Do the north-Eastern states of the USA have their own individual characters?

Question

Hello from Britain! I have always wanted to visit the north-eastern part of the US, the New England type area, and it seems there are a lot of states that are quite small in size compared to other parts of the US (NE, NH, Conn, RI etc...sorry if I have those abbreviations wrong...). What I'd like to know is, do these states have individual elements to define them from one another or is the area mostly similar?

Cheers!

Answer 1

They are all very different, and each in it's own way, fun to contrast to the rest of the U.S., too.
Nothing can touch Britain for beauty, though!
If you do visit, and in the Wintertime, always remember American temps are much more extreme than those in Britain, and for longer periods. Tough outdoorsy clothes are a must.

New England is fascinating even to Americans because of its past "look", and its distillation of American features and customs that the rest of America has forgotten. Also remember that New Englanders may differ in outlook from other Americans---over the centuries, they have stayed put, while their relatives have headed West for adventure, or to make their fortunes---so they might be simply better off financially on the whole, and determined to stay that way.

Also, New England has always been the home of, if not all the upper-class elite of the US, then particularly the upper-class "Prep" Schools (dating from the American Revolution, and similar to English Public Schools)--these are exclusive, expensive, and hidden from the rest of the US, but life or death in New England and to the upper classes---they are the training-grounds for students headed for Ivy League Colleges (Yale, Harvard, Princeton, etc), and the conduit to power, money, and class in the US.

Vermont is known for its perfect beauty, quaintness, and intense attitude of liberal eco-friendly preservation. It might be seen to be the Switzerland of the USA. Norman Rockwell lived and painted there, and used locals as his models. You can also see a perfect image of Vermont in the Hitchcock film THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY.

New Hampshire is sometimes seen as the complete opposite of it's neighbor--more practical, working-class, with lower taxes and lots of pride. New Hampshire's election primaries have been very important to Presidential politics, and candidates nearly meet each citizen of New Hampshire, begging for votes. This is unheard of in other states.

Maine is fascinating, a great working-class wilderness, and celebrated in the books of Stephen King---read his stories and novels, and you will know Maine inside and out---esp. his stories "The Reach," "One for the Road," and his books TOMMYKNOCKERS, IT, DOLORES CLAIRBORNE, and SALEM'S LOT. If you're going to Maine in winter, dress very warm--it will be snowing!

Massachusetts has everything in one state--famous Prep Schools, Universities, writers, historical sites, Cape Cod scenery, museums, etc. Famous residents include Nathaniel Hawthorne (see all the sites of his writings in Salem, as well as the Witch Museum) and Lizzie Borden (infamous murderess) whose house in Fall River is a museum. If you're a fan of Herman Mellville, don't miss seeing New Bedford. Massachusetts is famous for its property taxes, used to fund an excellent school system. This forces many people who work there to commute daily to New Hampshire to live.

Rhode Island is little, but fascinating---it's the home of another great horror writer, H.P. Lovecraft, who just about invented the genre, and rarely left his boyhood home in Providence. If you want to experience New England as Lovecraft imagined it, read "Shadow over Innsmouth." Rhode Island has famous Universities, and a stretch of mansions along the coast of Newport built by millionaires in the last centuries (nothing that could ever compete with English estates, but unique in the USA).

Connecticut is lovely, interesting, not as dramatic as the other New England states, but there is plenty to see and do, including the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic. Connecticut was and still is, where people go to be rich together. The joys of living there are celebrated in 2 great films: MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE, and THE ICE STORM.

Answer 2

Every state in the US has it's own individual characteristics, just as different areas of England vary from one another. Though there are significant similarities in the regions of the US. Therefore, though Maine is quite different from New Hampshire, those two states are much more similar to each other than they would be to Deep South state. Most states fit with their regional neighbors, with notable exceptions. Florida, is not much like the other southern states. Texas is pretty much different from it's neighbors. And California is almost a separate world.

Answer 3

I have been to the USA in the early 60s an the difference between Texas, Alabama, New York and Boston was incredible if it was for the same currency I would have thought that I was in a different country all together

Answer 4

They are definitely unique. Maine is very unique. Rugged granite coastline, very unpopulated, lots of wilds. Rhode Island is very industrial. Mass has a good mix of big city (Boston), history (Plymouth), and nature (west side). Vermont and NH are very similar. Quiet and relaxed with a lot of hilly nature.

Sure they are similar is a lot of ways but they definitely have an individual character.

Answer 5

they are just areas really, of course there are differences but just like there are differences between Liverpool and Manchester. for most of new England, the entire US actually the cultural differences are small and insignificant to outsiders.