Pittsburgh: Midwestern City or Northeastern City? (Allentown, Scranton: gated, suburbs, area)

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Bitey

Wow, you sure are a touchy bunch.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by eschaton

From the replies on this thread, it seems like there are basically two kinds of people who think Pittsburgh is in the Midwest.

1. People who have never been to, or haven't spent much time, in Pittsburgh.

2. People who have never been to, or haven't spent much time, on the east coast.

Add:
3. People who have never been to, or haven't spent much time, in the Midwest.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by eschaton

From the replies on this thread, it seems like there are basically two kinds of people who think Pittsburgh is in the Midwest.

1. People who have never been to, or haven't spent much time, in Pittsburgh.

2. People who have never been to, or haven't spent much time, on the east coast.

Pittsburgh is certainly NOT a Midwestern city, but you are doing the discussion a disservice by suggesting it is an "east coast" city.

That makes no sense at all, on any level.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Merge

Pittsburgh is certainly NOT a Midwestern city, but you are doing the discussion a disservice by suggesting it is an "east coast" city.

That makes no sense at all, on any level.

I wasn't suggesting it was an "east coast" city. But a large proportion of people who seem to be arguing Pittsburgh is "Midwest" seem to be doing so not only by equating Northeast with East Coast, but using a certain East Coast stereotype (refined, middle-class, WASPish) which nowhere near the majority of people in any of the metropolitan areas falls into.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I wasn't suggesting it was an "east coast" city. But a large proportion of people who seem to be arguing Pittsburgh is "Midwest" seem to be doing so not only by equating Northeast with East Coast, but using a certain East Coast stereotype (refined, middle-class, WASPish) which nowhere near the majority of people in any of the metropolitan areas falls into.

Gotcha. That makes sense.
I completely agree.

[PenguinsFan14]

I've always considered Pittsburgh part of the Northeast. I've never heard anyone in Western PA consider this area part of the midwest. Never once. However, I wouldn't argue against someone choosing "other" as Pittsburgh is different than the east coast cities. There is definitely a hillbilly element to the area that you won't find in the Baltimore, Cleveland, Philly, etc. The Appalachia culture certainly has a presence that is absent from most other cities in the midwest and northeast, which explains why it's a lot whiter and more conservative than other cities on the east coast. You won't see radical anarchists trashing downtown here and naked bike rides probably won't happen anytime soon. Pittsburgh is closer to the northeast, but has it's own thing going on.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by PenguinsFan14

I've always considered Pittsburgh part of the Northeast. I've never heard anyone in Western PA consider this area part of the midwest. Never once. However, I wouldn't argue against someone choosing "other" as Pittsburgh is different than the east coast cities. There is definitely a hillbilly element to the area that you won't find in the Baltimore, Cleveland, Philly, etc. The Appalachia culture certainly has a presence that is absent from most other cities in the midwest and northeast, which explains why it's a lot whiter and more conservative than other cities on the east coast. You won't see radical anarchists trashing downtown here and naked bike rides probably won't happen anytime soon. Pittsburgh is closer to the northeast, but has it's own thing going on.

Actually, Baltimore has an Appalachian component. If you want to get technical, it's not on the coast, either, any more than Philly is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Appalachians

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

Actually, Baltimore has an Appalachian component. If you want to get technical, it's not on the coast, either, any more than Philly is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_Appalachians

Along with Baltimore, I'm pretty sure Cleveland was one of the top destinations of the Hillbilly Highway while this area really wasn't a part of it because the industry here was "matured" and not expanding to the point it needed a significant amount of outsiders from WV and Kentucky in the 50's and 60's.

[tallydude02]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Along with Baltimore, I'm pretty sure Cleveland was one of the top destinations of the Hillbilly Highway while this area really wasn't a part of it because the industry here was "matured" and not expanding to the point it needed a significant amount of outsiders from WV and Kentucky in the 50's and 60's.

Pittsburgh and southwestern PA is already a part of the Appalachians while Baltimore and Cleveland are not.


There was a migration from the dying coal communities of Greene and Fayette counties to northeastern Ohio from the 1940's-1960's. Some of my family was a part of that migration, which included many of their friends and neighbors. I guess PA had their own version of the Hillbilly Highway to Ohio as well.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by tallydude02

Pittsburgh and southwestern PA is already a part of the Appalachians while Baltimore and Cleveland are not.


There was a migration from the dying coal communities of Greene and Fayette counties to northeastern Ohio from the 1940's-1960's. Some of my family was a part of that migration, which included many of their friends and neighbors. I guess PA had their own version of the Hillbilly Highway to Ohio as well.

Yeah, but this area still didn't have the influx of additional people from those regions like Cleveland, Detroit, ad Chicago.