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First of all, they weren't settled differently. Secondly, what exactly does it matter that according to some "expert" they don't talk the same? I really don't think you know much about Philadelphia if you think the entire city thinks a certain way or has certain views. You can find it however you like but that's the truth. Boston has a lot more of Old City to it than Philadelphia does.
I never once in any of my posts claimed that Philadelphia has a hive mind. I stated that I don't see the similarities between Philadelphia and Boston...or that Boston is more like Philadelphia than Baltimore. My "I find that extremely troubling" comment comes from the fact that Boston was an extremely repressive place compared to Middle Colonies back in colonial times and you saying its stayed more like its colonial self I found to be disturbing. Since Boston was settled by Puritans who were religious fanatics where as Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers who weren't.
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I already gave you one. Regardless of what you can think, the fact is that Philadelphia has a lot less in common with Baltimore than those other cities. You don't know how I can claim that except it's my area, not yours. Those cities are a lot alike.
The Delaware Valley aspects is one of the reasons why Philadelphia is closer to Baltimore then Boston. Yet when I asked why you think Boston is closer to Philadelphia then Baltimore...let alone Chicago and Detriot for some reason. You didn't provide any facts as to why Boston has more in common with Philadelphia then Baltimore.
If I had to pick a city closest to feeling like Philadelphia it would be Baltimore. Boston always struck me as quite bit different from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or anywhere else in PA for that matter. Now I live in Central PA have relatives in Chester and Montgomery county PA and have been to Philly several times it doesn't feel like Boston to me at all. Now I've been to Boston several time but I never lived there and don't have relatives there so maybe I would feel different otherwise but Boston always struck me as just being different.
True Philadelphia doesn't have the Appalachia feeling since its in the Delaware Valley. So I can understand someone from Philadelphia not feeling attached to the area or having any relation to discussing similarities PA has with a state like West Virginia since you don't share those relations.
I went to college in Central PA and if you read what I said I see a strong relationship with WV and PA; just not all of the state
On Baltimore I agree many smilarities; and I also see many similarities with Boston as well; especially in the core and sorrounding areas. Not sure what parts of Montco but there are absolutely many similarities in areas of Montco and those surrounding Bostn. While not exact there are many an in the cities as well.
I think PA has similarities to many other states.
SE PA is more similar to NJ or Boston or Baltimore FTM than it is to many areas in central PA from my perspective. PA is a pretty diverse state; strongly influenced by appalchia but by no means singularly influenced nor a mimiced state. MD may be closest or NY in the diversity regard; though there is no comparator for either the MD eastern shore or LI in NYS; plus more differences to NY on the whole which by and large has more close ties to non urban New England from my perspective.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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New Jersey, Downstate New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and D.C., as well as Northern Virginia (D.C. suburbs). Another name I like to call it is the Lower Northeast. New England and Upstate New York i prefer to call the Upper Northeast.
I never once in any of my posts claimed that Philadelphia has a hive mind. I stated that I don't see the similarities between Philadelphia and Boston...or that Boston is more like Philadelphia than Baltimore. My "I find that extremely troubling" comment comes from the fact that Boston was an extremely repressive place compared to Middle Colonies back in colonial times and you saying its stayed more like its colonial self I found to be disturbing. Since Boston was settled by Puritans who were religious fanatics where as Pennsylvania was settled by Quakers who weren't.
The Delaware Valley aspects is one of the reasons why Philadelphia is closer to Baltimore then Boston. Yet when I asked why you think Boston is closer to Philadelphia then Baltimore...let alone Chicago and Detriot for some reason. You didn't provide any facts as to why Boston has more in common with Philadelphia then Baltimore.
You might not have said it outright but you sure implied it. I think you're confusing Plymouth with Boston. Either way, the point was that Boston has more of its colonial self intact within the city than Philadelphia does. Philadelphia became a lot more urban and industrial in many places and that in large part defines the city. Boston has that too, of course, but it's not what defines the city.
Neither have you provided any facts for your opinions. I actually live in the area and have almost all my life. Philadelphia and Baltimore share only the same similarities that the entire Delaware Valley shares with Philadelphia. On the other hand Philadelphia is like Detroit because it historically has a mixture of old money, high society and also industry and authentic culture. It's like Chicago because of the way the cities are laid out and because both have an El and because both have very similar urbanity. It's like New York for the same reason it's like Chicago but also because parts of it are built very similarly to parts of New York and because it has a business district that's similar to Manhattan's but much, much smaller.
Philadelphia is possibly the most diverse city in the country when it comes to what aspects of other cities it has. This actually sort of hurts its status because it has aspects to it that are largely associated with other cities and thus it doesn't get recognition or credit for them (for example the Irish and Italian influence in the city or the Polish or the African American culture to name a few, the colonial aspect of it in parts to name another) but it makes the city and its metro extremely interesting and unique.
SE PA is more similar to NJ or Boston or Baltimore FTM than it is to many areas in central PA from my perspective.
I'm just going to agree to disagree with you about Philadelphia being closer to Boston then central PA because outside of the stereotypical James Carville comment which is not accurate at all there isn't as many differences between Philadelphia and the rest of PA is many are lead to believe.
I stated that I don't see the similarities between Philadelphia and Boston...
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Originally Posted by cwa1984
I'm just going to agree to disagree with you about Philadelphia being closer to Boston then central PA because outside of the stereotypical James Carville comment which is not accurate at all there isn't as many differences between Philadelphia and the rest of PA is many are lead to believe.
Repeating something over and over again doesn't make it true.
Philly (like Boston) is urban, dense, generally flat and politically liberal. PA is generally rural, hilly to mountainous and politically conservative. Both cities have large Italian, Irish and Jewish populations. Philly is connected to the rest of Bos-Wash by I-95 and Amtrak. Oh my, so is Boston! One is called the Cradle of Liberty and the other the Birthplace of America. Both cities were settled in the 1600s and have lots of standing architecture in their respective city cores that reflects their colonial heydays. Boston is generally recognized as the premier college city in the US and many consider Philly to hold second place in that category. And in case you are unaware, Philly is 80 miles or so closer to Boston than it is to Erie.
Last edited by Pine to Vine; 02-26-2012 at 04:03 PM..
Repeating something over and over again doesn't make it true.
Philly (like Boston) is urban, dense, generally flat and politically liberal. PA is generally rural, hilly to mountainous and politically conservative. Both cities have large Italian, Irish and Jewish populations. Philly is connected to the rest of Bos-Wash by I-95 and Amtrak.
Its also connected via I-95 to Richmond Virginia all the way down to Miami Florida as well yet Philadelphia is a very different place then Miami so I don't see how just using the Highway is proof that Boston and Philadelphia are similar to each other. Neither do I see how Amatrak makes the two any closer together culturally. As far as politcally liberal goes you can throw darts at marks on a map of the United States were cities are and wherever the dart hits you can find the same thing with the city being more liberal than the rural areas in the state.
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Oh my, so is Boston! One is called the Cradle of Liberty and the other the Birthplace of America. Both cities were settled in the 1600s and have lots of standing architecture in their respective city cores that reflects their colonial heydays.
You can find similar things throughout the thirteen colonies so what is your point here exactly?
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And in case you are unaware, Philly is 80 miles or so closer to Boston than it is to Erie.
Through two different states which separates the two and diffuses whatever cultural influence new England or Pennsylvania would otherwise have on each other compared to Erie being in the same exact state as Pennsylvania.
^^^ cwa - You challenged posters to offer reasons why they feel Philly shares more similarities with Boston than with the rest of PA. I did so. In response, you used an interesting logic to attempt to refute some points I offered, flat out ignored most of them that don't fit your world view, and actually reenforced others, e.g.
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. . . the city being more liberal than the rural areas . . .
You are clearly entitled to your perspectives. Further, I have nothing invested in changing them. Just don't expect too many folks to share them.
You might not have said it outright but you sure implied it.
If that is the impression you got that wasn't my intent.
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Neither have you provided any facts for your opinions. I actually live in the area and have almost all my life. Philadelphia and Baltimore share only the same similarities that the entire Delaware Valley shares with Philadelphia. On the other hand Philadelphia is like Detroit because it historically has a mixture of old money, high society and also industry and authentic culture. It's like Chicago because of the way the cities are laid out and because both have an El and because both have very similar urbanity. It's like New York for the same reason it's like Chicago but also because parts of it are built very similarly to parts of New York and because it has a business district that's similar to Manhattan's but much, much smaller.
For One Chicago and Philadelphia are laid out very differently Chicago is laid out like Wisconsin, Indianapolis, and other cities around that region of the country. Philadelphia is a very old city that was built up over a longer time period being nowhere nearly as well laid out as Chicago is as far as transportation and the overall design of the city and areas around it. So unless you are talking about something completely different then I am your comparison seems pretty ethereal.
As far as Detroit goes with old money you find that in the south just as much since they are very traditional with keeping money in the family and the son taking over the fathers position whether its political and/or business with others being excluded from it. High Society again you find in the south as well. As far as industry goes Pittsburgh is closer to Detroit here then Philadelphia is. Baltimore also had and still does have industry so this part really doesn't explain at all why Detroit is more similar to Philadelphia then Baltimore.
Regarding your "authentic culture" comment I get the very strong vibe you for some reason actually believe the Mason Dixon line means something and don't want to be associated with anything below it due to typical out of date negative stereotypes. I could be wrong and I'm sorry if I insulted you but that is vibe you are putting off.
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Philadelphia is possibly the most diverse city in the country when it comes to what aspects of other cities it has. This actually sort of hurts its status because it has aspects to it that are largely associated with other cities and thus it doesn't get recognition or credit for them (for example the Irish and Italian influence in the city or the Polish or the African American culture to name a few, the colonial aspect of it in parts to name another) but it makes the city and its metro extremely interesting and unique.
I'm not saying that Philadelphia isn't a diverse place and I agree that it doesn't get enough recognition yet that doesn't make it like New England.
Philly (like Boston) is urban, dense, generally flat and politically liberal. PA is generally rural, hilly to mountainous and politically conservative. Both cities have large Italian, Irish and Jewish populations.
Hey, Pittsburgh has a large Irish and Italian population too, plus a fair number of Jews. Don't distance yourselves from everybody west of Blue Mountain!
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