Delaware Valley and Regional Identity (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: school, universities, living in)

[waltlantz]

This is a question to Southeast Pennsylvanians and South Jerseyians. Do you accept the "Delaware Valley" as a real cohesieve region? Do you identify with the area or more so your own state?

(Note, the DV has Philly and the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester in PA, Along with Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Salem counties in Jersey, you can add Mercer in there too. I am leaving out the shore cause that region is based around Atlantic City and it
's beaches)

Of course Philly is the center piece economically and financially, but is there some other cultural or population traits that the people and area around the Delaware River have in common? I've lived in Philly for a while, but not in Jersey so I am particularly interested in what they have to say

[MoorestownResident]

The first part is easy, everyone relates to the Delaware Valley, many people in the region haven't been outside it and know nothing other parts of the mid-atlantic. That is a real shame because the mid-atlantic is perhaps the most vibrant region in the country. FYI, the Delaware Valley is literally a valley of the mountain range to the north and west that runs on up through western NJ. Some people complain the area is too flat but everytime I visit friends in Pittsburgh I remind myself how nice it is to drive and get around in Burlington County. Plus I prefer the farmland, orchards, horse farms and the sunsets commonly found in pastures or plains as opposed to the rough rocky and hilly terrain that looks nice but can be a major problem in winter. It's also nice to get some topographical variation so closeby.

The way I look at Philly is pretty simple - it might be the city that drives the region but the real money is in the suburbs, moreso than other major cities IMO. SJ folk have always considered themselves different from 'Philly' people. They identify with Philly through the sports teams but that's where the common traits end. There is a different vibe in NJ relative to PA. I work in center city but do relatively little socially in Philly. I do appreciate the town and its history but I'd never consider living there. I'm happier doing stuff in NJ.

[pman]

I'm a suburban guy, I never used Delaware Valley. I didn't even know what the hell they were talking about. i thought maybe that was allentown or something. when people asked me where I was from I answered "the Philly area"
I'd agree that Jersey is a different place, and it's once I'd never consider being part of. It was just some place whose relevance was based on having accessible beaches. I always found it ugly and boring as compared to the PA burbs. We grew up visiting the city occasionally for shopping, sports games, and later, hanging out. As a single person it was always the best place to go since it had so much to offer and unlike a suburb, you met people form all over the region from the western burbs to the northern burbs to jersey girls. There was a time when I wouldn't have considered living in the city but it's not a bad place to live anymore.

[MoorestownResident]

There's a lot more to do in NJ than there is PA. You've got the shoreline, Cape May, Atlantic City, Wildwood, Ocean City, plus large park systems like Wharton State Forest, great restaurants, destination and high-end shopping in Cherry Hill, Marlton, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Moorestown. Plus you have better access to Philly and points north and south. As for not knowing the term 'Delaware Valley' maybe you are not native to the area. Anyone who grew up in the Philly region knows the area is referred to as the delaware valley. There is no destination in the PA burbs outside of the KOP mall and Franklin Mills and the only time I set foot in FM is to go to a couple outlets.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

There's a lot more to do in NJ than there is PA. You've got the shoreline, Cape May, Atlantic City, Wildwood, Ocean City, plus large park systems like Wharton State Forest, great restaurants, destination and high-end shopping in Cherry Hill, Marlton, Haddonfield, Voorhees, Moorestown. Plus you have better access to Philly and points north and south. ... There is no destination in the PA burbs outside of the KOP mall and Franklin Mills.

Ridiculous, as usual.

Apparently New Hope, Doylestown, and West Chester are not destinations. What's funny is that New Hope, D-Town, and Peddlar's Village are full of NJ and NY plates on weekends. Drive around Route 202 and you'll see.

And there's Valley Forge National Park, and plenty of state parks. Also, many townships in PA were proactive and acquired open space on their own.

There's many more suburban communities with small-town feel in PA (Conshohocken, Ambler, Phoenixville, Lansdale, etc.) The list goes on and on. Outside of a small handfull of places in South Jersey like Moorestown, Haddonfield, and Collingswood, South Jersey is sprawl.

There's something like 85 colleges and universities in Philadelphia and the 4 suburban counties on the PA side. Many of these are among the best in the country. There's what, 5 colleges and universities in South Jersey?

The only people frequenting the malls in South Jersey are people from Philadelphia who would need to drive twice as far to get to PA malls.

You are of course right that SJ has better access to most of Philadelphia, and all of the shore. However, the jobs, cultural and historical amenities, and colleges are far more abundant in PA. There's no argument otherwise.

If you aren't here to be constructive, then go away. Go argue with others on the Jersey boards (which you do often). You may feel superior because you are from Jersey, but remember that Jersey is the laughing-stock of the country.

[MoorestownResident]

I said the suburbs, obviously Philly is a destination. To answer your other question - New Hope is not a Philly suburb it is part of the greater region. Coincidentally I'll be there Friday night for the first time in 20 years. The others are not at all destinations, I have zero reason to go to Doylestown or West Chester. There is just nothing to do outside of local conveniences in the PA burbs other than the two big malls. Hell, you can't even get a good piece of pizza in the PA burbs.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by MoorestownResident

I said the suburbs, obviously Philly is a destination. To answer your other question - New Hope is not a Philly suburb it is part of the greater region. Coincidentally I'll be there Friday night for the first time in 20 years. The others are not at all destinations, I have zero reason to go to Doylestown or West Chester. There is just nothing to do outside of local conveniences in the PA burbs other than the two big malls. Hell, you can't even get a good piece of pizza in the PA burbs.

And no one in PA has any reason to go to Haddonfield or Moorestown. Are you kidding? Just because you have no reason to go there does not mean that it is not a destination.

West Chester and Doylestown are destinations the way Haddonfield and Collingswood are destinations. They are cool places that people go to hang out.

I've heard the pizza thing from you before. It's ridiculous, actually, to hear someone from South Jersey trying to be a pizza snob. If you were from Brooklyn I'd take you seriously.

[juniperbleu]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

Do you identify with the area or more so your own state?

Regarding the original topic...

Given the region v. state choice, I'd say I identified more with the region than the state. Other parts of Pennsylvania can be almost foreign to someone from Philly (i.e. the allure of "four-wheelin" and bear hunting). My cousin who went to school in Mansfield had more odd and interesting stories than I did at my school in central Virginia.

[lvkewlkid]

Originally Posted by waltlantz

This is a question to Southeast Pennsylvanians and South Jerseyians. Do you accept the "Delaware Valley" as a real cohesieve region? Do you identify with the area or more so your own state?

(Note, the DV has Philly and the counties of Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester in PA, Along with Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Salem counties in Jersey, you can add Mercer in there too. I am leaving out the shore cause that region is based around Atlantic City and it
's beaches)

Of course Philly is the center piece economically and financially, but is there some other cultural or population traits that the people and area around the Delaware River have in common? I've lived in Philly for a while, but not in Jersey so I am particularly interested in what they have to say

you forgot to list Delco

[waltlantz]

good point, sorry bout that.