How "southern" is NC these days? (Carthage, Ramseur: 2009, crimes)

[NYer]

Originally Posted by roadpony

...Speaking of Deb Balls, it's been interesting to see how many different debutante organizations there are here in the Upstate. Way more than in NC, but I don't know if they have a statewide ball like the Terpsichorean Ball in Raleigh. It seems like there is a different group of deb pictures in the paper here every week... bless their hearts.

We had junior league & debutant balls in NY, too, although many people in Ny are barely aware of that strata of society!

[adavi215]

I agree with what everyone has said thus far. The urban areas are not quite as "Southern" as in rebel flags, moonshine, trailers, etc. But they have an urban Southern flair to it. The rural areas have a deep south flavor to them. But all of NC is wonderful, nonetheless.

[NYer]

Here is the part I don't understand: every area has different aspects of the culture associated with it.
If you think of NY you may think of Rockefeller Center, shopping, the Plaza or Statue of Liberty... or the firemen on 9/11. Or, you may think of homeless people. What comes to your mind first?

But when we talk about the south it is assumed we are talking about the lower levels of society instead of the middle or upper ones. Interesting.

[Waterboy526]

Originally Posted by NYer

Here is the part I don't understand: every area has different aspects of the culture associated with it.
If you think of NY you may think of Rockefeller Center, shopping, the Plaza or Statue of Liberty... or the firemen on 9/11. Or, you may think of homeless people. What comes to your mind first?

But when we talk about the south it is assumed we are talking about the lower levels of society instead of the middle or upper ones. Interesting.

Good point. When I was in the Coast Guard I knew some guys from rural areas of upstate NY who were as redneck (sorry if that offends anyone) as anyone I've ever met in NC. They just had the upstate NY (almost Canadian) accent. They loved to hunt, and they loved their pickup trucks and ATV's.

[ToughLuv]

Originally Posted by Waterboy526

I wouldn't say NC is less Southern than VA. In Northern VA you won't find a southern accent anywhere (forget about southern culture...you can't even get sweet tea there) and Tidewater you barely will. Even the 40-60 y/o natives of Northern VA don't have a southern accent and that is 1/3rd of the states population.

I think that was a typo, because NC is definitely more southern than VA, especially when you throw in Northern VA and the tidewater.

[Former_Yankee]

I lived in Charlotte for a little while and I didn't think that it was southern enough for me. I came to NC to get away from the north. I moved to Albemarle, which is near Charlotte, but not in it. It is much more southern and that is what I like. I am originally from Vermont and I could not stand that place! I love the people here in NC, the culture, the weather, and the hospitality that you just don't find in the north.

[mackinac81]

Well, I just got back from NC today and the trip answered my question posted in the OP: NC is DEFINITELY Southern! The weird thing is, I liked it much better than I thought, here's what I noticed as opposed to the North.

1. the People. In the midwest we're polite, and we like you, but we're reserved about it. We don't just chat with strangers. The southerners I met were polite, liked you and you knew it. When they chatted with you you weren't weirded out by it. Very warm people.

2. Red brick everywhere! It seemed every church had the same architecture: Red colonial brick, a white steeple with a pillared portico in front. Even the tiny rural churches were like this. I really liked it though. Has anyone else noticed this?

3. Confederate evidence. A lot of the small towns had confederate memorials, or plaques sometimes next to memorials to soldiers from other wars. It seemed like many southerners have this dual "I'm American--but I'm Southern too" mentality. Almost like dual citizenship.

4. The accent. It felt weird at first when I opened my mouth and everyone knew where I was from. I had no idea I had an accent But I've always found southern accents charming.

5. Manners. Most people I met in NC were well mannered. In Warrenton I told an old woman "This is a nice town you live in, ma'am" and she said "yessir it is!" with a grin. An old woman calling me sir (I'm 28) Other people were very polite.

6. The way Blacks and Whites interacted seemed different than what I'm used to up here. More familiar and casual, which I don't notice in Michigan. Are race relations different in the South than the North, or is it just me?

Anyway. It was a very interesting trip, I had a blast experiencing something different. Oh--and I got that teaching job I interviewed for in the OP, so I'll be moving down in August. Yay!!!

[SunnyKayak]

I really like your assesment mackinac81 . I think you will fit just perfect down here. Let us know when you get here. Thanks for sharing

[uncletupelo]

American by birth. Southern by the grace of God.

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by Waterboy526

Good point. When I was in the Coast Guard I knew some guys from rural areas of upstate NY who were as redneck (sorry if that offends anyone) as anyone I've ever met in NC. They just had the upstate NY (almost Canadian) accent. They loved to hunt, and they loved their pickup trucks and ATV's.

In rural parts of upstate, ny (and other rural parts of the north); they are called "hicks". While in the south, they are called "rednecks". That's the only distinction really. I wouldn't call the accent "almost canadian"...its really more "great lakes" that comes from the strong German heritage in most of Upstate NY and the Great Lakes. The same accent can be found in Northern Ohio, Michigan, Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, etc.