Richmond: Geographically Mis Matched ! (Hampton, Fairfax: houses, neighborhood, school)

[Richmonder27]

Richmond strikes me as something of an anonomaly. I cant find any other place in Virginia that is as instrinsincly Southern.

It makes Hampton Roads almost feel like NJ.

I consider VA Southern (yes even Northern Virginia) but lets face it, its barely the South. But Richmond is more like a Deep South town trapped at the Southern end of the Mid-Atlantic! Look at the map, and most people say "Richmond cant be all THAT Southern!"...


I know some will disagree with me here. Thats because many are not familiar with the nuances of Richmond as I am. I cant explain it- its just something. You will know what Im talking about...

The people , the older ladies in flowered hats and white gloves, even Ukrop's. The way the older people speak. The rowhouses with the large white columns and such. Monument Ave...

I dont know how to explain something because its more like a "vibe" than anything else. But its so distinctive, you cant even put your finger on it...

But I have been to places all over the South- Nashville, Charleston, Atlanta, etc. Richmond just owns all of them. Go South of Richmond and its more North Carolinian. Go North or West and East, and its more Southern Lite and pretty Yankee in Fairfax.... But Richmond just oozes South. DEEP South.
A friend told me once its as if a group of Mississippians decided to move North, reached the James River and said "This is all the far North we can go" and settled Richmond.

Go ahead disagree with me. You cant really understand it, unless you know Richmond as I do.

[NJRAMAL]

Round 746 of the "Is Richmond southern?" debate! lmao

IMO its not... and Ive lived up and down the east coast, for me the grid layout, the rowhouses, the proximity to the NE corridore, the age of the infrastructure and the attitude does not parellel that of an Atlanta or some city or town in MS or AL... but thats my opinion... we have all voiced our opinion about this topic over and over again...

Easy answer = anything south of Deleware is the south so sayeth Mr. Mason and Mr. Dixon

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by NJRAMAL

Round 746 of the "Is Richmond southern?" debate! lmao

IMO its not... and Ive lived up and down the east coast, for me the grid layout, the rowhouses, the proximity to the NE corridore, the age of the infrastructure and the attitude does not parellel that of an Atlanta or some city or town in MS or AL... but thats my opinion... we have all voiced our opinion about this topic over and over again...

Easy answer = anything south of Deleware is the south so sayeth Mr. Mason and Mr. Dixon

Bla bla bla. The rowhouses are Southern. They have rowhouses in Charleston and Savannah. I suppose that means they arent Southern cities?

But beyond that. I have been to ATlanta which hardly felt Southern at all in comparison to Richmond. And did you notice I said Im talking about CULTURE not Geography, which is the point of my thread. There is more to a city than its apperance.

[Anders15]

It's hard to go anywhere here and not see anyone you don't know. I've always said this is the south.

[NJRAMAL]

Originally Posted by RonMaverick804

It's hard to go anywhere here and not see anyone you don't know. I've always said this is the south.

youve gotta be kidding me? with a metro population of over 5 million people do you think you would bump into the same people over and over again in Atlanta? Or in the middle of Houstons almost 6 million?

Im not talking about in your neighborhood, im talking all around town.

I once bumpped into a room mate from school in atlanta in the middle of times square!

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by NJRAMAL

youve gotta be kidding me? with a metro population of over 5 million people do you think you would bump into the same people over and over again in Atlanta? Or in the middle of Houstons almost 6 million?

Im not talking about in your neighborhood, im talking all around town.

I once bumpped into a room mate from school in atlanta in the middle of times square!

Size doesnt matter anyway.

Atlanta is about as Southern as a knish ! I swear that town looks and feels far more like a NE city than Richmond on any day.

Houston is not very Southern either. Richmond is Old South. And your point about the NE corridor is a moot point anyways, because as you see I said Richmond was Geographically mismatched (and if you wanna go by geography alone, Richmond is actually closer to NC than the NE, but I digress).

Theres actually no debate Richmond being Southern. But to me, its like Southern fried-Southern to the core.

Northern Virginia- now thats a debate!

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

Atlanta is about as Southern as a knish !

Good line! I like that. Perhaps the answer to all of this what is southern? Does a town have to be a line out of dixie or perhaps the genteel ways before the turbulance of the 60's? I was stationed in Anniston Alabama for a while definately the south but not something I would want to duplicate...anywhere. Perhaps it's the pace or even that people take time to enjoy the simple things? Architecture and cuisine are not the only standards to create an identity for an area.

Just some thoughts

[NJRAMAL]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

Size doesnt matter anyway.

Atlanta is about as Southern as a knish ! I swear that town looks and feels far more like a NE city than Richmond on any day.

Houston is not very Southern either. Richmond is Old South. And your point about the NE corridor is a moot point anyways, because as you see I said Richmond was Geographically mismatched (and if you wanna go by geography alone, Richmond is actually closer to NC than the NE, but I digress).

Theres actually no debate Richmond being Southern. But to me, its like Southern fried-Southern to the core.

Northern Virginia- now thats a debate!

I made sure to include that it is MY opinion. Obviously you do not share the same one. Cool. I also added that according to the Mason Dixon line it is most deffinitly the south! End of debate.

[Yac]

Calm down everybody. Agree to disagree instead of fighting. No need to raise your blood pressure over something someone posted on an Internet forum
Yac.

[Richmonder27]

Can we close this topic?