Well, there aren't exactly many options in a state like Illinois. There's about 10 cities that are not suburbs that even merit the title of 'small city' and half of them are synonyms for normality. Literally, one of those cities is called Bloomington-Normal. There are a few oddball villages, but they're very tiny.

Illinois is culturally distinct from its neighboring states (being simultaneously more Machiavellian and utopian especially when it comes to politics) but the only major differences as far as cities within the state go are due to size.

Perhaps the Lost City of Cahokia by St. Louis is the most distinct centuries after it was abandoned.

For NY State, probably Kiryas Joel. 100% Ultra Orthodox town where many adults can barely speak English, and most signs aren't in English, but essentially everyone is native-born. Most residents probably haven't traveled farther than Brooklyn.

A suburb of NYC but culturally alien to most.:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.3410...7i13312!8i6656

I would pick Chicago for being distinct in Illinois. My reasoning is that when I am in Chicago, I am not consciously thinking that I am in Illinois. I think I would be more aware of being in Illinois if I was in Springfield, or anywhere else outside of Chicago-land.

I would say NYC is distinct for similar reasons. Anything north of the NYC metro is typically specified as "upstate".

speaking of small and distinct in a galena way, theres a few towns along the towering bluffs on the mississippi river in metro st. louis (in illinois) that feel like they should be a thousand miles east. elsah feels like it could be the set of an m. night shyamalan movie. also, grafton and its big brother alton feel pretty distinct...Alton i believe has the oldest collection of buildings in the entire state (although that could be galena, too) excepting the 18th century canadien structures also around st. louis.

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/3f/a3/fe/3...i-illinois.jpg pinterest.com

http://www.elsahgeneralstore.com/pho...1hbeks1xiey1yf
elsahgeneralstore.com

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/76/60...38b4a760ad.jpg
pinterest.com

Might as well do the same for Quebec. There is the town of Kyrias Tosh, a suburban enclave in Boisbriand, North of Montreal. Same sort of economic perspective than Kyrias Joel in NY. The difference is, I think, that there may have been farms operated by Orthodox Jews that preceded the advent of a settlement outside Montreal's Ultra conservative community. There are however more radically isolated communities than Kyrias Tosh.

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.6116...7i13312!8i6656

The Lev Tahor sect in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts in Quebec is or was more insular than Kyrias Tosh. It may have disappeared since many members fled Canada about ten years ago following an inquiry into child abuse, among other things. Limited schooling in these communities sometimes means children don't learn French or English and are totally dependent on their insular commune for life.

French Canadian colonists founded Cahokia (Illinois) in 1696 (across from St. Louis)

holy family church, 1699

https://cstl.s3.amazonaws.com/500/ho...ch-cahokia.jpg cstl.s3.amazonaws.com

http://bp1.blogger.com/_ICCoEC9hSwc/...USA+-+nave.jpg bp1.blogger.com

Cahokia courthouse, 1740s

https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/p...806109A311.jpg nps.gov

Martin-Boismenue House, 1790s

http://greatriverroad.com/stegen/cla...artin14081.jpg
http://greatriverroad.com/stegen/clair/martin.htm

Fort de Chartres (mid 18th century) down the road from Cahokia, IL

http://www.fortdechartres.us/wp-cont...95-480x360.jpg
fortdechartres.us

http://www.fortwiki.com/images/thumb..._Buildings.jpg
fortwiki.com

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1530275192
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/00...g?v=1530275192

My thoughts exactly. They are the default of their respective states because they dominate. When I think Illinois, I think Chicago. Boston for Massachusetts. Never been outside of Chicago in IL but I've been all over Massachusetts and something like Nantucket or Provincetown would strike me as unique for them.

Honestly though... Philadelphia and Pittsburgh ARE the most distinct parts of the state. The rest of the state is pretty country. Unless you want to look at more overlooked, but cool small towns and cities like Gettysburg, Jim Thorpe and State College.

But Philly and Pittsburgh absolutely dominate the state and are representative of their respective regions of PA. Perhaps certain areas or neighborhoods within those cities; Southside slopes in Pittsburgh and Old City in Philly for example. Elfreth's Alley is unique even for Philly.

Kiryas Joel is so freaking strange, I drove through it a couple of years ago just to check it out. its like being in Poland in 1910 or something and 65% or so of the population lives in poverty. Its basically a Jewish cult there and they all follow one Rabbi, and if you speak out against him, you're fucked.

In Hawaii -- it would definitely be Honolulu. To most locals from the outer islands -- Honolulu is often viewed as not the "real" Hawaii but a concrete jungle, overcrowded and touristy. For these reasons it does make it quite interesting and unique in the state because there are no other urban areas like it and because it feels more like a East meets West kind of place versus any other town in the state.

currently, the two most distinctive cultural areas in ohio would first be holmes county for the amish. it is an absolutely beautiful county to drive around (very carefully!) with charmingly distinctive amish farms, rolling hills, horse drawn buggys and uniquely atmospheric, very small villages, or should i say village meeting places as most live on their farms. it is the only county in the state where the predominant language of the schools is not english.

the other would be ne columbus for somali. that came after i left columbus, so i dont know much about it.

while not visibly distinctive at all, i would add one other older part of the state with an interesting history is the area north of dayton. its a very rural area of predominantly catholic villages and towns, which is rather unique for its old farming history focus rather than urban focus as where most catholics are found.

is this a catholic-german wine-grape growing type area?

Forgottonia, Illinois :shhh:

i've long noticed that western illinois was semi-distinct, almost feels like an eastern extension of missouri, with lower population, more hills/trees, and less infrastructure than say central illinois. first time i've heard it called this, though.

I can't believe people live that low.

no, its all just a regular rural farming area.

the only unusual thing is rural catholicism.

the region is historically irish and known as 'the land of cross tipped churches:'

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_o...ipped_Churches


btw ohio wine country is mostly in two areas -- anorth central around cedar point and northeastern ohio. although they grow other varieties that are pretty good, the best known wine is ice wine, which isn't very good:

https://ohio.org/things-to-do/wineries/

It is really nice to see surviving examples of that colonial architecture, thanks for putting these up repeatedly on this site, centropolis!

The type houses with balconies you show abound here in Quebec and that style of balcony was very popular up until the end of the nineteenth century. In small towns, you can still see houses that are very close to the roadway, and the older streets in my neighborhood display that kind of architecture, such as this one, St-Pierre street, Chambly:


https://www.google.com/maps/@45.4526...7i13312!8i6656

that streetview of Chambly could be Ste. Genevieve if I squinted out the stop sign.

cool, yeah, variants of these kinds of houses and cabins (in various states of repair) still abound throughout the countryside around all the other old canadien-settled communities south of st. louis. most of course are in private hands.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.town...1a7c.image.jpg

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com
stltoday.com

http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarkin...4008e61ad3.jpg
waymarking.com

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...e_House_26.jpg
wikipedia.com

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ille_Mines.jpg
wikipedia.com

https://crazycrow-xli6b9xzashumpmly....9-1000x667.jpg
crazycrow-xli6b9xzashumpmly.stackpathdns.com