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1. Atlanta - Arguably the capital of the South, "New South," MLK, Morehouse, Civil War (Battle of Atlanta, Sherman), Coca-Cola
2. Memphis - The Peabody, Lorraine Motel, Blues, early Rock and Roll (Sun Records), Elvis Presley's Graceland, BBQ
3. Nashville - The quintessential "Upper South" city, Country music/Grand Ole Opry, Nashville sit-ins, Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
After those three, I'd say Charlotte or Raleigh. I'm biased but North Carolina is a good state for history. The other cities in the poll are either along the periphery of the South (Dallas, Miami, etc.) or arguably not even southern at all (Oklahoma City).
No Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Richmond or Mobile? Along with Memphis, those were the six largest cities within the Confederacy in 1860. Great history in all of those places.
Among your choices, I'd go with Memphis for both the cotton trading history and especially the music history. Memphis and the Mississippi Delta nearby have tons of blues and rock sites that go well beyond Graceland. Really should have put the Rock N Roll Museum there, it's where it started.
For the sake of what I'm doing here, and to promote a more interesting discussion I am:
-Eliminating New Orleans, and also San Antonio
-Also not including mid-size to semi major southern cities that are strong here (Savannah, Charleston, Asheville, Richmond, Wilmington, etc.). However, I will say that proximity to these places can be considered as one of the criteria
So, for the sake of this, the following metros are being considered:
1. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta
2. Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown
3. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
4. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
5. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
6. Jacksonville
7. Memphis
8. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
9. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin
10. Oklahoma City
11. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford
12. Raleigh-Cary
13. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
The goal of this thread is not to disparage any one of these cities but instead to show what each has to offer compared to one another. Feel free to share street views and/or pictures!
Criteria can be the following:
-Notable/Sophisticated Historic Structures
-Historic Districts/Neighborhoods Streetscape/Aesthetic
-Authenticity/Vibe (Old World-ness, etc.)
-Notable/Influential Residents
-Global Influence
-Historic Events and Societies/Museums/Engagement
-Quirk/Miscellaneous Factors
Why is Louisville left out? It gets left out of Midwest threads too. Especially historically and architecturally, Louisville is near the top in that.
I see Atlanta is dominating the poll! Memphis is faring pretty well too, though.
San Antonio is not omitted because it isn't American history as it definitely is. It is omitted for the same reason New Orleans is-that it is exceptionally strong among big league cities, and thus would likely win.
Louisville also, not mentioned for same reason that solidly historical places in the region like Tulsa, Little Rock, Knoxville, Norfolk, Birmingham, etc aren't mentioned. Wanted to cap things and not have 35-40 cities in one poll. I may do a follow up one for cities not listed already that are midsized, then maybe small cities and small towns (again, excluding obvious ones: Charleston, Savannah, Williamsburg, Saint Augustine, etc.)
I guess it depends on what period of history you're interested at. Atlanta has very little pre-1900 due to destruction during the civil war and just little preservation effort of what did survive during that time period, but it's a lot better for post-1900 and and especially civil rights era history.
[quote=costellopresley82;61310293]1. Atlanta - Arguably the capital of the South, "New South," MLK, Morehouse, Civil War (Battle of Atlanta, Sherman), Coca-Cola
2. Memphis - The Peabody, Lorraine Motel, Blues, early Rock and Roll (Sun Records), Elvis Presley's Graceland, BBQ
3. Nashville - The quintessential "Upper South" city, Country music/Grand Ole Opry, Nashville sit-ins, Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
After those three, I'd say Charlotte or Raleigh. I'm biased but North Carolina is a good state for history. The other cities in the poll are either along the periphery of the South (Dallas, Miami, etc.) or arguably not even southern at all
1. Atlanta - Arguably the capital of the South, "New South," MLK, Morehouse, Civil War (Battle of Atlanta, Sherman), Coca-Cola
2. Memphis - The Peabody, Lorraine Motel, Blues, early Rock and Roll (Sun Records), Elvis Presley's Graceland, BBQ
3. Nashville - The quintessential "Upper South" city, Country music/Grand Ole Opry, Nashville sit-ins, Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
After those three, I'd say Charlotte or Raleigh. I'm biased but North Carolina is a good state for history. The other cities in the poll are either along the periphery of the South (Dallas, Miami, etc.) or arguably not even southern at all
This is a great list.
Yeah agreed. CLT has some pretty interesting history.
I see Atlanta is dominating the poll! Memphis is faring pretty well too, though.
San Antonio is not omitted because it isn't American history as it definitely is. It is omitted for the same reason New Orleans is-that it is exceptionally strong among big league cities, and thus would likely win.
Louisville also, not mentioned for same reason that solidly historical places in the region like Tulsa, Little Rock, Knoxville, Norfolk, Birmingham, etc aren't mentioned. Wanted to cap things and not have 35-40 cities in one poll. I may do a follow up one for cities not listed already that are midsized, then maybe small cities and small towns (again, excluding obvious ones: Charleston, Savannah, Williamsburg, Saint Augustine, etc.)
Knowing what you are into, I think Atlanta is the best fit for this. If you do come, several things I think you would enjoy:
Oakland Cemetery - Amazing historic place, easy to spend an entire day here. Cool seafood joint across the street called Six Feet Under, with a nice rooftop deck overlooking the cemetery.
The BeltLine - The Eastside Trail from Piedmont Park to Inman Park is packed with history, blended with modern infill development. Ponce City Market is definitely worth checking out, and has the largest Food Hall in the SE. Inman Park was Atlanta's first streetcar suburb, and has a beautiful stock of Victorian homes. Krog Street Market and the surrounding blocks of Highland Avenue along the BeltLine are packed with local bars and restaurants.
Piedmont Park - Our signature urban park, in the heart of Midtown. Site of the 1895 Worlds Fair, there are still some of the original stairways scattered around the park. The Atlanta Botanical Garden next door is worth a visit as well.
MLK, Jr birth home and Historic District.
Atlanta History Center - Solid Museum with several great exhibits, the Cyclorama and the Gatsby-era Swan House.
Kayaking or tubing down the Chattahoochee.
Feel free to ask any questions.
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