Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
PA is the only state that has:
Atlantic Ocean port (Philly)
Great Lakes port (Erie)
Great Rivers port (Pittsburgh)
It's the Keystone State for a reason!
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Interesting, never thought about that!
For Pennsylvania, in some ways, I think one could easily argue that Erie is the city that belongs in another state. It being the only part of the state that is Great Lakes.
This seems like a no-brainer, given that it's in the NW corner, quite far and opposite from the main population center in the SE corner. And PA (outside of western PA) just doesn't have much familiarity with the Great Lakes at all.
The Erie area is probably more closely aligned with western NY state and was long, long ago a de facto part of New York, until PA (along with MA and CT) disputed the territory boudaries and the federal govt granted/sold the Erie Triangle to PA in 1792, since the state was the only one that was landlocked.
Culturally though, it's mix of western PA/western NY and northern PA/southern tier NY. Probably more like the oddball of Pennsylvania, rather than "being in the wrong state"... but maybe that's the same thing? I can certainly see the argument that the area fits in culturally more with New York than it does Pennsylvania... but I guess that depends on what we're saying defines Pennsylvania culture. Overall in a general sense though, I think it definitely is more "Great Lakes" than it is "Pennsylvania".
Influenced by all 3 of its nearby rustbelt big brothers, Erie is probably most commercially/regionally connected to Buffalo (but without the hard A nasal accent
), considering its the closest and there's lots of shared bonds... it's casually known as the Erie & Chautauqua region. Though Pittsburgh has a strong or stronger pull on it too (but without the Midlands/Appalachian/yinzer accent
), it being Erie's in-state "big city"... while Cleveland seems to have a more general regional influence (portion of the population is Browns and Indians fans, but can't think of much else specifically).