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Old 06-11-2012, 10:59 AM
 
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Interesting topic, considering we've been scouting locations for a film, and were looking for American cities that had areas that looked like England in particular. If you're looking for modern European cities, that could be a lot of places in the U.S. as many European cities don't look especially "European" any longer. We were looking for a more Victorian feel which was much more difficult; however there are still many areas (and many in the south), where historic districts from the 1800's have been left intact.
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Old 06-11-2012, 01:18 PM
 
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San Juan (puerto rico)
San Francisco
Miami (mostly Miami beach)
NOLA
Charleston (SC)
Savannah (Georgia)

all have the vibe/culture and architecture.

Philadelphia
NYC
Boston

have the layout and design similar to other european cities but lack that feeling. I dunno how else to say it.
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Old 07-01-2012, 06:58 PM
 
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I'm surprised to see so many uniformed and naive posts on here. The fact of the matter is that perception is relative. Furthermore, to define something as simply being "European ", especially in such an arbitrary context such as a "feeling", doesn't really address or provide an accurate or all encompassing description of the term itself.

Many have mentioned that Quebec City is the most European city in America. If it is simply a matter of culture, that designation may be incorrect. Most French people I know personally really don't really consider Quebec to be particulary French. For instance, if Boston is considered to be the most English or Irish city in Norh America, then does that then also make it the most European"? Yes, one could make an argument that Quebec is the most similar to France culturally speaking; however, equating *"Frenchness" with a sense of being European is a bit of a logical fallacy.

Furthermore, while Quebec City possesses a beautiful and impressive collection of chateauesque and French colonial architecture, it's aesthetic and style resembles more of a French provincial town, than that of a cosmopolitan metropolis. Architecturally, apart from a few hotels and civic structures, it lacks the Beauxs Arts and Second Empire buildings, which pervade most large European cities such as Paris, Vienna etc.

Stylistically, Quebec city is French provincial. It does not possess a wealth of grandiose commercial and residential buildings that one might find in New York or Boston. While Quebec may be a few decades older than most cities along the Eastern Seaboard, it remained a relatively isolated and economically stagnant trading outpost for much of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This is in contrast to cities like New York and Boston where grandiose architecture flourished due to the amassing of substantial fortunes and individual prosperity during the mid to late nineteenth century; as is evident in the Back Bay, the Upper East Side, Upper West Side etc. Quebec City may be quaint, but it is by no means grand or ornate, excluding the Chateau Frontenac of course.

If we were to have Frenchman promenade down Commonwealth Ave in Boston or meander about the Upper West Side of New York, he may be very well be inclined to claim that Boston and New York are the most European cities in North America. Again, the concept of "seeming European" is arbitrary and will vary based on individual perception.

So, is Quebec more quaint than Boston and New York? Perhaps. But then again, are Boston and New York more grandiose and ornate than Quebec? Probably. Is Quebec more European simply because of it's gray stone buildings or that it's inhabbitants speak French? Then, are red brick and brownstone quintessentially un European?

The question is what is "European?"
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Old 07-01-2012, 07:01 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia,New Jersey, NYC!
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boston
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Old 07-01-2012, 07:22 PM
 
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Any city made before america created its own culture.
Most cities in the 13 colonies have a european feel in some ways. I would say the most europeans cities to me are Boston, Baltimore, Richmond, Philadelphia, Providence, Any CT city, D.C, Charleston, SC and New Orleans

All cities have narrow streets, All cities have very old archetecticure, all cities have a rich history of white racial history, all cities have high taxes, all cities have a snooby attitude but still they are pretty good cities.

Honorable Mentions
Cleveland
Cincinnati
Louisville
St.Louis
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:10 PM
 
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i find that the united states has no city that can compare to europe completely, we were the colonies, we never had such of a huge cultural renaissance like europe had, the one and only city that can at least compare to some parts of London is Boston if we are talking about the areas of beacon hill or the port areas, and even though its nothing compared to hardcore london, but parts of it like kensington and earls court. By the rest if you are looking for Spanish, Florida and Texas come very close as in cities as San Antonio, or the town of coral gables florida that was visioned to create a mediterranean feel around town mixed with the american 1950's vintage area. Also St. Augustine is the oldest town in Usa, the colonial area is one and only and some of the architecture presented like the church and forts are very alike to other Spanish colonial forts around the carribean. For French, obviously the old New Orleans area represents the vast colonial architecture of the old capital, Baton rouge also houses a castle and Lafayette houses the most francophone community of the state plus louisiana is divided into parishes, and most cities are french named and it isnt hard to find a french speaking person. For English colonial towns, Charleston, some towns in maryland, virginia, George town washington DC, etc can demonstrate the colonial era of america, lastly in the north eastern states, mostly Maine, New Hampture etc. you can experience a english-like area mostly climate is the same and the towns can compare mostly to the towns of southern england that will depend their economy on fishing.
Still not everything can be centered around the east cost area, the middle of america also has a lot of other european influences, in texas there is still a dialect that belongs to germans who immigrated there and built towns, in cincinnati a lot of european immigrants moved to that area and constructed various european-style areas, mostly recognized is the over-the-rhine area that is a mix of italian-german architecture, while also the omish community lives something to the north. in kentucky the great immigration of english/irish/scottish people created there own way to feel something like at home, and michigan holds some holand-type towns. The U.S.A is a mix of various cultures, but it will never be able to fully compare to europe in any way, its the usa, its a different culture, style, language, era.
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Old 08-09-2012, 05:25 PM
 
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i would like to make a point here, the usa had a very different history than canada. Canada was first token over by the french in the provinces of Quebec, nova scotia, new brunswick, etc. they created there own new france having quebec city as a capital. once the english took over excluding the french, they forced a large amount of them to the south of the usa (Louisiana area) that is basically a huge reason why Louisiana isnt the same as quebec, while Quebec was conquered by actual french, Louisiana was conquered by Quebecers. Once England got control of Quebec, they also influenced a large majority of there architecture, culture, language etc. in it. it wasent till not so long ago that the French speaking population re-took the area creating the canadian mass migration, if it wasent for that, Quebec would still be a English speaking province. plus canada is still a common wealth with england. hence for the english and french culture in canada is very alike to the culture in europe, while the united states mocked england after the independence and searched for a way to claim independence on everything like architecturally, culturally, gastronomically, and linguistically speaking. while answering your question about quebec, it does have an architectural gem called quebec city, yet its never going to be the same as france. the Quebecois use a different french type, due to that they were tought the french spoken in the time the colonies of new france were created, after the english took over they lost much contact with french thus isolating the area and not letting new vocabulary nor changes in the language occour, by the time the Quebecois where able to re contact france, there french was full of different words, expressions, accents, and basically they were trapped in time, there culture and architecture too. but it is the closest thing to Europe in all north america. (except for st. pierre et miquelon) that are 2 french islands off the cost of st. johns.
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Old 08-09-2012, 06:56 PM
 
Location: Louisiana to Houston to Denver to NOVA
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Louisiana was not conquered by the Acadians.
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Old 08-09-2012, 07:00 PM
 
Location: The Heart of Dixie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nelson James View Post
Interesting topic, considering we've been scouting locations for a film, and were looking for American cities that had areas that looked like England in particular. If you're looking for modern European cities, that could be a lot of places in the U.S. as many European cities don't look especially "European" any longer. We were looking for a more Victorian feel which was much more difficult; however there are still many areas (and many in the south), where historic districts from the 1800's have been left intact.
Savannah, Georgia has a large Victorian historic district along with lots of English-style architecture. Overall I would go with Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.
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Old 08-09-2012, 07:01 PM
 
Location: The Heart of Dixie
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Yes....what is "European" LOL. I mean, Philadelphia, Newark and Detroit resemble Sarajevo and Belfast......
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