Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It’s important to bear in mind that when Baltimore was built into the “about as far from a typical Southern city you can get” city, it was indisputably Southern. Those row houses , that Italian and German craftsmanship, that Jewish heritage all originate from a very Southern city. The built form that is labeled Northern today was Southern (along with Washington) back when it was being developed.
The South isn’t monolithic. It has its share of urban history and form (Norfolk, Richmond, New Orleans, Memphis, Louisville, Birmingham). It has been a diverse place and is extremely diverse today (Atlanta, Raleigh, Nashville, Houston, Miami).
Out of these 3 cities, Baltimore is the only one "technically" in the South. St. Louis and Cincy are Midwestern. But in terms of which one is most influenced by "traditional" southern culture, I guess it would probably be Cincy. It's definitely not St. Louis. It is pretty solidly Midwestern.
NJ is a northern state. Baltimore is in a southern state.
Maryland is a Southern state by classification. It was historically, culturally Southern and the Census has never updated its classification. Although, in terms of what modern culture considers "Southern," Maryland does not fit the mold. It would be at the very bottom of the list of Southern states when you think about "traditional" southern culture.
This thread is the perfect example. Baltimore is the only Southern city out of the 3 being compared (the other 2 are Midwestern); yet it is the consensus "least Southern" LOL. That is paradoxical. Although, I would argue that St. Louis is probably the least Southern-influenced because it is very Midwestern influenced.
This thread points to the fact that while Maryland (Baltimore) is technically Southern, in modern times it isn't though of as "characteristically" Southern.
And there are parts of VA that are farther west than Detroit. Does that make Virginia Midwestern?
I should have mentioned something about proximity but I thought it would be quite obvious. Maryland and New Jersey are both in the Mid-Atlantic region and their borders are less than 30 miles apart. Virginia and Michigan are more than 10 hours away. Common sense should always prevail.
NJ is a northern state. Baltimore is in a southern state.
New Jersey and Maryland are less than 30 miles a part. Of course Maryland has some southern influences but it's not considered a southern state. Marylanders don't consider themselves northerners or southerners. Just Mid Atlantic. Where most Virginians consider themselves southerners.
New Jersey and Maryland are less than 30 miles a part. Of course Maryland has some southern influences but it's not considered a southern state. Marylanders don't consider themselves northerners or southerners. Just Mid Atlantic. Where most Virginians consider themselves southerners.
I would say that very few people in the general public consider it "traditionally/culturally" Southern though. It is "technically" a Southern state, but not "practically" a Southern state.
I should have mentioned something about proximity but I thought it would be quite obvious. Maryland and New Jersey are both in the Mid-Atlantic region and their borders are less than 30 miles apart. Virginia and Michigan are more than 10 hours away. Common sense should always prevail.
Then I’ll put it this way:
Nearly all of Maryland is below the Northern most part of Virginia (and Maryland shares hundreds of miles of a border with VA). That puts Maryland squarely in the South?
Nearly all of Maryland is below the Northern most part of Virginia (and Maryland shares hundreds of miles of a border with VA). That puts Maryland squarely in the South?
It's interesting because I am from Michigan, and many people in the North (meaning Great Lakes region/states) that I know, consider Maryland the South. I think they go from the antiquated Mason-Dixon Line definition.
In fact when Univ. of Maryland joined the Big Ten, there were self-deprecating jokes on a lot of the talk radio stations and in the newspapers to the effect of "you know that traditional college football is dead when there is a Southern school in the Big Ten (paraphrasing)."
So geography can influence perception. Many from the North/Great Lakes region do tend to think of Maryland as a Southern state. Although many have not likely spent a lot of time in Maryland (although several people I know have been to DC for tourism). Still I don't know that they put it together.
I spent time in the Northeast, as I went to college in the NE (Philly). So I know that Maryland is more Mid-Atlantic culture, as opposed to northern or southern. But some do still consider it southern, if they aren't familiar with the state.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
