Where does the south begin in NoVa (Richmond, Arlington: house, neighborhoods)

[Shelborne_22033]

I moved to NVa in the mid 90s from SoMD. "South" to me back then was Manassas and anything west of South Riding (farmland back then) on Rt 50. It took me awhile to understand the reverence of General Robert E Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, one of the greatest generals in history albeit on the losing side. Now south is up the street and north is down the street.

[stateofnature]

Originally Posted by newgatedenizen

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania I remember the first time I heard a real distinct southern accent. Interestingly enough it was as a very young boy when we stopped at a restaurant in Hagerstown, MD. I still remember to this day the twang/drawl of the waitress. We all thought the "South" started on the other side of the Mason-Dixon line...

As far as NOVA goes, when I am in a new development I don't think southern, but when I am in an older developments or historic districts I tend to think "South."

Maryland IS on the other side of the Mason-Dixon line from Pennsylvania.

[Curbed Enthusiasm]

When my dad was growing up in Great Falls in the 60s, things were still very rural and southern in Northern Virginia. Of course back then, Great Falls was not affluent and was mostly farmland. As the transplants moved in, the "southerners" just seemed to move further out. My cousins who grew up in Gainesville all have noticeable southern drawls. Go to a show at Jiffy Lube Live and you'll hear a good number of southern accents. While I consider MD and VA to technically be part of the south, I don't think you're not solidly "in the south" until you get past Manassas or Quantico. Part of rural MD, even near DC and Baltimore, do feel very southern to me.

[FindingZen]

IMO, it starts at Fredericksburg due south, the Fauquier County line due west and perhaps Purcellville due northwest. A rough rule of thumb to follow is that if you see a Sheetz or a Sonic, either you've either arrived in "the South" or are very close it.

[newgatedenizen]

Originally Posted by stateofnature

Maryland IS on the other side of the Mason-Dixon line from Pennsylvania.

Obviously... Pennsylvania is south of New York also but I don't think many New Yorker's think of PA as part of the "South."

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by newgatedenizen

Obviously... Pennsylvania is south of New York also but I don't think many New Yorker's think of PA as part of the "South."

I think you missed the point.

[stateofnature]

Originally Posted by newgatedenizen

Obviously... Pennsylvania is south of New York also but I don't think many New Yorker's think of PA as part of the "South."

Maybe I misread you, but you said that you were surprised to find a Southern accent in Hagerstown because you thought the "South" began south of the Mason-Dixon line. But if you were coming from Pennsylvania, by going to Hagerstown you already had gone south of the Mason-Dixon line by crossing the Pa./Md. border. Maryland is south of the Mason-Dixon.

Yes Pennsylvania is south of New York, but they're still both north of the Mason-Dixon.

[Curbed Enthusiasm]

Here's an article on the topic:

D.C. area and Dixie drifting farther and farther apart

[gomason]

Originally Posted by Curbed Enthusiasm

Here's an article on the topic:

D.C. area and Dixie drifting farther and farther apart

That article makes a very good point: I definitely believe there is a big racial divide.

[LynchburgLover]

I couldn't read the article because it was locked. I've read my allotment for the month.

What "big racial divide" is described in the article?