Is the Richmond, VA area still Southern? (2009, suburbs)

[NJRAMAL]

Originally Posted by 01va571

The architecture of the city is not northern, that’s for sure.

Well a great portion of the city is actually attatched houses, row houses even... maybe not to the extent of dc, balt, and philly, but we do have a significant number of rowhouse/duplex neighborhoods... you cant go any farther south of here and find that...

[PrinceTheo]

Imo a bit more southern on the outskirts and towards the Petersburg area. More neutral towards Fredericksburg.

[01va571]

Originally Posted by NJRAMAL

Well a great portion of the city is actually attatched houses, row houses even... maybe not to the extent of dc, balt, and philly, but we do have a significant number of rowhouse/duplex neighborhoods... you cant go any farther south of here and find that...

Sure you can. Saint Louis is like all rowhouses (although midwest, still). Little Rock has row houses. almost every city has row homes, I was talking more so about the plantations, and historic area's or whatever.

Like things that were built or from Jefferson Davis era I guess you could say. like

Or




Which is in turn southern arch. I mean its not a southern French kind of influence but its not like for off from the deep south,

a quick comparison (columbia, sc)


Natchez, Mississippi

[01va571]

However, thinking about it……..the Fan and Church Hill are Victorian homes (which is northern per say) although those homes exist in New Orleans, and Louisville also, so I don’t know what to make of that.


Anyhow, typically, southern architecture is neoclassical homes with columns, a columned porch and narrow windows, with a mid-height balcony ( the south freed itself from the classic model by doing so) on the front and left out the pediment on the entrance. There is allot of that kind of architecture in Richmond or there abouts, not as much as Staunton or areas in west central or other areas in Virginia but it’s there.

[richmondpics]

Much of Church Hill is Antebellum, and there's a good deal of Federal and Greek revival design throughout. Other neighborhoods also have diverse architectural roots.

Jackson Ward - Greek Revival, Georgian, Queen Anne, Italianate etc

Fan District - very diverse architecture: Federal, Greek Revival, Richardson Romanesque, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial, Art Deco, Italianate, Victorian, Edwardian, and even four-squares and bungalows

Museum District - Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Colonial Revival, and Classical Revival, to Craftsman, Mediterranean, Tudor Revival and Art Deco

Woodland Heights - Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, American Four Squares and bungalows

Westover Hills - Cape Cods, brick Colonial, Spanish Colonial and Tudor Revival

Ginter Park - Victorian, Georgian, etc

Bellevue - Italianate, Spanish, American Four Square

Highland Park - predominately Queen Anne

Throughout the city, neo-classical, Egyptian revival, Victorian Gothic, Beaux Arts, and others.

I believe I've read that Richmond is also only 2nd to New Orleans in the country for in tact cast ironwork

The architecture of the city is incredibly diverse, but can it necessarily be considered decidedly southern?

[01va571]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

Much of Church Hill is Antebellum, and there's a good deal of Federal and Greek revival design throughout. Other neighborhoods also have diverse architectural roots.

Jackson Ward - Greek Revival, Georgian, Queen Anne, Italianate etc

Fan District - very diverse architecture: Federal, Greek Revival, Richardson Romanesque, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial, Art Deco, Italianate, Victorian, Edwardian, and even four-squares and bungalows

Museum District - Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, Colonial Revival, and Classical Revival, to Craftsman, Mediterranean, Tudor Revival and Art Deco

Woodland Heights - Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, American Four Squares and bungalows

Westover Hills - Cape Cods, brick Colonial, Spanish Colonial and Tudor Revival

Ginter Park - Victorian, Georgian, etc

Bellevue - Italianate, Spanish, American Four Square

Highland Park - predominately Queen Anne

Throughout the city, neo-classical, Egyptian revival, Victorian Gothic, Beaux Arts, and others.

I believe I've read that Richmond is also only 2nd to New Orleans in the country for in tact cast ironwork

The architecture of the city is incredibly diverse, but can it necessarily be considered decidedly southern?

The Fan is nationally the largest contiguous Victorian neighborhood in the United States.


There is a southern influence. Saying Gothic-or Neo Gothic I don’t know (some like Westhampton
ect)......That’s primarily Philly, New York, and New England.

Queen Anne is Victorian; it’s from the same era (late, but same era).

Georgian architecture is iffy, its neutral, there is allot of that in New Jersey.

As for all the other crap, you can call it whatever you want. A bunch of stuff was built during the age of enlightenment so there are similarities throughout the United States.

There are more of Southern architecture characteristics in other parts of Virginia IMHO anyhow.

(Southern architecture is neoclassical homes with columns, a columned porch and narrow windows, with a mid-height balcony (the south freed itself from the classic model by doing so) on the front and left out the pediment on the entrance.)

[richmondpics]

In any case, I suspect the OP was referencing the "southernness" of people and attitudes rather than the architecture.

[01va571]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

In any case, I suspect the OP was referencing the "southernness" of people and attitudes rather than the architecture.

Right. But to feel "southerness" in a area (for me at least) I need it all. (Architecture, Attitudes, Pace, Culture, ect.)

[PrinceTheo]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

I believe I've read that Richmond is also only 2nd to New Orleans in the country for in tact cast ironwork

http://cjwn.net/news/2008/05/17/cast-and-wrought/

[Sushi2Go]

There are lots of great architecture in the older part of Richmond City, as many folks pointed out. Don't forget we are close to so many historical sites. Thomas Jefferson's childhood home, his university nearby in C'Ville, James Madison's plantation, etc. Culturally it's a history buff haven.

Yes, Richmond is Southern, with all the charm and niceties of the south. People are more civil, polite and yes, the pace is slower. No doubt you will run into some ruder residents on the highways or some parts of Richmond, but reality is that there will always be some rude/impatient people no matter where you go....We've lived in New York for over a decade and just move to Richmond over a year ago. We love it here!