Is virginia southern? (Richmond, Roanoke, Lynchburg: move, metro, cities)

[JayJayCB]

Virginia is mostly and historically southern, but it's also the transition zone between the South and Mid-Atlantic. North of Richmond gets a little iffy, I-64 is a good dividing line.

However, Richmond is still southern IMO. Lynchburg is practically a Bible Belt buckle with Jerry Falwell and Liberty University, pretty Southern Baptist. Charlottesville feels a little different, but I'd probably place it in the South in the long run rather than the Mid-Atlantic. The Hampton Roads, I'm not as familiar with but I'd probably place that region in the South although there are many transplants mainly due to the military. Roanoke, kinda Appalachian like West Virginia or Kentucky but definitely southern. The most southern areas of Virginia are definitely the areas along the North Carolina border. Martinsville, Danville, South Boston, South Hill, Emporia. Basically the old Tobacco Belt, still very southern.

Again, Virginia is historically southern without a doubt. However, north of I-64 is kind of a transition zone between the South and Mid-Atlantic.

[wycoff]

The South starts at the Rappahannock. That's why the Virginia welcome center on I-95 is on the south bank of the Rappahanock.

[JayJayCB]

Originally Posted by wycoff

The South starts at the Rappahannock. That's why the Virginia welcome center on I-95 is on the south bank of the Rappahanock.

Even then, Fredericksburg is kind of Mid-Atlantic (not too dissimilar from many Maryland towns) despite all the Confederate heritage in the area. It's basically the outer suburbs of NOVA, anyway.

Like I said, everything along or south of I-64 is the South IMO. That includes Richmond, Hampton Roads, and Charlottesville. However, go north and it becomes a little Mid-Atlantic. North of Richmond gets a little iffy, as opposed to Petersburg and areas to the south that are unquestionably southern.

If you want to see the South in Virginia, just visit Mecklenburg County. Trust me.

[aquest1]

Originally Posted by wycoff

The South starts at the Rappahannock. That's why the Virginia welcome center on I-95 is on the south bank of the Rappahanock.

LOL. The location of the Fredericksburg Welcome Center has nothing to do with North/South and everything to do with having a convenient location on I-95 in Fredericksburg. It's actually called the Virginia Welcome Center at Frdericksburg. There are no less than 12 Welcome Centers in Virginia and one of them is actually on I-66 W in Manassas in Northern VA. Three of them are on the VA border with NC, three of them on the VA/WV border, one on the VA/MD border and one on the VA/TN border. There is one in New Kent heading East into VA Beach called the "East Coast Gateway Welcome Center," lol. Virginia Welcome Centers - Virginia Is For Lovers. VA considers itself in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, so it probably doesn't have to be one or the other.

[wycoff]

Originally Posted by aquest1

LOL. The location of the Fredericksburg Welcome Center has nothing to do with North/South and everything to do with having a convenient location on I-95 in Fredericksburg. It's actually called the Virginia Welcome Center at Frdericksburg. There are no less than 12 Welcome Centers in Virginia and one of them is actually on I-66 W in Manassas in Northern VA. Three of them are on the VA border with NC, three of them on the VA/WV border, one on the VA/MD border and one on the VA/TN border. There is one in New Kent heading East into VA Beach called the "East Coast Gateway Welcome Center," lol. Virginia Welcome Centers - Virginia Is For Lovers. VA considers itself in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, so it probably doesn't have to be one or the other.

The Fredericksburg center is much larger than the rest stops like the one in Manassas. I am partially joking about the significance of the Fredericksburg welcome center, but I so think that it is somewhat revealing of the attitude in Virginia about Northern Virginia. It's jarring to travel south 75 miles from Arlington through Virginia, cross the Rappahanock, and see a big "Welcome to Virginia" center. The Rappahannock is the southern border of Stafford County and marks essentially the end of the Washington D.C. exurbs. With the arguable exception of Fredericksburg itself, south of the Rappahannock is Richmond facing, not D.C. facing.

[Poquoson7]

There is a LARGE Welcome to Virginia sign as you enter Alexandria after crossing the Wilson bridge from Maryland, not a "center" but an indicator none the less.

[CurlyFries]

Yes, Virginia is southern.

[JayJayCB]

I don't know, I always feel a little "out of the South" if I'm ever north of Richmond or Charlottesville. Like I've said, basically north of I-64. Fredericksburg feels like any town you'd find in Maryland, although I understand it has a rich Confederate heritage with the site of one of the Union Army's most crushing defeats, and the birthplace of Robert E. Lee is in the area. However, the city is basically the outer Northern Virginia suburbs these days. Even the rural areas north of I-64 have never struck me as that southern, and I've done a ton of traveling around Virginia. Areas like Culpeper, a town that isn't too dissimilar from rural Maryland. Who knows, maybe I'm the only one. After all, I'm coming from North Carolina. The most southern areas in Virginia (IMO) are the ones that are similar to North Carolina, like Farmville, Petersburg, South Hill, South Boston, Danville, Martinsville, etc. South of the James River isn't terribly different from North Carolina.

[wycoff]

Originally Posted by JayJayCB

I don't know, I always feel a little "out of the South" if I'm ever north of Richmond or Charlottesville. Like I've said, basically north of I-64. Fredericksburg feels like any town you'd find in Maryland, although I understand it has a rich Confederate heritage with the site of one of the Union Army's most crushing defeats, and the birthplace of Robert E. Lee is in the area. However, the city is basically the outer Northern Virginia suburbs these days. Even the rural areas north of I-64 have never struck me as that southern, and I've done a ton of traveling around Virginia. Areas like Culpeper, a town that isn't too dissimilar from rural Maryland. Who knows, maybe I'm the only one. After all, I'm coming from North Carolina. The most southern areas in Virginia (IMO) are the ones that are similar to North Carolina, like Farmville, Petersburg, South Hill, South Boston, Danville, Martinsville, etc. South of the James River isn't terribly different from North Carolina.

South of the James River is definitely southern. I-64 is probably a good boundary line, though I still advocate for the Rappahannock. I also agree that places like Warrenton, Front Royal, and Winchester, and possibly as far south as Culpepper and Luray are more like northern West Virginia / rural MD than truly Southern.

[JayJayCB]

Originally Posted by wycoff

South of the James River is definitely southern. I-64 is probably a good boundary line, though I still advocate for the Rappahannock. I also agree that places like Warrenton, Front Royal, and Winchester, and possibly as far south as Culpepper and Luray are more like northern West Virginia / rural MD than truly Southern.

Yeah, I won't argue against that. Even Harrisonburg is possibly more similar to West Virginia and rural Maryland, too. The Rappahannock could work, and I definitely agree south of the James River is undeniably southern. The Richmond metro is still the South in my book, although it's probably the "last southern city" heading north on I-95. Other Virginia towns like Lynchburg and Petersburg are definitely southern, along with Danville which might as well be North Carolina.