Would you consider Maryland to be in the south? (Baltimore: gated, live in)

[$mk8795]

Originally Posted by vanyali

Florida doesn't count as "South" anymore. It's its own thing. And that thing ain't what they got in Mississippi.

Then Virginia isn't pat of the South either because they tax people like its Long Island, NY....

[GraniteStater]

I was VERY suprised when I took a trip to western Maryland via highway 68 along the Garrett County and Allegheny County corridor. The hills and mountains there are beautiful and the temperatures were much cooler. A couple of weeks ago it was in the upper 40s in the day west of Frostburg. That portion of Maryland has much more in common with rural West Virginia and Pennsylvania compared with the rest of the state. The taller white pine trees in Garrett County reminded me of New England.

[westsideboy]

Plains10, thanks for noticing! I certainly didn't feel cool today though in Cumberland. It was in the high 80s and humid. I am sweating right now typing this. It should drop down to 60 tonight, not a moment too soon.

[MDisBETTERthanUthink]

Originally Posted by Plains10

I was VERY suprised when I took a trip to western Maryland via highway 68 along the Garrett County and Allegheny County corridor. The hills and mountains there are beautiful and the temperatures were much cooler. A couple of weeks ago it was in the upper 40s in the day west of Frostburg. That portion of Maryland has much more in common with rural West Virginia and Pennsylvania compared with the rest of the state. The taller white pine trees in Garrett County reminded me of New England.

I know it is crazy how diverse MD is (considering it is such a tiny state) climatically, politically, linguistically, geographical makeup....this is why I like living here so much and get a little annoyed when people around my age tell me there is nothing to do here and how they want to move to Florida. So trendy and annoying, and wouldn't they get bored having nice weather all the time?

Yes, western MD is beautiful. It's nice to know someone outside of the area knows it even exists. I have always thought MD seemed invisible to most of the world, even though it is becoming so built up and suburbanized.

[PoleScotSwedSouthUp]

Originally Posted by vanyali

Florida doesn't count as "South" anymore. It's its own thing. And that thing ain't what they got in Mississippi.

True, Florida is really only southern north of ocala(though there very small pockets in central florida). However, Florida is more southern Maryland(atleast in terms of original settlers). I find more of a twang than a drawl in the accents(i know some folk originally from MD), but I do consider some of the east(Delmarva) southernish in certain aspects. Another important note on being a southern state;the fact that you were a slave state aint gonna mean you were/are culturaly or historical southern.

[Tom Lennox 70]

MDBetterthanYOUthink....good points. our state actually is very beautiful and special. I just am saddened that we're being so built up and more and more like the Northeast. We're losing what makes Maryland such a great place to live and visit. I don't think we should focus on being "hip" or "urban" or being part of the "Bos-Wash corridor." We should focus on our wonderful beaches, mountain scenery, fishing, the Chesapeake Bay and its literally thousands of miles of esturine shoreline, our Civil War battlefields, our farm country and our small towns. They're what really make us great, its where the heart and soul of Maryland is all about.

[Tom Lennox 70]

At least the DC-Baltimore area fails a lot of the litmus test aspects for being the South. For example, the lack of sweet tea, the liberal elitist values and lifestyles, etc. Also the level fo acceptance the Confederate flag has....thats a biggie on whether a place is Southern.

[bunky3301]

Maryland / DC I would certainly consider to be SOUTH.....alot of the historic houses are of a southern flair.

Although Maryland wasn't part of the confederacy (which was a good thing IMO ) it doesn't mean it isn't part of the South.

Maryland of course has changed over the years with the build up of the Federal government centered in DC and maybe has taken away some of the Southern Charm that there use to be even just a short 30 / 40 years where I grew up in Southern Prince George's county. There are people that come to work here from all over the Nation..which is not a bad thing in the long run. Change is good as long as its good change.

[Scott Summers]

MD is not Southern in culture, but why would it be? It's the the nations capital of the US and should be bigger than just any one culture. I think that it's sort of funny that when some dicuss the diversity of the Distict they speak as if that wouldv'e happened regardless of living in the Capital; I guarantee that if Savannah, GA were to become the capital then their southerness would drop quickly. Remember folk that New York and Philly were supposed to house the Nation's Capital, but Southerners didn't want to be left out. I have been in talked with others on this site and I have brought up MD's southern history but some have shot that down, I fully agree that MD is without your classic Southern mannerisms but so are other Sunbelt cities, and the last thing which I feel is undisputed is the location which barring a massive eartquake I don't see changing. In the end does it really matter, well this is just a discussion forum.

[ajf131]

Maryland is not Southern in my opinion, it is rather just a continuation of Southern Pennsylvania. The Northern Panhandle of West Virginia and in Clarkburg, basically most of West Virginia and Northern Virginia west of Maryland, are not Southern. History does not necessarily dictate what a state is today, as much changed after the Civil War. Personally, I've toured the entire South extensively, and I can say with absolute certainty that Maryland and Delaware today have more in common with Pennsylvania than with Virginia. Maryland and Delaware are unquestionably a part of the Northeastern Seaboard. The difference in culture, accents, and attitudes in Maryland from most of Virginia are quite astounding. I would say that Maryland is definitely a Northeastern state. There are two Marylands...the one before the Civil War, and the one after.