging forty thousand per year, World War I closed off the flow of immigrants. After the war there were not enough new arrivals. By 1970, Baltimore's heyday as an immigration center was a distant memory.
Also in a way true but not always.
Interesting, I definitely learned some things about Baltimore I didn't know.
I just think the immigration wave of the 19th-20th century was significant because we opened our doors to so many people from Europe. There was no applying for citizenship, paying to become an American, or illegal immigration. Once they were cleared through Ellis Island, they were legal American citizens. They came with next to nothing and were instant citizens. It was just a different time. I think it was significant for this reason, and for the impact it had on this whole region. Sure, immigrants still come to New York and to the US and it's certainly an immigrant city, but those 50 years or so I truly find to have been special for a few reasons. We would not have the long-lasting Northeastern/NYC are Italian-American, Irish-American, Jewish cultural connotation that we do today if it were not for that period of time specifically in New York but also the greater Northeast.
Interesting, I definitely learned some things about Baltimore I didn't know.
I just think the immigration wave of the 19th-20th century was significant because we opened our doors to so many people from Europe. There was no applying for citizenship, paying to become an American, or illegal immigration. Once they were cleared through Ellis Island, they were legal American citizens. They came with next to nothing and were instant citizens. It was just a different time. I think it was significant for this reason, and for the impact it had on this whole region. Sure, immigrants still come to New York and to the US and it's certainly an immigrant city, but those 50 years or so I truly find to have been special for a few reasons. We would not have the long-lasting Northeastern/NYC are Italian-American, Irish-American, Jewish cultural connotation that we do today if it were not for that period of time specifically in New York but also the greater Northeast.
Location: That star on your map in the middle of the East Coast, DMV
8,129 posts, read 7,568,606 times
Reputation: 5786
The one question I'd like to see answered for Philly, is beyond the obvious birth of the nation and the flag etc from Philadelphia in the late 18th and early 19th century, how much more "historical" is Philadelphia than many other American cities, in the more recent history of the US? From 1900 and on how much more "history" has Philadelphia provided than a Boston or New York; Chicago etc. I'd argue it's no better than even with most other major older cities.
Also Philadelphia was an industrial giant really up until the 1950s
some other significant items
First Worlds Fair
Very instrumental in the Underground railroad
Many Music histories
First Stock Exchange
Navy Yard and Significance in WWII
many minor ones too
First Department Store
Start of Mothers Day
etc.
It actually has quite storied history really moreso than most
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
