Eastern PA, Western PA--What's the Difference? (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: houses, neighborhoods, school)

[ainulinale]

Perhaps I'll be blasted for this, but after spending a few days in Eastern PA (mostly Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York), I must say that I noticed some extreme similarities. So much so, that the only significant differences were the somewhat different accent and the higher Latino population in Eastern PA. The structure of these cities, style and architecture were so similar that these cities could be neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. No where else have I seen such a presence of brick rowhouses with dormer windows, ugly awnings and strange porches. I was truly expecting to see a whole new world (even though I had been to Phila. twice already), but ended up shocked over the similarities. What do you think, are Eastern and Western PA (at least the Pittsburgh area) two peas in a pod regardless of what the separatists want to think?

[toobusytoday]

I thought you meant Erie and Scranton-Wilkes Barre or maybe Philadelphia. Are Harrisburg and York considered eastern PA? I think of them more as South Central. Anyway, there's just a distance of three hours between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Maybe a longer distance would show a more shocking difference.

[ki0eh]

The difference is right here: http://popvssoda.com:2998/

[ainulinale]

^ And what a difference it is. Actually, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the only areas where the term "hoagie" is native to.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I thought you meant Erie and Scranton-Wilkes Barre or maybe Philadelphia. Are Harrisburg and York considered eastern PA? I think of them more as South Central. Anyway, there's just a distance of three hours between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Maybe a longer distance would show a more shocking difference.

You could say that, but I think, being beyond the Appalachians, they are more of the Eastern part of the state. 3.5 hours from Pittsburgh, 2.5 from Philadelphia though. However, I thought Lancaster was most similar to Pittsburgh; I think it would be hard for anyone to consider that city central PA.

[CHIP72]

Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York are all in south central PA.

I think the biggest differences between south central PA and the Pittsburgh area are A) south central PA is a much more open area social-culturally (I'll explain) and B) western PA is much more union-oriented (as in worker union-oriented) than south central PA (which actually may be related to Point A). What I mean by the former comment is that when I lived in western PA (in Indiana when I went to grad school at IUP), I got a strong sense many of the people who lived there, or the culture itself, was small-minded or myopic. I don't really mean that in a negative sense (though I perceived it as a negative as a non-native); what I mean is that I feel many people in western PA are very focused on western PA and don't have strong interest or awareness of what is going on elsewhere. As an example of what I'm trying to say, I'll note the percentage of the population that is native to that area is extremely high. Though there are some people in south central PA that are like that too, the percentage of people like is much, much lower, mainly because there are a number of large cities relatively close by that are similar but distinct from one another.

South central PA does have some similarities to western PA (or more accurately it has some similarities with rural central PA further to the west - think Altoona or Johnstown - which in turn has a lot of similarities with western PA). However, it also has a number of similarities to eastern PA and northern MD as well. (Actually, to me south central PA feels very similar to northern MD - places like Hagerstown, Frederick, Westminster, and to some degree Baltimore.)

[Orwelleaut]

A person from Ohio or MI feels at home in Western PA. In central or Eastern PA, they know they are in the East. There is an accent in Western PA, but it is more similar to the midwest way of speaking than that of the East. In Scranton, Harrisburg, or Philly, the speech pattern sounds totally Eastern to the midwesterner, and very distinctive. Scranton, especially, has an almost NJ sound that is totally East Coast.

[ainulinale]

All right, anyone who can guess the right city...either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, wins a prize...my respect. Now, if you can honestly tell me (and give a good reason) that one city belongs in the Eastern part of this country and the other belongs in the Midwest, then you get a reputation point. Here we go... (BTW, many were taken with different cameras, and others are from other contributors, so don't think you can tell by that.)

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[CHIP72]

Mod cut

Okay, you tell me what kind of people live in the counties surrounding Pittsburgh (Allegheny outside of Pittsburgh, Beaver, Butler outside of Cranberry Township, Westmoreland, Washington, plus a few other counties). Are you going to tell me those areas have a higher percentage of white collar workers than other cities' suburban counties? I certainly hope not because you'd be flat-out lying. (You should also note my comments were about the Pittsburgh area, by which I mean about a 6-10 county area, not specifically Pittsburgh.) BTW, architecture is but one of many factors that makes a place what it is.

I'm sorry that you have a problem with me thinking negatively of western PA. If I'd never lived there I wouldn't feel that way, but I did so I do.

P.S. I lived just outside Harrisburg for almost 8 years, in addition to living in Indiana, PA for a little less than 2 1/2 years.

[ainulinale]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

I'm sorry that you have a problem with me thinking negatively of western PA. If I'd never lived there I wouldn't feel that way, but I did so I do.

I don't care what you think of Pittsburgh or Western PA...your opinion is meaningless to me. My problem with your posts is that they seem reflective of one who claims to be the authority on all things Pittsburgh. I've had these discussions with you before, and you seem to think that going to grad school at IUP makes you the know-all of the area. In one discussion, I remember you calling the people of Pittsburgh ignorant and biased because they didn't agree with you concerning their own city.

BTW, you're right, architecture isn't the sole thing that makes a city what it is. Demographics contributes as well, and guess what? DC isn't all that more of an Eastern city than Pittsburgh in that respect. Historical demographic trends puts DC in the South. Additionally, I don't think having a "blue collar mentality" separates it from the rest of the state...think Scranton, Allentown, Reading, Philadelphia were all known for their blue collar mentality at one point.