Do you consider Virginia to be part of "The South"? (Leesburg: metro, areas)

[Artmeliana]

I grew up in grey old London, then moved to Houston where I lived for the second half of my life - and loved it. I'm now in NYC after a few misspent years back in London, and although I mostly like it here, the more I get used to it the more like London it feels.

I really miss that "southern" touch and am seriously looking to relocate to NOVA, which being Mid-Atlantic seems to have achieved a happy medium between Northeastern grit and Southern gentility, with the added bonus of colonial charm. Correct me if I am wrong but this is what I have gathered through years of observation. Plus I've been wanting to come here to work in DC since I was in college so I think it's time!

I saw pics of Alexandria today and totally fell in love with the Old Town.

[Flamingo13]

Come on "down" Artmeliana - I think you summed it up very well. Spent some time in Old Town today

[vaguy87]

Virginia is a Mid-Atlantic state. It's too complex to be stuck in either the North or the South. Therefore, Mid-Atlantic just like Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia.

[Flamingo13]

I think Happy Medium sums it up very well.

[CHIP72]

IMO, speaking as a non-native from the North (actually the northern part of the Mid-Atlantic - eastern Pennsylvania) who has spent a small amount of time in Virginia, there are about 4 parts of Virginia:

*Northern Virginia (i.e. the DC metro area) - at one time part of the South but definitely not South anymore. There are too many transplants from somewhere else (including many from the North) to make it South.

*Areas north of I-64 (including both Richmond and Hampton Roads areas) and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, excluding Northern Virginia - very mild South. This area can be most accurately described as the southernmost portion of the Mid-Atlantic area. It has some Southern cultural attributes but is definitely not hardcore South, especially in the urban areas. Just as important, this area is tied fairly strongly to northern Virginia and in a general sense Megalopolis.

*Areas west of Blue Ridge Mountains (Shenandoah Valley) and north of I-64 (and definitely north of I-66) - neither South nor North but instead Appalachia. Appalachia as a whole (including the areas further north into West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania) has characteristics that some people believe are "South" but are more accurately typical of rural areas in both the "North" and "South". Appalachia can be best distinguished from the true South by the much greater emphasis historically-speaking on manufacturing rather than large-scale farming (though Appalachia areas also have farming). In a way, the area defined here is merely a westward extension of the Mid-Atlantic/mild South described above modified by Appalachia characteristics. They have a degree of similarity but are distinctly different. Areas further south in the Great Valley (or Shenandoah Valley if you prefer) are a true South/Appalachia hybrid.

*Areas south of I-64, Richmond, and Hampton Roads - true South. Though not all of the areas in Virginia in this definition are hardcore South (and most of the areas in southwest Virginia are really that South/Appalachia described above), a lot of those areas are. As an example, Liberty University, founded by Jerry Falwell, is located in Lynchburg. Such a school probably never would have been located in any of the other 3 areas listed above. Most of this area is more rural than the rest of Virginia (Roanoke is the largest city; it is dwarfed by Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, and Richmond). When people think of Virginia as a Southern state, this is the part of Virginia they have in mind.

I should note that the majority of people I work with (my job is in DC) who are originally from Baltimore and points north tend to live in Maryland and the majority of people I work with who are originally from the DC area and points south tend to live in Virginia, though there are a few exceptions (especially with people from "the North" living in Virginia).

[Bobilee]

It's funny how lately (by lately, I mean the past few decades) people have tried to pry the Southern Highlands out of the South, calling it 'country' or 'rural'. There is no historical or geographical reason for it. West Virginia and Virginia are quite different from Ohio and Pennsylvania.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

It's funny how lately (by lately, I mean the past few decades) people have tried to pry the Southern Highlands out of the South, calling it 'country' or 'rural'. There is no historical or geographical reason for it. West Virginia and Virginia are quite different from Ohio and Pennsylvania.

And central and western Pennsylvania west of those mountains is quite different than eastern Pennsylvania; the same is true with eastern/southeastern portion of Ohio being distinctly different than the rest of Ohio. To say there aren't some significant differences between the Appalachia portion of Virginia (and basically all of West Virginia) and the portion of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge Mountains is simplistic.

[PrinceTheo]

Originally Posted by Bobilee

It's funny how lately (by lately, I mean the past few decades) people have tried to pry the Southern Highlands out of the South, calling it 'country' or 'rural'. There is no historical or geographical reason for it. West Virginia and Virginia are quite different from Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The northern panhandle of West Virginia is between Ohio and Pennsylvania.

[cityhopper]

I have lived in NY, VA, Carolina & ATL (this experience not wholly indicative of living in GA) and I would say MD/VA is south of the Mason-Dixon in the Mid-Atlantic region. I always found VA mild and neutral when it comes to a southern culture. What I always loved about VA is that is was neither wholly Southern or Northern. It rather grabs some good qualities of nothern states and maintains the history of southern pride. In cultural and lifestyle, D/M/V is an experience in its own that is not general to a true southern or northern experience.

Geographically, one of my favorite places in the country. You get a true four seasons. Get to most anywhere in 8 hrs travel. Enjoy the ocean, mountains, farm land, and concrete (city). Lots of history. TONS of outdoor actitivity. Highly educated and/or skilled people. Diverse population and culture.

[Peripateticshutin]

I'm a native of Virginia and I say that it depends but, except for NOVA, most of the state is identified as "Southern" -- not deep south like Mississippi, but more like Kentucky and NC.

Northern VA (particularly, Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax Counties) stands out as notably not "Southern" -- the mid-atlantic state description applies more. You don't hear much of the southern accent (even from natives), etc, and the affluence in those counties erases that blue collar or rural southern culture. In fact, most of us from Northern VA tend to refer to ourselves as from the "DC Area" more than Virginia when talking to people who aren't familiar with the specifics.

I think you start to notice the changes (more southern accents, more pickup trucks, etc) once you get to Prince William and Clark Counties (the further south and further west you go).

Just about everywhere else in VA is pretty Southern; accent included, more so the farther south in the state you go. There are the University towns (Blacksburg, Charlottesville, etc) that are a little different but still seem Southern.