What are the most culturally "southern" towns/cities in Virginia? (Richmond: high school, live)

[sregorat3]

Originally Posted by pantin23

Ok, Fine then Roanoke Isn't Southern then. If that's the case, then Richmond CERTAINLY is not one of the most Southern cities in VA. Especially Culturally. First, the City looks more like it might as well be up in Upstate New York, with all of It's Row houses, and very urban environment. Second, it's definitely become MUCH more cosmopolitan (Yes I would have considered it "Southern" 50 years ago, let alone 150 years ago). Also, Much more significantly, the city (and the metro) have become MUCH and more Liberal. Finally, outside of Behind a glass case in some old museum, or VERY controversially on I95, one RARELY ever sees, or displays a confederate flag. Oh, and YES we do think the Civil War was about slavery, thank you very much! So I've reached the conclusion, that besides being South of the Mason Dixon Line (a cultural border of a bygone era), and using the word "yall" I find it VERY hard to call RVA the most Southern city in VA, simply based upon a 150 year old war (and If you want to get into history, we did industrialize more around the time of Northern cities. And when the South was backwards and in reconstruction, Richmond was beginning to boom).

Richmond might look like it belongs in upstate NY- Staunton looks like it should be in Central PA- but neither are. You really should brush up on history. Richmond certainly wasn't unique in being industrialized. Richmond was industrialized pre-Civil War, Lynchburg was industrializing during the same period and saw its population double within 25 years of the end of the war. Lynchburg had virtually no slaves working in fields, as the topography didn't lend itself to farming or plantations- it was certainly more industrial than agrarian, something that was less common along the border of VA. Roanoke wasn't even a city until 1884, so it had no roots in the Civil War era. To folks like you, it might be about slavery, racism, etc. For others, it is simply history- heritage is about history. Culture is different and changes based on many factors, one of which is migration.

The only areas where Southern CULTURE still seems prevalent is Danville, South Boston, etc. The cities and towns along US 58 from Martinsville to Chesapeake seem to fit the bill well. Why do you seem to have the attitude that I am making comparisons between Roanoke or Lynchburg and Richmond and suggestion that the former are better because they are less Southern. If that is what you think, you are misreading what I say. I agree that there is very little "Southern culture" in Richmond, but since lots of tourism dollars are unabashedly
brought in by people visiting places like Tredegar and the Confederate Museum, I'd still say that Richmond has displayed more of (and profits more from) its Southern heritage than just about any other city or town, other than Appomattox.

[757Cities Southsider]

Originally Posted by roanoker 4

Unfortunately sregorat3, many posters on this forum know nothing about history. On one post I was shocked to read a poster commenting about Monument Avenue that it was somehow out of place in Richmond, of all places, the CAPITAL of the Confederacy! Its amazing how knowledge deficient some of these folks seem to be on Va history.

I am starting to see that some folks really are THAT dense. The architecture of the neighborhood is what I was referring to. Most southern/confederate cities don't look like Richmond. Do you get it now. Most people don't expect to see that type of neighborhood housing statues of confederate soldiers. Im not talking about history.

[roanoker 4]

Richmond profits immensely from its southern heritage, it will always be a unique feature of that City. The historical society and local developers have been wise not to tear down everything of the past unlike most southern cities. Roanoke has preserved its
Post civil war downtown into something similar to a "Downtown Disney" type market center. There is nothing here connected to the civil war as far as monuments, etc. In the city/county of Roanoke. I would characterize Roanokes past as more "wild west"
Than "southern". At one time the wild railroad town was full of bars, brothels that few "respectable" southern ladies would visit, and certainly not the "bluebloods" of Va's First Families. The Hotel Roanoke was built to "civilize" the town. The Va Tourism Council would never sell Roanoke from its true history. There is a big argument going on now to stop including Roanoke with
The civil war battlefields of the Shenandoah Valley when it comes to tourism from the Va Tourism Council.

[Charlesaf3]

Southern is a matter of culture, not history. And the most southern people I've know we're from Roanoke. Granted that was at UVA, so take it for what it's worth.

Richmond was southern. Past tense. It's not anymore. No more than northern Virginia is a hotbed of southern culture - Richmond is nova now.

[pantin23]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Southern is a matter of culture, not history. And the most southern people I've know we're from Roanoke. Granted that was at UVA, so take it for what it's worth.

Richmond was southern. Past tense. It's not anymore. No more than northern Virginia is a hotbed of southern culture - Richmond is nova now.

This

[DCKing]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Southern is a matter of culture, not history. And the most southern people I've know we're from Roanoke. Granted that was at UVA, so take it for what it's worth.

Richmond was southern. Past tense. It's not anymore. No more than northern Virginia is a hotbed of southern culture - Richmond is nova now.

i've lived in both richmond and nova and in no way is richmond like nova. richmond is still VERY southern.

[sregorat3]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Southern is a matter of culture, not history. And the most southern people I've know we're from Roanoke. Granted that was at UVA, so take it for what it's worth.

Richmond was southern. Past tense. It's not anymore. No more than northern Virginia is a hotbed of southern culture - Richmond is nova now.

I don't think anyone said that Southern culture was rampant in Richmond. There are hayseeds out there, and it sounds like you've run into them, but there are a few in every city in VA.

[757Cities Southsider]

Originally Posted by Charlesaf3

Southern is a matter of culture, not history. And the most southern people I've know we're from Roanoke. Granted that was at UVA, so take it for what it's worth.

Richmond was southern. Past tense. It's not anymore. No more than northern Virginia is a hotbed of southern culture - Richmond is nova now.

Could you elaborate on this viewpoint...what do you mean by that?

[Charlesaf3]

Originally Posted by DCKing

i've lived in both richmond and nova and in no way is richmond like nova. richmond is still VERY southern.

Not true, I'm guessing you lived in Richmond a while ago. Or you lived in certain parts of chesterfield.

[Charlesaf3]

Originally Posted by 757Cities Southsider

Could you elaborate on this viewpoint...what do you mean by that?

I assume the latter bit? Basically, Richmond has changed in the last 30 years from a city where most of the population was from Richmond, to a population where a lot of people have moved from elsewhere. Rise of vcu had a lot to do with this, as did the general sunbelt migration, as did nova getting really expensive and achieving traffic melt down.

So 10% of the area, probably more of the city, is now foreign born, with a general correlation with the Virginia population trend - ie 50% of Virginians are from out of state originally at this point. I'd say in the city limits well over half the people I meet have moved here, either from out of state originally, or often to escape nova.

And that was pretty much my experience when I lived in Arlington, hence the comparison.