Philadelphians: Do you see yourselves as *very* similar to Baltimoreans? Or are you definitely different? (York: houses, neighborhoods)

[ialmostforgot]

Never before C-D have I seen people be so quick to say that Philly and Baltimore are very alike. They won't say the have similarities, but that Baltimore is basically a carbon copy of Philadelphia just off the northern Chesapeake bay. I do find the places to be similar, but to me there is an obvious difference between the two cities as well. As I have heard this mainly from people that are from neither city or are posters in the Baltimore forum, I would like to see what you think yourselves.

[Clark Park]

I had to vote "no" even though I like Baltimore very much and visit Charm City regularly.

I will say Philadelphia has a lot more in common with Baltimore than it has with either New York, Boston or Washington. The rowhouse neighborhoods, the post industrial vibe, etc. However Baltimore strikes me very much as a "south of the Mason-Dixon Line" city and Philly is unquestionably a "north of the Mason-Dixon Line" city.

[thedirtypirate]

there is an undeniable cultural difference. Much more of a boating culture down there and tide water influence.

[rotodome]

Not carbon copies (what cities are??) but lots of things in common. In addition to the rowhouses and post-industrial decline, they both have a prominent and important colonial history. Both had stints being the US capital. Both were almost the same size, trading places as the 2nd largest city in the country in the 19th century, until after the 1854 annexation. Both having chips on their shoulders from always getting overshadowed by a nearby more famous city.
Maybe even moreso than Philly, Baltimore was sort of the "forgotten" big city on the east coast. Like, no one ever would seem to remember or recognize Baltimore as being bigger than Boston and (until recently)DC.
Also, both have similar mid-atlantic accents.

[ialmostforgot]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Not carbon copies (what cities are??) but lots of things in common. In addition to the rowhouses and post-industrial decline, they both have a prominent and important colonial history. Both had stints being the US capital. Both were almost the same size, trading places as the 2nd largest city in the country in the 19th century, until after the 1854 annexation. Both having chips on their shoulders from always getting overshadowed by a nearby more famous city.
Maybe even moreso than Philly, Baltimore was sort of the "forgotten" big city on the east coast. Like, no one ever would seem to remember or recognize Baltimore as being bigger than Boston and (until recently)DC.
Also, both have similar mid-atlantic accents.

Boston has less people because of the location if it's city limits. It's metro is much more populous than Baltimore's.

The white accents share a few vowels, but the black ones do not. Philly does seem to be more nationally recognized and seen in a positive light though than Baltimore.

Good points overall.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Not carbon copies (what cities are??) but lots of things in common. In addition to the rowhouses and post-industrial decline, they both have a prominent and important colonial history. Both had stints being the US capital. Both were almost the same size, trading places as the 2nd largest city in the country in the 19th century, until after the 1854 annexation. Both having chips on their shoulders from always getting overshadowed by a nearby more famous city.
Maybe even moreso than Philly, Baltimore was sort of the "forgotten" big city on the east coast. Like, no one ever would seem to remember or recognize Baltimore as being bigger than Boston and (until recently)DC.
Also, both have similar mid-atlantic accents.

Speaking of the accent, I went to a linguist's conference some years back and a couple of people there thought I was from Baltimore. Well.... my father's family was from the eastern shore and Baltimore.

[ialmostforgot]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Speaking of the accent, I went to a linguist's conference some years back and a couple of people there thought I was from Baltimore. Well.... my father's family was from the eastern shore and Baltimore.

Interesting... do you have a light accent? How do you pronounce words like all, orange, entire and plague?

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Not carbon copies (what cities are??) but lots of things in common. In addition to the rowhouses and post-industrial decline, they both have a prominent and important colonial history. Both had stints being the US capital. Both were almost the same size, trading places as the 2nd largest city in the country in the 19th century, until after the 1854 annexation. Both having chips on their shoulders from always getting overshadowed by a nearby more famous city.
Maybe even moreso than Philly, Baltimore was sort of the "forgotten" big city on the east coast. Like, no one ever would seem to remember or recognize Baltimore as being bigger than Boston and (until recently)DC.
Also, both have similar mid-atlantic accents.

Originally Posted by ialmostforgot

Interesting... do you have a light accent? How do you pronounce words like all, orange, entire and plague?

"or ing(soft g)" "in tire" "plag( long a)". I do pronounce "water" as "wooder" lol

[otters21]

I say no -the housing stock of rowhomes in many neighborhoods of both cities may be very similar but the cultures are totally different.

[BajanYankee]

The difference is largely one of attitude. I can't think of any famous Baltimoreans comparable to Frank Rizzo, Bernard Hopkins, Beanie Sigel, Angel Garcia, Chris Matthews, Will Smith, etc. While not representative of all Philadelphians, those guys are in some ways Philly personified.