do Maryland residents consider themselves as "Southerners?" (Baltimore: homes, buy)

[formercalifornian]

Originally Posted by bonnielisabeth

I've recently moved to Montgomery Co. MD after spending most of my life in the south, and would agree that a significant majority of folks in the DC burbs in Maryland fit your description....

I had a completely different experience in Howard County. Within hours of the moving truck taking leave, our doorbell started ringing. We were offered plates of cookies, invitations for our kids to play, and help with unpacking. It was one of the friendliest places I've ever lived, and I've lived in a lot of places.

[doctorjef]

Originally Posted by bonnielisabeth

I've recently moved to Montgomery Co. MD after spending most of my life in the south, and would agree that a significant majority of folks in the DC burbs in Maryland fit your description:

""I'll ignore you and be rude to you until you can prove that I should be nice." Which is nearly impossible if they won't give you the time of day - unless, you happen to be a relative of their best buddy or something like that or buying something from them. Of course this is based soley on my personal experience."

we have neighbors who can't even be bothered to say hello. Much more hurried here, not as friendly. I find that being a "southerner" is held against me in some situations, because of people's preconceptions. With that said, when we have traveled to more rural parts of Maryland, folks are much more friendly.

I lived in DC as a kid and would agree that there are LOTS of snotty, rude people in DC and its burbs, including Montgomery Co. (where my mom taught school). The DC metro area really has little in common with the rest of MD and VA once you get out of it.

[westsideboy]

I would add West Virginia and Missouri into the border state mix too. The northern part of West Virginia is part of the rust belt and very similar to SW PA and Eastern Ohio. The southern part of state is best described as part of the highland south along with SW Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, etc.

[cpterp]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

I would add West Virginia and Missouri into the border state mix too. The northern part of West Virginia is part of the rust belt and very similar to SW PA and Eastern Ohio. The southern part of state is best described as part of the highland south along with SW Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, etc.

Definitely. Western MD, the WV panhandle, and Central PA are defintely "Rust Belt." Also, the CB classfies Missouri as Midwest, while many consider it a Southern state.

[westsideboy]

If you are willing to look beyond the political borders of the state it becomes much easier to place Maryland into regions. Western Maryland is best placed in the Northern Appalachia, The Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland in the Coastal South, and metro Maryland as part of the Bos-Was corridor. This same principle applies to many states on the east coast. Culture doesn't stop at lines drawn on a map.

[vivo]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

I had a completely different experience in Howard County. Within hours of the moving truck taking leave, our doorbell started ringing. We were offered plates of cookies, invitations for our kids to play, and help with unpacking. It was one of the friendliest places I've ever lived, and I've lived in a lot of places.

hoco is per the census in the bmore area, though I know it leans a bit towards dc.

[bonnielisabeth]

Actually, just went to Columbia in Howard County to do some shopping.
As formercalifornian indicated--it was the friendliest experience I have had since moving to Montgomery Co! We are seriously considering moving to Howard and commuting into Montgomery and I am checking things out...

[cpterp]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

If you are willing to look beyond the political borders of the state it becomes much easier to place Maryland into regions. Western Maryland is best placed in the Northern Appalachia, The Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland in the Coastal South, and metro Maryland as part of the Bos-Was corridor. This same principle applies to many states on the east coast. Culture doesn't stop at lines drawn on a map.

Okay, that makes sense, except I wouldn't call Southern MD "southern" anymore. Ever since gambling ended in the region and the state bought out all of the tobacco farms, the region has changed character (culturally and demographically) immensely. As I mentioned before, Calvert and Charles are 2 of the top 10 wealthiest small/medium-sized counties in the country, and are two of the fastest growing counties in the state. Charles county was Obama's 3rd best county in the state (not counting Baltimore), where he won by a margin of 25 points. St. Mary's County has also been a heavily Catholic county historically, which sets it apart from most of the South. The degree to which and how much of the Eastern Shore (including DE) is "Southern" is debatable.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by tercel95

I should take you on a tour of southern MD, I'm sure there are places that would resemble the deep south... SOMD is the home of the 10oz bud light...

Huh???

Someone is going to have to explain that reference to me.

Aside from the fact that I am unfamiliar with 10oz bottles/cans of beer.....

What would make a 10oz Bud Light southern?

[Stephen 81]

Originally Posted by cpterp

Okay, that makes sense, except I wouldn't call Southern MD "southern" anymore. Ever since gambling ended in the region and the state bought out all of the tobacco farms, the region has changed character (culturally and demographically) immensely. As I mentioned before, Calvert and Charles are 2 of the top 10 wealthiest small/medium-sized counties in the country, and are two of the fastest growing counties in the state. Charles county was Obama's 3rd best county in the state (not counting Baltimore), where he won by a margin of 25 points. St. Mary's County has also been a heavily Catholic county historically, which sets it apart from most of the South. The degree to which and how much of the Eastern Shore (including DE) is "Southern" is debatable.

Southern Maryland is changing pretty rapidly, I agree, but there's a huge difference in the "feel" of semi-rural Carroll County, which seems very Northern, and semi-rural Charles and St. Mary's Counties, which don't.

Obama did well in Charles County because it is a heavily African-American county. There are probably dozens, if not more than a hundred, heavily African-American counties from Mississippi to Virginia where Obama did equally well. So Obama's high vote percentage doesn't make a county less Southern.

If the South is defined as poor, Protestant, slow-growing and Republican, then no, Southern Maryland isn't the South. But then neither are Louisiana, Atlanta, or Raleigh.