Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia..& a couple others

I POSTED THIS THREAD A FEW MINUTES AGO, BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW UP, SO I'LL TRY AGAIN.... New York is our nation's largest city and Washington its capital. I'd like to look at the other three major cities in the northeast megalopolis/northeast corridor: Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia. I also want to focus on how all five of these cities relate to each other First, I'd like to say that these are three great cities, excellent examples of American urbanism. Next, I'd like to share some observations, totally my own, and ask those on the east coast (and others) who are more knowledgeable about the following than I am whether or not I'm on to something...or am I way off base: 1. Boston and Philadelphia are probably the two richest major cities in their relationship to the colonial era and, in particular, the events that created the Revolutionary War, the war itself, and the new nation era. Boston has, IMHO, cashed in on its history more than Philadelphia. If that is true, I wonder if Philadelphia's larger size is a factor in keeping Boston more historic. Boston, despite similiar metro popuations, has been able to maintain a higher profile than Philadelphia....where an argument could easily be made that both cities should be at the same level. 2. Both Boston and Baltimore have major waterfronts. Both have made these waterfronts inviting. Yet Baltimore has "cashed in" on its waterfront more than Boston, even though Boston is a more major US city. Baltimore seems to have a more aggressive, Avis-style "we try harder" attitude in promoting itself over places like Boston. Actually over Philadelphia, too. Baltimore may be for self-promotion to the northeast what Atlanta is in the southeast. 3. Boston has an advantage over Philadelphia and Baltimore because it is the furthest afield of the 5 major cities and thus has been more able to to establish its own identity. Another advantage is that only Boston of the 5 cities is New England, not Mid-Atlantic, and Boston is the undisputed capital of New England. Philadelphia has been hurt by proximity to NYC and Baltimore by its proximity to DC; Bosotn is less affected by such factors due to its location. 4. The inter-relationship between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington is undoubtdly the most interestng of any such regional groups of cities. It is fascinating to see how these major cities play off each other. 5. Of all cities outside the northeast, I believe that my city of Chicago relates best to the northeast metropolises due to Chicago was the one "western" city that most parraleled the growth of industry, immigration, the development of cultural institutions, the development of true American urbanism, etc. Chicago's strong connection to the northeast by canal/rivers/lakes and later by rail cemented a special relationship between the Windy City and the northeast.>