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Originally Posted by edale
NOLA feels distinct from any other part of the US, though. I don't think it feels particularly eastern or western. It's walkable and historic, but so is San Francisco, and no one is calling that eastern. It looks and feels very unique, imo, whereas St. Louis feels pretty similar to Cincinnati, parts of Chicago...points east and north of it.
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I agree that New Orleans does have a distinct feel, though I definitely feel that it gives off a significant eastern vibe. I lived there for about 4 years, and I would find myself taking mental notes of things and experiences (both subtle and overt) that reminded me of Pittsburgh or Buffalo or Philly or Brooklyn. Its historical factors really set the stage:
- Major port of entry for European immigrants pre-Civil War and post, with the same northern/eastern American mix of Irish, Sicilians/southern Italians, eastern Europeans.
- Majority Catholic population
- Ethnic/racial diversity from early on
- Manufacturing industry = urban, blue collar workforce
- Strong economic ties to the north
- Under Federal control for most of Civil War, which only increased northern $ and influence flowing
Just a much more cosmopolitan city than anywhere else in the South, reflecting the very diverse influence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crawford
NOLA looks like a Carribean city, but yeah, it has elements of an Eastern, perhaps even Northeastern, feel. Catholic, clannish, lots of Italians and Irish, hyperlocal accents, narrow streets, strong sense of place. History and pedigree matter, at least for U.S. standards.
It definitely doesn't feel anything like a Sunbelt city. Even Charleston and Savannah feel like Sunbelt cities once you get outside the historic cores.
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After living there, I always said it feels like a northern blue collar city dropped down in the Deep South, with a bunch of European and Caribbean basin influence. A good gumbo, basically... and I'm sure I'm far from the first to ever say that.