Do people in Maryland consider themselves North, Southern, or in Between? (Baltimore: transplants, living)

[vasinger]

I was wondering. Maryland seems to have a lot of shifts within the state. Because I have friend from Southern Maryland who seems pretty southern to me. I'm from Virginia and they sound a lot like I do. But they grew up on a tobacco farm there.

In places like Upper Marlboro they act and talk like Southerners to me. Or at least they don't sound like Yankees.

But you get around Baltimore and its pretty much Northeastern . You go to Frederick and it feels kind of like a hybrid there . Hagerstown is more like PA or something .

I know that Maryland is sometimes considered Northeast in the contemporary sense (not regarding the Mason Dixon line,etc) But I consider it Mid-Atlantic bordering on Southern.

[JaBradshaw]

Northerners consider us Southerners.
Southerners consider us Northerners.

[sundaze]

Well .. having lived here for 36 years I would have to say "mid-Atlantic" describes it best. Baltimore is a quirky city -- no place is quite like it. The DC suburbs are much like suburbia anywhere -- not so different from the suburbs of Atlanta or Boston. I think these days everyplace in the US is becoming more like everywhere else.

[JaBradshaw]

^ I've always I identified as Mid-Atlantic, too.

[Billiam]

^ me three

[Oakback]

As a young kid over forty years ago, I remember feeling like a traitor when my family moved from NY to Maryland. I indentified myself as a yankee and believed I was moving to the land of confederacy.
However, my wife and her family are native Baltimoreans ( little Italy ) and don't identify with either side.
I do know some old families in Northern Baltimore County that clearly identify with the south.

[balto charlie]

Originally Posted by JaBradshaw

Northerners consider us Southerners.
Southerners consider us Northerners.

Exactly! We ARE the Mason Dixon line. Years ago I was working in CA and was talking to a horse trainer from S. Carolina. When I heard she was from there I told her I too use to live in a southern state, Maryland. She looked me in the eyes and said, in a stern southern drawl....Maryland is NOT a southern state. nuf said. I was glad as I was not pro confederate. A lot of those folks still haven't gotten over the civil war.

[westsideboy]

Not northern enough to be a northerner, not southern enough to be a southerner, but just Appalachian enough to be a hillbilly.

[hokiejane]

The only time I've felt any "southerness" in Maryland is when I've been on the Eastern Shore.

I think there are too many transplants from other states living here for it to have much of its own identity anymore. I don't know many people who are natives.

[kjg1963]

Born and bred in Maryland, I never identified as a "southerner" or "northerner" and always thought I had no discernable accent. I worked temporarily in NY and everyone thought I was from the south and when I went to Dallas they thought I was from the north. I have noticed some very southern or "country" sounding accents from various areas of Maryland, even areas bordering DC. I thought my brother-in-law was born down south because of his accent, but he grew up in Laurel.