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.
My brother lives in Orlando and I live in Tampa and I frequently visit Orlando. Orlando should definitely be at the bottom of that list. Daytona is more of a suburb of the Northeastern cities.
1. Richmond
2. Winston-Salem
3. Virginia Beach
4. Atlanta
5. Dallas
6. Austin
7. New Orleans
8. Houston
9. Daytona Beach
10. Orlando
I'll come clean and admit that I have never been to Houston or the Virginia cities (with the exception of D.C.), so feel free to ridicule my rankings if I'm off. I just ranked the Virginia cities based on what I hear.
Atlanta's metropolitan area definitely has a Southern feel, but Fulton County does not. I'm about to move to Atlanta and I don't get much of a Southern feel at all within the city limits, probably because of all the transplants (which I am about to become one of).
I guess I am a bit biased in regards to what I consider Southern culture. My whole family is from Kentucky. When I think of Southern, I think of Protestantism and evangelical Christianity, English and Anglicized German surnames, and delicious deep fried foods. Along with a host of other cultural traits.
Texas and Florida have too much of a Catholic presence. The southern accent is definitely the trademark of the South, and Florida doesn't have that one bit (except in the panhandle). Austin would be higher up on my list if it wasn't for all the college students from the north that attend the universities there.
Austin is hardly Southern, even without the Northern transplant college kids. And most of the transplants in Austin are from the westcoast(Cali, AZ, NV). I'd switch Austin and Daytona, Dallas and Houston, then I'd switch Houston and New Orleans. Voila!!
I don't see how you have Savannah or Charleston that low. They are far more Southern than Houston in culture and in feel.
historically? yeah. culturally? mehhh. other than the changes houston has gone thru due to being a big city, it really isn't less southern than savannah
I live in Orlando. It is NOT Southern. I give Florida cities their own classification of "Floridian" I guess.
I think it's more of a north Florida/south Florida dichotomy going on. The farther north you are, the more culturally Southern things are. The farther south you go, the more culturally "un-Southern" things are.
historically? yeah. culturally? mehhh. other than the changes houston has gone thru due to being a big city, it really isn't less southern than savannah
I think it is. I think Savannah is much more ante-bellum, slower in pace, more down home Southern than Houston. That's just my experiences and opinion but I don't think anyone could set Houston above Savannah in this topic. It's not that Houston changed because it's a big city. But the demographics has also changed and the dilution of the South culturally is more evident in Houston than it is in Savannah. Culturally, I find Savannah far more Southern than Houston.
I think it's more of a north Florida/south Florida dichotomy going on. The farther north you are, the more culturally Southern things are. The farther south you go, the more culturally "un-Southern" things are.
Thats true. I have Family in North, Central, and South Florida. The one from the north still have southern traditions and accents. I mean they are just different. Central Florida (North Central Florida is a little of both but more southern. But all in all further south in the state you go you lose southerness.
I think it is. I think Savannah is much more ante-bellum, slower in pace, more down home Southern than Houston. That's just my experiences and opinion but I don't think anyone could set Houston above Savannah in this topic. It's not that Houston changed because it's a big city. But the demographics has also changed and the dilution of the South culturally is more evident in Houston than it is in Savannah. Culturally, I find Savannah far more Southern than Houston.
you say it has nothing to do with houston being a big city, but the "dillution" of the southern characteristics are the result of its large size
this isn't dallas or san antonio we're talking about. houston isn't in a transitional zone. it's always been nestled comfortably in the south. it's gulf coast southern
if houston was the size of savannah, it would likely be just like beaumont. and anybody who knows that town well knows that it really doesn't get much more southern than beaumont, texas. confederate flags EVERYWHERE
savannah's historical relevance of the south (to include it's monuments and buildings) might make an argument for it being a little more southern, but "far more" southern? absolutely not.
you say it has nothing to do with houston being a big city, but the "dillution" of the southern characteristics are the result of its large size
You're looking at the size. I'm looking at the demographics. Two completely different things though they are somewhat related. Because many cities have grown, but the demographics has not changed like Houston's has (SLC, Seattle, Washington DC). Houston's demographics has changed dramatically in the last 50 years and that has diluted some of the Southern characteristics.
Quote:
this isn't dallas or san antonio we're talking about. houston isn't in a transitional zone. it's always been nestled comfortably in the south. it's gulf coast southern
I honestly do believe Houston is a transitional zone. I think once you are finished with the Houston metro area to the west say Sealy or Columbus, you start to transition to a different region. Now it does not become evident until you get to San Antonio.
Quote:
if houston was the size of savannah, it would likely be just like beaumont. and anybody who knows that town well knows that it really doesn't get much more southern than beaumont, texas. confederate flags EVERYWHERE
Well on my many visits to Beaumont, I hardly came across confederate flags but that's besides the point. Savannah has retained most of it's culture and it's history because it's demographics has not changed as much as it has in Houston.
Quote:
savannah's historical relevance of the south (to include it's monuments and buildings) might make an argument for it being a little more southern, but "far more" southern? absolutely not.
Again, this is just my opinion. But from the feel I get everytime I visit Savannah (as I have family from the area), I feel like I'm nearly in the center of the South compared to when I'm in Houston where I could be in many different regions as Houston feels like LA, New Orleans, Miami, Chicago, and Atlanta all wrapped up into one.
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.
