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I was thinking how there are quite a few parallels between Washington state and upstate New York.
Both are referred to as "state" to distinct themselves from a city that is more famous - Washington state/DC vs New York State/NYC. Both generally have a temperate climate with cold winters, abundant rainfall, lots of forest land and warm but usually not hot summers.
The North Cascades of Washington and a large swath of upstate New York are both among the snowiest areas of the country. Both states have a long and important border with Canada. Even the cities are kind of similar - Tacoma is somewhat like Buffalo, Southwest Washington reminds me of some of the more conservative parts of NYS, and small cities like Olympia and Bellingham are similar to Ithaca and other small liberal upstate college towns. Spokane has a climate that is atypical of the West and somewhat similar to what you would find in eastern North America, it's a bit more humid and seasonal than is typical for an inland western city and the woods to the north slightly resemble the northwoods/lakelands environment you find in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
Washington has a 'gritty' feel that reminds me in some ways more of Midwestern and Eastern cities than of neighboring Oregon, it's hard to explain I suppose it just feels more post-industrial while Oregon and other Western states have more of a resource economy kind of vibe to them and seem a bit less 'grim'.
Not really. Upstate NY is far older. Washington is a western state; outside the towns and cities vast tracks of wilderness are nearby. The North Cascades isn't really inhabited.
Rochester may be more like a PNW city in terms of a mix of grittiness and white collarness. On street view, Spokane and Syracuse look similar in terms of Downtowns.
There is a Native American presence in both and the types of fruit grown are similar. Both have a strong dairy farm presence too.
Not really. Upstate NY is far older. Washington is a western state; outside the towns and cities vast tracks of wilderness are nearby. The North Cascades isn't really inhabited.
I personally don't find either grim.
Seattle was founded in 1850, Buffalo in 1789. Washington state has had an American presence for quite a long time.
Seattle was founded in 1850, Buffalo in 1789. Washington state has had an American presence for quite a long time.
True, but Seattle was much smaller for most of its history (in 1900, Buffalo was over 4x bigger). Far more of the city is new. And there's lots of new construction. For someone coming from NY, Seattle (and Washington in general) feels quite a bit newer. That doesn't that there isn't some old parts in Washington, but there are less.
Leaving the big cities, there are lots of towns in upstate NY with 19 century centers. Some of them haven't grown much in the last 100 years. You don't get that as much in Washington.
Rochester may be more like a PNW city in terms of a mix of grittiness and white collarness. On street view, Spokane and Syracuse look similar in terms of Downtowns.
There is a Native American presence in both and the types of fruit grown are similar. Both have a strong dairy farm presence too.
Yeah I was also thinking of the fact I think NYS grows a lot of apples.
True, but Seattle was much smaller for most of its history (in 1900, Buffalo was over 4x bigger). Far more of the city is new. And there's lots of new construction. For someone coming from NY, Seattle (and Washington in general) feels quite a bit newer. That doesn't that there isn't some old parts in Washington, but there are less.
Leaving the big cities, there are lots of towns in upstate NY with 19 century centers. Some of them haven't grown much in the last 100 years. You don't get that as much in Washington.
True, the PNW isn't as overwhelmingly new as say, Arizona or most of Florida but it's newer than the Northeast.
True, the PNW isn't as overwhelmingly new as say, Arizona or most of Florida but it's newer than the Northeast.
I haven't been in either since I was a kid, I haven't really been in any place newer than the PNW. While I still disagree with your idea, the PNW does seem a bit more like the Northeast than some other parts of the West. Might just be being green and a wet climate, but I think there's a bit more to it.
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