Is Virginia a Northern or Southern state? (Richmond, Arlington: income, manufacturing)

[whoknew?]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

I spent a lot of time with friends in Waynesboro. The people there, the weather there, and even the scenery and tree life reminded me of Pennsylvania and upstate New York.

I am not arguing against Virginia being southern. I am saying there are Northeastern elements in NOVA culture.

Waynesboro isn't NOVA though that's the funny thing, and I agree.. To someone from this area NOVA is usually seen as Arlington county, Alexandria, Loudoun county, Fairfax county, and Prince William. However, Virginia is a very weird state although Waynesboro or Charlotesville might not feel that southern , when you go down 60 miles south in Lynchburg the shift in culture from Shenandoah valley to southern in my book. Lynchburg is known for the southern baptist convention, its the land of Jerry Falwell.. literally. Its hard for me to make good comparisons with a lot of cities in Virginia to ones in the deep south that I have explored in but Lynchburg fits that bill, and definitely Danville as well. It really depends just where you are in VA, we are kind of a schizophrenic state.

[CookieSkoon]

Originally Posted by whoknew?

Waynesboro isn't NOVA though that's the funny thing, and I agree.. To someone from this area NOVA is usually seen as Arlington county, Alexandria, Loudoun county, Fairfax county, and Prince William. However, Virginia is a very weird state although Waynesboro or Charlotesville might not feel that southern , when you go down 60 miles south in Lynchburg the shift in culture from Shenandoah valley to southern in my book. Lynchburg is known for the southern baptist convention, its the land of Jerry Falwell.. literally. Its hard for me to make good comparisons with a lot of cities in Virginia to ones in the deep south that I have explored in but Lynchburg fits that bill, and definitely Danville as well. It really depends just where you are in VA, we are kind of a schizophrenic state.

I've noted! XD I think it's Virginia's unique location.

Perhaps it boils down to the fact that all urban areas of the south are changing. I mean, Baton Rouge doesn't feel very southern at times either in the way some people talk, and it has an increasingly liberal atmosphere.

It definitely still has major southern characteristics for certain, but the times are a-changin'.

[whoknew?]

Originally Posted by CookieSkoon

I've noted! XD I think it's Virginia's unique location.

Perhaps it boils down to the fact that all urban areas of the south are changing. I mean, Baton Rouge doesn't feel very southern at times either in the way some people talk, and it has an increasingly liberal atmosphere.

It definitely still has major southern characteristics for certain, but the times are a-changin'.

At least there's common ground between Virginia & West Virginia.. We both seem to share the same dissociative identity disorder lol.

Times are definitely changing.. That's for sure. 10-20 more years who knows what its is going to be like here.. Time will tell I suppose.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by Diff1

Stlouisan you seem to always try to tell people alot about where they are actually from or actually spent alot time at, from a person who is resident of VA, Richmond is alot more than what you read in your history books. How familar are you with Richmond and i dont mean riding pass it on 95 or reading about it!

I question where they are from or ask if they've spent a lot of time in it if their opinions are a stark contrast to the majority of people that live there, or the evidence, which I don't place heavy weight on unless it's undeniably overwhelming, says otherwise. If all the documentaries which includes interviews of numerous life-long residents that I've seen on it are lying, even from a modern perspective, family friends that live in Wytheville that visits Richmond on a regular basis is lying to me, or the numerous colleagues of my uncle's from Richmond told me a lie, or the numerous times i've driven I-81 through all of Virginia, stopping and chatting with locals, aren't enough, how on earth could I be wrong? Richmond is demographically, culturally, and lingustically southern, not to mention, it's benefited the Reverse Migration. It may have significant Northern influences, but not enough to where you couldn't still identify it as southern. The lifestyle of Richmond and the way people act are a stark contrast to DC and Baltimore. You can feel free to disagree, but until you can convincingly make a case that Richmond isn't southern, or that baltimore and D.C. are more culturally, demographically, and linguistically similar to richmond than Philly, I'm afraid I have no choice but to disagree.

[stlouisan]

Originally Posted by whoknew?

Waynesboro isn't NOVA though that's the funny thing, and I agree.. To someone from this area NOVA is usually seen as Arlington county, Alexandria, Loudoun county, Fairfax county, and Prince William. However, Virginia is a very weird state although Waynesboro or Charlotesville might not feel that southern , when you go down 60 miles south in Lynchburg the shift in culture from Shenandoah valley to southern in my book. Lynchburg is known for the southern baptist convention, its the land of Jerry Falwell.. literally. Its hard for me to make good comparisons with a lot of cities in Virginia to ones in the deep south that I have explored in but Lynchburg fits that bill, and definitely Danville as well. It really depends just where you are in VA, we are kind of a schizophrenic state.

I'd agree with this...however, I think it's pretty safe to say that Virginia leans more southern than it does northern in most parts. My impression of Lynchburg was the same as your's. In fact, starting at Fredericksburg I would say you have definitively exited the BosWash culturally. Virginia still fits in better with the south than anywhere else.

[Stars&StripesForever]

Originally Posted by whoknew?

Waynesboro isn't NOVA though that's the funny thing, and I agree.. To someone from this area NOVA is usually seen as Arlington county, Alexandria, Loudoun county, Fairfax county, and Prince William. However, Virginia is a very weird state although Waynesboro or Charlotesville might not feel that southern , when you go down 60 miles south in Lynchburg the shift in culture from Shenandoah valley to southern in my book. Lynchburg is known for the southern baptist convention, its the land of Jerry Falwell.. literally. Its hard for me to make good comparisons with a lot of cities in Virginia to ones in the deep south that I have explored in but Lynchburg fits that bill, and definitely Danville as well. It really depends just where you are in VA, we are kind of a schizophrenic state.

Lynchburg, Danville, Martinsville, and Bristol are all very southern. Roanoke is mostly southern.

Richmond seems somewhat southern, though diluted, much like in a metro Atlanta kind of way.

The Hampton Roads area seems southern in some areas, and a smorgasbord in other locations.

Rural Virginia is pretty much all southern.

[Diff1]

I agree Richmond is southern but i also believe D.C. and Baltimore are southern also,mid atlantic at the most.Just because a place dose not fit peoples stereotypical versions of the south anymore it doesnt mean it isnt southern i mean 50yrs ago no one had an issue calling them southern so whats the diffrence now? Eventually there will not be too many places that follow these so-called sterotypical southern demographics and cultural boundaries then what?? I guess these places will not be southern either.

[Diff1]

Its like once a place reaches a certain level of success or achievements it cant be southern any longer lol.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by Diff1

I agree Richmond is southern but i also believe D.C. and Baltimore are southern also,mid atlantic at the most.Just because a place dose not fit peoples stereotypical versions of the south anymore it doesnt mean it isnt southern i mean 50yrs ago no one had an issue calling them southern so whats the diffrence now? Eventually there will not be too many places that follow these so-called sterotypical southern demographics and cultural boundaries then what?? I guess these places will not be southern either.

I am starting to lean to this thinking.

[polo89]

Originally Posted by Diff1

I agree Richmond is southern but i also believe D.C. and Baltimore are southern also,mid atlantic at the most.Just because a place dose not fit peoples stereotypical versions of the south anymore it doesnt mean it isnt southern i mean 50yrs ago no one had an issue calling them southern so whats the diffrence now? Eventually there will not be too many places that follow these so-called sterotypical southern demographics and cultural boundaries then what?? I guess these places will not be southern either.

Maryland was never part of the confederacy though.