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Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: historychannel101 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 02:54PM

Washington DC which sits just 70 mi. below the mason dixon line, which as we remember the capital of the Union during the War, only because it was occupied. However, the culture of surrounding areas was the start of the Southern tier . During the 1950s, DC became a Country music mecca, as well as many people from nearby areas, including the southern states of Virginia, North Carolina, and portions of Maryland and West Virgina, flocked to DC for jobs and for its growth.

We think of DC as part of cut throat politicos and its materialistic attitudes- this conjures up a northeastern city. However, the architecture, climate, and relative history of DC, shows it was always the Gateway to the South.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: December 14, 2011 02:57PM

historychannel101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We think of DC as part of cut throat politicos and
> its materialistic attitudes- this conjures up a
> northeastern city. However, the architecture,
> climate, and relative history of DC, shows it was
> always the Gateway to the South.






I always think of Southern culture and values when I ride through Anacostia.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: Bobby Lee ()
Date: December 14, 2011 03:19PM

DC is for white liberals and uppity niggers, thus it is by definition NOT the South.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: sumguy ()
Date: December 14, 2011 03:43PM

Before the riots of 1968 DC was mostly white. Most of those whites were hillbillies.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: today's south ()
Date: December 14, 2011 04:05PM

It is becoming fairly widely accepted that the south starts at the Rappahanock River, at Fredericksburg.

If you've ever been in the south, you might agree that DC has more in common with northern cities like Philly and even new York, than it does with southern cities, when it comes to attitudes and types of people.

The fact that DC might lie below the Mason Dixon line has little relevance today. If in fact the Mason Dixon line is the arbiter of where the south starts, then the line needs to be "updated" and moved south. Otherwise it is an antiquated, irrelevant remnant of the past.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: dchistory101 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 08:07PM

today's south Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It is becoming fairly widely accepted that the
> south starts at the Rappahanock River, at
> Fredericksburg.
>
> If you've ever been in the south, you might agree
> that DC has more in common with northern cities
> like Philly and even new York, than it does with
> southern cities, when it comes to attitudes and
> types of people.
>
> The fact that DC might lie below the Mason Dixon
> line has little relevance today. If in fact the
> Mason Dixon line is the arbiter of where the south
> starts, then the line needs to be "updated" and
> moved south. Otherwise it is an antiquated,
> irrelevant remnant of the past.

No, technically the South is still the Mason Dixon line. However, I think that Baltimore is the end of the NE cities. DC is the start of the South. Northern Virginia is the South, whether people here want to admit it or not. I mean, c'mon Robert E. Lee high school. And Alexandria back in the day was very much a southern city. DC is in Maryland across the river. Maryland unlike Virginia, is not distinctly Southern. It has a more Mid Atlantic feel to it.

But on the other hand, DC is NOTHING like NYC. In fact the DC area to me is almost identical to Atlanta. I have lived in both places.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: eesh ()
Date: December 14, 2011 08:09PM

dchistory101 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> today's south Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It is becoming fairly widely accepted that the
> > south starts at the Rappahanock River, at
> > Fredericksburg.
> >
> > If you've ever been in the south, you might
> agree
> > that DC has more in common with northern cities
> > like Philly and even new York, than it does
> with
> > southern cities, when it comes to attitudes and
> > types of people.
> >
> > The fact that DC might lie below the Mason
> Dixon
> > line has little relevance today. If in fact the
> > Mason Dixon line is the arbiter of where the
> south
> > starts, then the line needs to be "updated" and
> > moved south. Otherwise it is an antiquated,
> > irrelevant remnant of the past.
>
> No, technically the South is still the Mason Dixon
> line. However, I think that Baltimore is the end
> of the NE cities. DC is the start of the South.
> Northern Virginia is the South, whether people
> here want to admit it or not. I mean, c'mon Robert
> E. Lee high school. And Alexandria back in the day
> was very much a southern city. DC is in Maryland
> across the river. Maryland unlike Virginia, is not
> distinctly Southern. It has a more Mid Atlantic
> feel to it.
>
> But on the other hand, DC is NOTHING like NYC. In
> fact the DC area to me is almost identical to
> Atlanta. I have lived in both places.
Attachments:
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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: Bumperssss ()
Date: December 14, 2011 08:25PM

Good thread dudes

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: Eesh's bro? ()
Date: December 14, 2011 08:42PM

While technically you are correct (yes, the Mason Dixon line is where it is), you are wrong as a practical matter, and certainly wrong as it relates to where things are today.

All you have to do is go to Richmond, meet a few of those old-timey southern families (like ones where no one in their family has worked for 100 years, because ol' grandpa Reemus bought Coca Cola stock at the beginning of the century) and realize Richmond, and their insular southern ways, ain't anything like the transient and much more multi-faceted DC region.

They say things like how yeew (how are you), oot and aboot (out and about), and jes' fine (just fine) and they aren't kidding around.

If you talked like that in DC, people would think you are doing some political satire.

Yes, Alexandria has some southern remnants, and some old time families, but they are becoming fewer and further between, and for the most part (like 90%) people in Alexandria work in DC or for some national association in the area, really having nothing to do with the old southern heritage of the city. That stuff started dying out in the '70's. King Street still had working warehouses then, now, it is a poor man's Georgetown, and anything that is "southern" is some marked-up tourist attraction.

They tried having an Orvis store on King Street a few years ago, one where they actually sold guns and fishing stuff...it lasted like 2 years or something, and I think it has been replaced by a store that sells dildos and lingerie.

In Richmond, when they ask where you went to school, they mean high school-St. Christopher's, Woodberry Forest, etc...in DC, they mean college-Yale, Princeton, NoVa CoCo, whatever.

Nope, Richmond isn't one bit like DC, or Philly, or New York. Richmond is where the south begins.

And it gets more southern, obviously, as you head south, although there are differences in each area. But no sir, Atlanta isn't like DC. In Atlanta, you are a big ol' swinging weiner if you went to Ga Tech-in DC, if you went to, say, Va Tech, you are just some run of the mill dill-hole. There are some large companies based there, but, it is not nearly as transient as DC or New York. Nowhere near as International as either.

Try hanging a stars and bars on your car. People in DC will think you an idiot, not that one would care. In Richmond, many of those families still believe in that stuff.

And, Eesh, I don't see where anyone called anyone bro. Although, you do seem like a silly lil f'er. Whoever you might be, bro.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: itsallrelative201 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:01PM

Eesh's bro? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While technically you are correct (yes, the Mason
> Dixon line is where it is), you are wrong as a
> practical matter, and certainly wrong as it
> relates to where things are today.
>
> All you have to do is go to Richmond, meet a few
> of those old-timey southern families (like ones
> where no one in their family has worked for 100
> years, because ol' grandpa Reemus bought Coca Cola
> stock at the beginning of the century) and realize
> Richmond, and their insular southern ways, ain't
> anything like the transient and much more
> multi-faceted DC region.
>
> They say things like how yeew (how are you), oot
> and aboot (out and about), and jes' fine (just
> fine) and they aren't kidding around.
>
> If you talked like that in DC, people would think
> you are doing some political satire.
>
> Yes, Alexandria has some southern remnants, and
> some old time families, but they are becoming
> fewer and further between, and for the most part
> (like 90%) people in Alexandria work in DC or for
> some national association in the area, really
> having nothing to do with the old southern
> heritage of the city. That stuff started dying out
> in the '70's. King Street still had working
> warehouses then, now, it is a poor man's
> Georgetown, and anything that is "southern" is
> some marked-up tourist attraction.
>
> They tried having an Orvis store on King Street a
> few years ago, one where they actually sold guns
> and fishing stuff...it lasted like 2 years or
> something, and I think it has been replaced by a
> store that sells dildos and lingerie.
>
> In Richmond, when they ask where you went to
> school, they mean high school-St. Christopher's,
> Woodberry Forest, etc...in DC, they mean
> college-Yale, Princeton, NoVa CoCo, whatever.
>
> Nope, Richmond isn't one bit like DC, or Philly,
> or New York. Richmond is where the south begins.
>
> And it gets more southern, obviously, as you head
> south, although there are differences in each
> area. But no sir, Atlanta isn't like DC. In
> Atlanta, you are a big ol' swinging weiner if you
> went to Ga Tech-in DC, if you went to, say, Va
> Tech, you are just some run of the mill dill-hole.
> There are some large companies based there, but,
> it is not nearly as transient as DC or New York.
> Nowhere near as International as either.
>
> Try hanging a stars and bars on your car. People
> in DC will think you an idiot, not that one would
> care. In Richmond, many of those families still
> believe in that stuff.
>
> And, Eesh, I don't see where anyone called anyone
> bro. Although, you do seem like a silly lil f'er.
> Whoever you might be, bro.

Not necessarily "more Southern" as you go South. Because Raleigh feels a lot less Old South and 'Southern" than Richmond. Raleigh is not very South. And Atlanta is almost as transient and money grubbing as DC. And you have to drive everywhere. So yes, DC Metro and Atlanta are very similar.

And would you really consider Florida the South? Maybe northern Florida, but anything south of Jacksonville is really not "Southern" even though its as far South as you can get.

Also if you go out to El Paso , TX, I dont consider that 'South' either. But anyways, I consider the 11 former states of the Confederacy the South, even if some areas are not 'southern". Northern Virginia was part of that. DC , was not. So DC is a nothern city but its in Maryland. Maryland is not Virginia. And let them deal with whether or not they want to be "South" or not.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:03PM

Kids who grow up here don't have southern accents, the people you work with don't eat grits for breakfast or drink sweet tea, you won't see confederate flags in your neighborhood, no one calls people "Yanks", 'southern hospitality' seems like a foreign term from another part of the country, colleagues will laugh at you if you think the Civil War was about 'states rights', no one could tell you when the commonwealth celebrates "Robert E. Lee Day".

The list goes on. The DC area is not southern. Whatever was here, it left generations ago and it's not coming back.

Tiring subject BTW.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: yessir ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:12PM

Dallas ends the "south", and that is where the west begins. So no, El Paso is not the south, it is the west.

While there are some good points in recent posts regarding places like Raleigh and southern Florida, the fact remains, DC is not a southern city (meaning it lacks many of the hallmarks, stereotypical or otherwise, of a typical southern city), contrary to the OP.

Yep, tiring subject, but who cares. Most of 'em are.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: BobinBurke3 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:52PM

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Kids who grow up here don't have southern accents,
> the people you work with don't eat grits for
> breakfast or drink sweet tea, you won't see
> confederate flags in your neighborhood, no one
> calls people "Yanks", 'southern hospitality' seems
> like a foreign term from another part of the
> country, colleagues will laugh at you if you think
> the Civil War was about 'states rights', no one
> could tell you when the commonwealth celebrates
> "Robert E. Lee Day".
>
> The list goes on. The DC area is not southern.
> Whatever was here, it left generations ago and
> it's not coming back.
>
> Tiring subject BTW.

You obviously have never been to Manassas. And yes they do have Southern accents to people from the North, they do.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: BobinBurke3 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:54PM

yessir Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Dallas ends the "south", and that is where the
> west begins. So no, El Paso is not the south, it
> is the west.
>
> While there are some good points in recent posts
> regarding places like Raleigh and southern
> Florida, the fact remains, DC is not a southern
> city (meaning it lacks many of the hallmarks,
> stereotypical or otherwise, of a typical southern
> city), contrary to the OP.
>
> Yep, tiring subject, but who cares. Most of 'em
> are.

I spent time out in Dallas. Its not the South... Texas and Louisiana are something separate, IMO. Arkansas is kinda the South, and in some respects Missouri. You get into grey areas. Like many think of Kentucky as the South, but I actually think its less Southern than Virginia. And Maryland is another messed up state and West VA enters the North in places.

But Virginia was and will always be the South, so if people have a hard time with it, they can always move some place else.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: igetaroundsam ()
Date: December 14, 2011 09:59PM

To people from the Deep South, DC is up north. To people from the Northeast, DC is down South. Actually could work for Baltibore. I have been all over the country. The Southern aspect of many very Southern places is fading. So the arguement could be, that very few places are "southern' anymore. I agree whole heartedly with whoever said Atlanta was not Southern. It surely isnt. Its like NYC came to Georgia.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Date: December 14, 2011 10:21PM

Most southern cities are still southern in character. Richmond, Nashville, Birmingham, Charlotte, Columbia are all very southern feeling. Charlotte is transitioning a bit but still feels southern.

I agree about Atlanta. Behind that Georgia peach accent, is attitude that has nothing to do with traditional southern behavior.

One other place which has lost its semblance of the South is parts of the Raleigh area - Cary in particular. I think that is why Cary is called "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees".

-----------------------------------------------

"...your suffering will be legendary even in Hell!"

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: roundabouts234 ()
Date: December 14, 2011 11:42PM

This may be a little off subject, but have you ever noticed when seeing a "Southern" magazine or publication such as "Garden and Gun" or 'Southern Living" - they really push the boundaries of the South? I think its to get more readers, But they really stretch it. Its one thing to put West Virginia in the mix, but they include Maryland and Deleware and Missouri. Just about anything that can be remotely considered 'Southern'. I think its to push Southern goods and products.


Oh, and Paula Deen supports Smithfield Hams, so yes, Virginia is the South. She has never been up in the DC area, though.

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Re: Washington DC is both a northern and southern city...
Posted by: TheMeeper ()
Date: December 15, 2011 06:04AM

BobinBurke3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> You obviously have never been to Manassas.

Snob!

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