Cultural variations within Virginia?

Question

Virginia is a fairly small state and i thought that pretty much most people there were the same. I visited the state last year and i was surprised. Along the coastal areas, extending about 100 miles inland, there are heavy concentratons of African Americans. As I drove further inland into the more hilly reigon, there seemed to be a fair mix of both Caucasians and African Americans. Eventually I came to the Appalachians and there were no African Americans at all. Also, I noticed that culture seemed to change significantly as moved inland from the coast to the mountains. The coast seemed to have litle southern culture. Most people I taked to were accentless. In the hilly reigon, the people spoke with a southern accent that sounded less twangy than most I have heard and was pleasing to listen to. In the mountains, the people spoke with a completley different kind of southern accent as those in the hilly reigon. What causes these large cultural differences in such a small area?

Answer 1

I live in the Appalachians mountains in West Virginia, but have visited cities as well within this state. As for Virginia and the different change in culture. The coast line into Richmond have more of a diversified culture where outsiders form other states like to visit and because of that, the Virginians in that area tend to pick up on other accents. Outsiders that are looking for work are more adapt to move to populated areas because of the job market. The closer you go into the Appalachian mountains where the jobs are more scarce outsiders do not have a tendency to settle in thoses places, so the ones in the Appalachians don't have time or a chance to pick up on others accents. The ones that do live in the Appalachians tend to just stay in the mountains, cause it's too expensive to really drive to the populated areas 60+ miles away. Living in the mountains too you almost need a truck and with 12 mpg to drive 120 miles round trip can be costly, so why drive all that way...unless you really need something. I love living here in the Appalachians, I don't lock my car doors or house doors unless I'm gone for more then a week, it's more laid back...if it gets done...so beit...if not there's tomorrow. Nature is great here, I get to drink from the stream coming out of the mountain, while city folks pay for their water, I get to see bears, mountain lions, wild turkey and deer on a daily basis and others never seen a real bear till they went to the zoo. To make a living in the Appalachians...one MUST have a love for nature more than being around people.

Answer 2

Northern Virginia and parts of Hampton Roads are very transient areas- meaning they have people from all over who are most likely not natives of Virginia. Northern Virginia mostly has people who work in Washington, D.C. Hampton Roads/VA Beach area has a lot of military people.

Richmond, Charlottesville are still culturally and typically southern. They have less outsiders. But in recent years, its becoming less that way.

Richmond even trumps Atlanta and rivals Charleston, in terms of its Southernness.

What you were hearing were variations of southern accent. Virginia is southern, and within Virginia there are variants of the Virginia accent.