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Part 1A - Providence, RI: Yes Boston is of course very representative of New England, however the overwhelming college presence and transient employment makes it less along the lines of being wholly representative of the 6 state region in New Englnad
Providence, RI has retained more of the federalist, colonial, and industrial architecture than Boston. Providence is a true window into New England's past, albeit a smaller city. Federal Hill feels more locally authetic for a Little Italy and more like an Italian-American neighborhood that has been missing in in the North EndBoston for the past 15 years or so. Benefit St has a lot of stately colonial homes that are found in many other New England seaport towns. Brown University and it's surrounding neighborhood has all the trapping of an Ivy League New England college campus. Providence also has many leftover relics of the Industrial Revolution.
With that said to the OP, Northern New England (ME, NH, VT) have a much different dynamic than Southern New England (Mass, CT, & RI). Providence has a lot of what could be found in Boston, New Haven, or Worcester, but not in places like NH or VT.
Part 1B- Burlington, VT would epitomize a typical northern New England city. It is in a setting of Lakes and mountains, typical of the landscape in Northern New England. It is a small city, very pretty college town but full of arts and culture and many creative type people. Places like Burlington VT, Portland ME, and Concord NH are way more laid back than Boston or Providence.
Part 2 - Boston. This go's without saying, no need to elaborate.
Okay, I could go along with this. However, I don't think there is a single city that sums up New England culture better than Boston. New England (especially northern) is really epitomized by small towns so there is no city that defines it perfectly. Burlington? ehhhh in some ways, but Burlington has the same college factor that you think discredits Boston. Burlington might look like a typical New England city but it's culture isn't all classic New England. It's more hippie than yankee. Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, or Portland all define New England better IMO (although I would avoid a seaside city for 1B if Providence is going to be 1A). Overall, it's a tough call what city does Northern New England best (especially since most small towns define the region better than cities) but if we are talking all of New England- it's gotta be Boston.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheWereRabbit
Okay, I could go along with this. However, I don't think there is a single city that sums up New England culture better than Boston. New England (especially northern) is really epitomized by small towns so there is no city that defines it perfectly. Burlington? ehhhh in some ways, but Burlington has the same college factor that you think discredits Boston. Burlington might look like a typical New England city but it's culture isn't all classic New England. It's more hippie than yankee. Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, or Portland all define New England better IMO (although I would avoid a seaside city for 1B if Providence is going to be 1A). Overall, it's a tough call what city does Northern New England best (especially since most small towns define the region better than cities) but if we are talking all of New England- it's gotta be Boston.
I suppose that is true. But Boston is so dominant in that way I thought I would introduce a different point of view. Thus deviding New England into northern and southern. Boston has had more make way for progress with the tunnels and financial district that it leans so much more into the international category. Neighborhoods like the Back Bay are more like London rather than New England. Of course Boston has the trappings representative of all of New England however I feel Providence has retained more of the original relics of a quintesential Southern New England city.
In Northern NE I feel Burlington has the New England architecture along with the landscape of lakes and mountains that could be found in many parts of Maine, NH, and VT. Yes the hippy vibe of Burlington seems like Montreal and Oregon had a love child that some hillbillies in NH would frown upon, but visually it matches the epitome of Northern NE and it also has a lot of small businesses New England crafted products. For second, I would rank Portland or Portsmouth as they both have some of the same charms of Boston. Certainly way ahead of Manchester, lets omit that one as downtown looks like Ohio and and South Willow St looks like anytown USA.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 06-10-2010 at 07:03 PM..
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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Quebec would be the spitting image of this thread
I don't any think region has a contrast of 2 cities quite like Montreal or Quebec City in Quebec Canada.
Montreal is a very cosmopolitan city. It's bilingual, trendy, and very worldly in its architecture and the culture of its people.
Quebec City is very provincial and retains more of the original francophone culture found in the province of Quebec. It is also dominantly French speaking.
honestly, IMHO ppl from upstate and ppl from nyc are two different ppl. my coworker is completely different than the rest of us and was pretty much clueless about how nyc was before she got here. on that note, i'm pretty much clueless about upstate.
its like two different worlds. lol i don't know if thats good or bad. i don't think that nyc reflects ny state's culture at all.
i agree. i think someone from Hartford, CT has more in common with NYC than someone from Binghampton or Utica
Go to some backwoods area of North Florida, and then go down to Miami. Talk about 2 totally different places within the same state. Miami definitely has that international feel to it.
I'm dividing this up into North and South Jersey, because anyone from them realizes that they are too completely different states. Since I'm not familiar enough with North Jersey to really know the borders between certain towns, I'll leave that for another poster.
Part1- I would say either Hammonton or Sea Isle. Both have a very relaxed feel. Hammonton captures the iconic small town feel that many towns have and has easy access to Philly and the Shore, while Sea Isle is a wonderful beach town that seems as though it is more for people from South Jersey, than other parts.
Part2- Atlantic City dominates life. It is the main job center (in Jersey) and entertainment center. I'm also going to mention Newark and Camden, because when we travel to other states, that's often all people know, even though most of NJ is almost completely different than than those two cities.
If you're treating the cities as separate entities, I would reverse the above two. St. Paul is a far more provincial city while Minneapolis has more of an international flavor.
If Minneapolis and St. Paul are taken together...as one unified market, then Mpls/St Paul would be part 2, and a city such as Mankato or St Cloud would be more quintessentially Minnesotan.
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Quebec would be the spitting image of this thread
