What does Delaware have more in common? Pennsylvania/New Jersey or Maryland/Virginia? (Wilmington: transplants, crime)

[muppethammer26]

I know Delaware used to be part of Pennsylvania and most of Delaware has Philadelphia culture. But I heard some people like to group Delaware with Maryland and Virginia and even sometimes as part of the Southeast. I always relate Delaware to the Northeast for the reasons below:

For the white people in DE/PA/NJ, there are Italians, Irishes, Jewishes and other ethnic whites. For the black people in DE/PA/NJ, there are Jamaicans, Puerto Ricans and other ethnic blacks. While in Virginia, there are non-ethnic whites and blacks. Maryland has both ethnic and non-ethnic whites and blacks. Northern plants grow in PA/DE/NJ, while Southern plants grow in VA. Maryland grows both. Delawareans have northern accents. Marylanders have neutral accents. Virginians have southern accents.

So this makes Maryland a neutral state, while Delaware is a northeastern state and Virginia a southeastern state.

[pete lynch]

Delaware is a Mid-Atlantic state. It lies mostly on the coastal plain except for that strip of Piedmont in NC county.
Virginia is a Southern state; just ask General Lee.
Maryland is a Neutered state with it's current political climate. ( I love the western and Northern parts of the state; great hiking)
PA is a Northern state; just ask General Lee.
NJ is just a mess but I like the Kittaniny region.
They are all different. why try to pigeonhole them?

[DelawareLiz]

Originally Posted by pete lynch

Maryland is a Neutered state with it's current political climate.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by muppethammer26

I know Delaware used to be part of Pennsylvania and most of Delaware has Philadelphia culture.

Yee Gads! I've been enlightened! After being in Delaware 74 years, I've learned I am a part of the Philadelphia culture? Say it ain't so! Why do I gravitate towards Maryland sports teams including the Shorebirds, tune in to WBOC Maryland news, shop at the Salisbury, MD mall when I must (shop), think "beach" not "shore", identify "fun" as enjoying crabs and beer along the Delaware Bay, think 60-65 mph on DE Rt. 1 is fast enough, and think Philadelphia is a third world country where murder and crime are prevalent?

[Bac0s]

Lol. I lived in Virginia for 12 years, 11 of them in Richmond. Even the folks in the Capitol of the Confederacy didn't feel VA was a Southern, and everywhere we lived had plenty of ethic blacks and whites. I don't find Delaware to be culturally different than the top half of VA.

[Pine to Vine]

I grew up in Sussex County and have lived in New Castle County three times in my life. In addition, I lived in MD (Cecil County), Virginia (southwest Virginia and Tidewater) and am now in Philadelphia. Finally, I have quite a few relatives in Baltimore and on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I am offering this background as I feel I have had the opportunity to see my home state through several different lens - both inside and outside the state.

IMO, if I had to choose which state Delaware most closely resembles, I believe you really can split the state into two regions (no news here to natives, btw). The southern part of the state, which is by far is the largest region in terms of actual area (i.e., below the canal) feels pretty closely aligned with MD. As rdlr says, many natives grew up rooting for the Baltimore Orioles and wanting TV out of Baltimore and Salisbury. And as she does, many hold the inaccurate view of Philly as being some Sodom on the Delaware. (In truth, most natives have not been here in years if ever, and hold a phobia about most "big cities" including Baltimore.) Food is the same (crabs, chicken and slippery dumplings and scrapple) and accent-wise they are pretty similar.

I would split northern NCC into two "regions" as well. Newark and environs relate to both Philly (and thus PA) and to MD, due to it's proximity to Elkton, though I think PA holds the stronger pull. Wilmington and environs (the corner of the state into which most of the people are crammed) is definitely under Philly's orbit - TV, sports alliances, ethnic accents, and architecture (row homes are prevalent), to name a few of the commonalities.

Now for me, here is where it gets interesting. Growing up in DE, much is made about the north/south divide. Delawareans who have not lived elsewhere seem to buy that as gospel. Having lived not only in Virginia in graduate school and Texas for 26 years, I have been able to see both regions of the state through the lens of an outsider. While yes, I do feel Philly and Wilmington share many similarities, I would hardly call slower, lower Delaware the "south." Folks in SLD do not have southern accents, but do share an accent with MD's Eastern Shore, including the famous Maryland "O". Natives tend to eat potatoes for breakfast instead of grits, eat Dunkin' Donuts instead of Krispy Kreme, they go "down the beach," the area has a true fall (lots of deciduous trees), farmers grow soybeans and corn as opposed to tobacco, cotton and peanuts, and while there are Baptist churches, they do not exist on very corner. Finally, I remember getting the impression from our Sussex County teachers that "we" won the Civil War. Trust me, as someone who spent time in Virginia and Texas, natives there would have a hard time accepting SLD as "the south."

So, I have oppressed my view that Delaware is more similar in nature to PA and MD. Let's talk about NJ and VA, since you raised them. It is very interesting to me to to see how similar SLD and South Jersey are. The rich soil grows the same crops, they share the Delaware Bay water culture and both have similar Atlantic resorts. And the small towns in each are often viewed as "redneck" by those in the northern part of each state. That said, there is little connection between the two. The Delaware Bay is just to wide the the Delaware Memorial is just a bridge too far for most Delawareans to feel strong kinship with that particularly neighbor. Even more distant, however, is VA. When I was growing up, my family used to go camping on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Even as a native of western Sussex, I felt I had entered the true south once I crossed that border south of Pocomoke, MD.

So if that is Delaware today, what is Delaware's future? As Route 1 has made travel much easier, I see NCC below the canal becoming increasingly associated with Philly (and thus PA) as it continues to attract more and more transplants who are working in Wilmington but looking for affordable housing and good schools. This dynamic is already extending into Kent County (around Smyrna) as well. Eastern Sussex will continue to become more sophisticated than its western cousin, with the unabated influx of retirees from the surrounding cities arrive, bringing their "city ways" (and city allegiances) with them. FWIW, this will make Delaware a deeper and deeper blue state, a trait it shares with its northeastern neighbors.

My two cents.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by rdlr

Yee Gads! I've been enlightened! After being in Delaware 74 years, I've learned I am a part of the Philadelphia culture? Say it ain't so! Why do I gravitate towards Maryland sports teams including the Shorebirds, tune in to WBOC Maryland news, shop at the Salisbury, MD mall when I must (shop), think "beach" not "shore", identify "fun" as enjoying crabs and beer along the Delaware Bay, think 60-65 mph on DE Rt. 1 is fast enough, and think Philadelphia is a third world country where murder and crime are prevalent?

Sure RDLR, you mean I will not find you chowing down on Philly cheese steak???

[Pine to Vine]

All - Just re-read my post above (Post 6). One of these days I hope to make a post without typos . Until then, please bear with me.

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

All - Just re-read my post above (Post 6). One of these days I hope to make a post without typos . Until then, please bear with me.

That was a very enlightening post as a transplanted Delawarian via Long Island, I think you tied it up nicely and put a bow on it as we say in NY!!!

As to the posting, when you do let me know how you did it!!!!

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by nuts2uiam

Sure RDLR, you mean I will not find you chowing down on Philly cheese steak???

When transplants ask me:
"Where can I find a good Philly cheesesteak".....Answer: Philly
"Where can I find a good NY pizza"...................Answer: NY

Delaware Cheesesteak for me, and Grotto Pizza.