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i'll preface that question by stating the obvious. I haven't been to all 50 state capitals. But it seems that more of them that I have been to seem like godawful places where not many people--even workers in state government--choose to live if they can help it.
Albany NY, Trenton NJ, Harrisburg PA, Hartford CT, Lansing MI, Springfield IL, all seem like as the center of government they'd be more vibrant, more happening, more livable and attractive to the middle class. Is this just a phenomeon of the Rustbelt or is it the case in other areas of the country I haven't visited?
And yes, every once in a while a state capital has some "cachet" (however you want to define it) like Atlanta or Boston as major cities, or big university towns like Madison WI or Austin TX. (I've also heard that Denver is a decent state capital, though I've never visited.)
But they seem the exception rather than the rule to me. MOst state capitals I've seen are like what happened here?
Last edited by citylove101; 04-12-2011 at 04:52 PM..
Most states' founders seem to have wanted to avoid having the largest urban city or cities in the state also be the center of government power. Folks in rural areas tend to distrust what happens in the big cities, a phenomenon which probably dates back hundreds of years. Putting the capital outside of a very large metro area helps put the city and country folks on a more equal footing.
Apparently, just because a place is the seat of government power doesn't mean it will automatically become a vibrant place of its own.
i'll preface that question by stating the obvious. I haven't been to all 50 state capitals. But it seems that more of them that I have been to seem like godawful places where not many people--even workers in state government--choose to live if they can help it.
Albany NY, Trenton NJ, Harrisburg PA, Hartford CT, Lansing MI, Springfield IL, all seem like as the center of government they'd be more vibrant, more happening, more livable and attractive to the middle class. Is this just a phenomeon of the Rustbelt or is it the case in other areas of the country I haven't visited?
And yes, every once in a while a state capital has some "cachet" (however you want to define it) like Atlanta or Boston as major cities, or big university towns like Madison WI or Austin TX. (I've also heard that Denver is a decent state capital, though I've never visited.)
But they seem the exception rather than the rule to me. MOst state capitals I've seen are like what happened here?
Maybe your Thread title would be better if it read as follows:
Why are so many state capitals, THAT I HAVE BEEN TO, so damn dingy? Then, my answer to you would be that you need to go see the ones that aren't godawful places.
Raleigh, Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Boston, Providence, Honolulu are not dingy.
I would add Madison, Austin, Nashville, Columbus and Des Moines to that list.
As for dingy places, I've only been to two other capital cities besides those and I would consider one of those to be dingy and the other one to possibly fall in that category, based on a drive through each downtown. Not naming names, though.
Folks, disagree but at least PLEASE read the cities I have posted. I listed the same nice state captials that some of you already have--Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Austin, Madison.
Can't say I agree with Raleigh or Columbus, which I have visited and I don't know why, not much to my taste but not terribly grubby and unattractive either. Never done Des Moines or Nashville. And of course I totally forgot about Honolulu--though in fairness are there any other cities in Hawaii? (jk)
But I think the moderator Bo prolly got it right: Most states' founders seem to have wanted to avoid having the largest urban city or cities in the state also be the center of government power. Folks in rural areas tend to distrust what happens in the big cities, a phenomenon which probably dates back hundreds of years. Putting the capital outside of a very large metro area helps put the city and country folks on a more equal footing.
Apparently, just because a place is the seat of government power doesn't mean it will automatically become a vibrant place of its own.
Bo knows.
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