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I was looking at historical census results and it looks like Louisville had been the second largest city of the south (after NO) for many decades of the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s. I wonder if freeway construction and urban renewal tore a lot of that down.
Yeah this is true I and don't have clue what happen. I notice Louisville everything check historic ranking. But I think Louisville is more Midwestern which why I didn't bring it up.
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Originally Posted by Trimac20
No eastern does not equal European, when I mean eastern I mean as in like the old, historic cities of the East coast: lots of historic buildings, the type of skyscrapers, the type of housing (rowhouses, brownstones, tenements, shotgun houses).
Santa Barbara or San Francisco can be 'European' but they're hardly European. Although DC has superficial similarities to the Paris of Le Corbusier, and Philadelphia and Boston has neighbourhoods that have a historic look reminiscent of Europe (quaint shop houses, cobble stone streets, the type of city parks), 'European' is not what I mean.
The French quarter of NOLA is a mix of European, Caribbean (African), and American/Victorian/Colonial styles.
This is the elephant in the room though they are not the same colonial architecture, they were not colonize by the same nations. Other than they are extra old cities and densely built they really have nothing else in common. Anything else they might have in common is likely to be common in other southern cities as well.
In fact you brought up Victorian which is Romantic or Gilded Age 1860-1900 Atlanta, Houston, Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville and etc have a lot of this. Victorian is like one of the top 3 architectural styles in Atlanta. Also New Orleans is not known for brownstones, Shot guns are generally common though out the south in fact Shot guns are rare outside the south. Mean while Atlanta, Louisville, Birmingham, Memphis, Houston, and etc have a lot shot guns because that's southern thing.
Last New Orleans Skyscrapers aren't older or more historic than Houston and Atlanta. They stared to build skyscrapers around the same time " around the time they were invented". And Atlanta and Houston out grow New Orleans before the 70s. Since were not back in colonial day this right up Atlanta and Houston alley.
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But seriously Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, Richmond, there is more to east coast then larger cities, Providence, Wilmington, Annapolis, Portland ME, Newark, Trenton, New Haven, and etc is bring down to size. The East Coast is meanly British but there a little Dutch and Swedish. The Gulf on the other hand is Spanish and French. You easily see the difference.
As a native Northeasterner who lived in Texas for over 25 years and traveled to NOLA extensively, New Orleans in no way is "eastern looking" to my eyes. The great northeastern cities came into their own during colonial times, and their appearance reflects their origin. NOLA, on the other hand, starting taking off during the civil war and ante-bellum years, and the city definitely reflects that. The fact that NOLA was not demolished and rebuilt into a sun-belt mecca, (a la Atlanta) means the core is still dense, like the eastern cities. It takes more that density to make a city eastern, however. In fact, no southern city looks eastern to me. IMO, the most "eastern looking" city outside the northeast is St Louis.
As a native Northeasterner who lived in Texas for over 25 years and traveled to NOLA extensively, New Orleans in no way is "eastern looking" to my eyes. The great northeastern cities came into their own during colonial times, and their appearance reflects their origin. NOLA, on the other hand, starting taking off during the civil war and ante-bellum years, and the city definitely reflects that. The fact that NOLA was not demolished and rebuilt into a sun-belt mecca, (a la Atlanta) means the core is still dense, like the eastern cities. It takes more that density to make a city eastern, however. In fact, no southern city looks eastern to me. IMO, the most "eastern looking" city outside the northeast is St Louis.
NOLA had become one of the top five largest cities in the country during the 1830's, which is before the Civil War. NOLA developed in both the antebellum and postbellum periods. But due to the Spanish and French architectural influences, I can see why someone might not say it looks Northeastern from that standpoint. However, in general terms of urban density, the resemblance is certainly there.
NOLA had become one of the top five largest cities in the country during the 1830's, which is before the Civil War. NOLA developed in both the antebellum and postbellum periods. But due to the Spanish and French architectural influences, I can see why someone might not say it looks Northeastern from that standpoint. However, in general terms of urban density, the resemblance is certainly there.
I said NOLA came of age during the civil war/ante-bellum period (which, to be clear, I consider the few decades leading up to the civil war) and the city, as you note, continued to boom in the post-bellum period. To my point, however: these were not "colonial" times.
If others find NOLA to feels "eastern," due to the density, I won't argue with their impressions. I simply do not share them.
I said NOLA came of age during the civil war/ante-bellum period (which, to be clear, I consider the few decades leading up to the civil war) and the city, as you note, continued to boom in the post-bellum period. To my point, however: these were not "colonial" times.
If others find NOLA to feels "eastern," due to the density, I won't argue with their impressions. I simply do not share them.
The city in 1810 was the 7th biggest (first census it is apart of U.S.). Like most cities it continued to grow but it definitely was a large important city in the late 1700's (when it was a colony) and early 1800's. I think people are saying "eastern" because it has density, vibrancy, walkable neighborhoods, and the OP says the downtown was very vibrant and "eastern" looking. I dont think people meant the actual architecture or stuff like that.
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