NC: No Longer a Southern State?

[sax184]

This morning's WAPost online is grouping NC and VA, which have increasingly been referred to as the "Upper South" into their "Mid-Atlantic" states.

Correct? Incorrect? Geographically? Politically? What do you think?

NC as a Mid-Atlantic State

[peaceloveunderstanding]

I prefer Mid-Atlantic. If not only because it sounds better.

[nowensone]

I like the "Atlantic" nomenclature because it is descriptive and meaningful. "South", for example, is ambiguous, it gets you in the neighborhood, but has boundaries that are debatable and mean something different to each person. Now, coupling a direction with "Atlantic" is most ideal, not sure if "Mid" or "south" is more appropriate for NC, looking at a map it is slightly south of the mid point of the east coast, but generally more in the mid region than the south region, so I'd go with "Mid Atlantic", but could accept "South Atlantic".

[Tayfromcarolina]

Most authorities such as News, Weather, Maps, and general knowledge recognize North Carolina as the SOUTH. And I for one think that it's correct, it's been that way for this long why not keep it this way.

Plus you stand mentioning mid-Atlantic and people start thinking Baltimore/Washinton NorVa (Northern Virginia) and that mess of terrible traffic, crime, politics. And we certainly don't want to be any part of that.

North Carolina is the south, the upper extents true. But south will suffice.

[MR-2]

Plus you stand mentioning mid-Atlantic and people start thinking Baltimore/Washinton NorVa (Northern Virginia) and that mess of terrible traffic, crime, politics. And we certainly don't want to be any part of that.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

While I of course know that North Carolina is part of the South, I also know it is part of the Mid-Atlantic. Just like a person has dual identities, NC has two regional identities. INcreasingly, NC is being seen as not only the South, but Mid-Atlantic. As the state continues to grow rapidly, expect more and more to refer to it as part of the Mid Atlantic. Oh, and yes, I prefer to refer to the state as Mid Atlantic.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

I also think that northeast NC and the Triangle embrace the Mid-Atlantic term much more than Charlotte, southeast, and southwest North Carolina. People in the Triangle and northeast NC has much more of an affinity and orientation toward Northern VA, MD, and DC than the rest of the state, which leads to a much less southern identity than the remainder of the state.

[803metlife]

While I of course know that North Carolina is part of the South, I also know it is part of the Mid-Atlantic. Just like a person has dual identities, NC has two regional identities. INcreasingly, NC is being seen as not only the South, but Mid-Atlantic. As the state continues to grow rapidly, expect more and more to refer to it as part of the Mid Atlantic. Oh, and yes, I prefer to refer to the state as Mid Atlantic.

[rooster8]

I think some people in PA or NJ might be insulted at the thought of being placed in the same region with NC.

[poonther]

NC is definitely the South and VA mainly is too w/the exception of NOVA. NC maybe the Upper South for sure, but not at all the Mid-Atlantic.....please.

[monsoon]

I think some people in PA or NJ might be insulted at the thought of being placed in the same region with NC.

[twincity]

its generally in the south but specifically in the mid-atlantic....if that makes any sense. two examples would be Dell and Fed-Ex having "mid-atlantic" in the description for their new NC facilities.

[rooster8]

I don't see why. They all are moving to NC.

[suburban george3]

Personally, I know we say south due to historical references, but I think Mid-Atlantic fits NC much, much better...

[nowensone]

NC maybe the Upper South for sure, but not at all the Mid-Atlantic.....please.

[lammius]

I don't see why. They all are moving to NC.

[capitalcity]

Personally, I know we say south due to historical references, but I think Mid-Atlantic fits NC much, much better...

[803metlife]

I think either term is accurate. NC has enough southern flavor to identify with the deep south (sweet ice tea & Pork BBQ, conservative politics, etc.). Yet, it also has enough progressiveness to identify with the Mid-Atlantic states (larger cities, educated population, multi-ethnic). I prefer to label it Mid-Atlantic on regional maps, but am a true southern boy (minus the redneck part!).

[nowensone]

There are a lot of people moving in the other direction too! It seems half the people I meet in NJ are either from the Southeast or Midwest (myself included), with a few from NYC. PA is the most popular destination for NJ expats.

I've always thought of the Mid-Atlantic as the part of the Northeast that isn't New England (NYS, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC).

Wiki identifies the Mid Atlantic states as:

I remember kids in Virginia saying VA isn't south, which I think you can argue that maybe part of it isn't, but now North Carolina? I can't wait til we see people from Mississippi saying, "we're not part of the South anymore either!"

[krazeeboi]

A state can be geographically "mid-Atlantic" and culturally Southern. Personally, I still think Virginia is quite Southern (with the exception of NoVa) but geographically it's still mid-Atlantic. But I think the vast majority of people consider NC Southern and not mid-Atlantic.

When the US annexes Mexico, then all of the eastern seaboard will be mid-Atlantic, so does it even matter?

[monsoon]

The long ago predecessor to WWE wrestling, which used to be based in Charlotte and filmed in WRAL in Raleigh, referred to itself as Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. This was opposed to the then Mid-South Wrestling that used to be based in Atlanta. I think the line between the South and the Mid Atlantic is somewhere in SC. It's very close to the NC border though.

[CSP]

Oh man...

I for one consider N.C. the south...which it is forever going to remain.

[JDC]

I don't see why. They all are moving to NC.

[triadcat]

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: When biscuits outnumber bagels and sweet tea is on the menu at every restaurant in town, and when you ask someone how they're doing, they respond "blessed," you're in the south.

[monsoon]

Pop vs Soda Map. NC looks mid-Atlantic to me.