Baltimore, Maryland: The Port City of Strength and Dignity

Baltimore is a city that has its roots from the beginning of our country’s development. The unique port location gave Baltimore the advantages of being the largest port near the sea in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. While this may have spring boarded the port city into a thriving community, it also brought a multilayer of culture which has contributed to the metropolitan city of today. Baltimore loves their sports and have proudly been the home of many playoffs and winning teams. Baseball scoreboards are the hot topic, but the stadiums for football and soccer have also become more popular venues for the fans.

Baltimore was originally named after an Irish dignitary, Lord Baltimore, who was a founding father of the area. The inhabitants were English and Irish and many of the areas names became a combination of Irish Gaelic. As a port, the first growth was due to Baltimore’s ability to thrive as a granary for the growing sugar cane market. During the War of 1812, the Battle of Baltimore brought famed lawyer Francis Scott Key to the area, where he penned the Star Spangle Banner, destined to become the national anthem of the U.S…

North Charleston, South Carolina: Town of Progress and Hockey

The years following the Civil War forced the plantations into smaller and smaller subdivisions, which opened up the doors to development. The history of this area runs deep and there is a unique blend of old world and modern in North Charleston. North Charleston is home to some of the most avid hockey fans in the U.S. At any time, at any game for the Sintgrays, the North Charleston Coliseum is packed with cheering followers and all eyes are on the hockey scoreboards for the winning points scored.

The area now known as North Charleston was originally some of the most beautiful plantations in the south.
It wasn’t until the twentieth century that major change hit the North Charleston area. Both businesspeople and the United States Government saw this as an opportunity for industrial growth. While the people of the area fought these changes, they were eventually defeated. Progress brought lumber, military bases and the largest mill for asbestos at that time. The Charleston Naval Base was a key employer of the area and continued so until the end of the cold war. With budget cut backs, both the naval base and the shipyards were closed, causing a reeling economic effect on the North Charleston area.

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans may be the center of the Mardis Gras, but anyone that visits the city soon learns of the rich and harshly fought history of the people that live there. A multicultural soup of varying people and lifestyles in the heart of the south, and a city unlike anything else in the country. The staunch strength of the residents is displayed in the resounding pride of their town, because it you originate in New Orleans, you will never call anywhere else as your home. New Orleans is also host to some of the best sports teams in history. Super Bowl Football scoreboards have been lit with the intensity of games that have gone down in the halls of fame. Basketball and Roller Derby games are also nearly sold out, because New Orleans loves their sports.

Augusta, Georgia: A River Town Rich in History and Baseball Fever

The Savannah River may be the main reason for the existence of Augusta, Georgia, but it’s the people of the area that has made this city thrive. The rich beauty of the land combined with the lush river and many falls have been the attraction of residents throughout history and is retained today as a world renowned golfing championship center. Golf isn’t the only sport that takes front and center in Augusta. This is home to baseball, ice hockey, rugby and roller derby fans. But it is the baseball games that seem to draw the largest crowds. The town almost empties when their Green Jackets team is playing. The field and the baseball scoreboards are testiment to the love of sports in Augusta.

Metairie, Louisiana

Metairie Louisiana shares the same history of French influence as the New Orleans area. The location of the town along a Mississippi River branch elevated it to an importance for transport. The people of the area are deeply rooted in their culture and traditions, with a fine sense of hospitality and an intense love of their sports teams. The area boasts many areas for their team games of basketball, football and baseball headed by the Jefferson Parish Parks and Recreation; with a special love for tennis.

Originally settled by the French, they named the town of Metairie after the word which meant sharecropper. The residents were hard working with an excellent sense of ethics. The delta area was known for much of the land as swampland and while the location was key, this detained early expansion and was also problematic with natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods.

Durham, North Carolina

Durham, North Carolina has a history well embedded from the early days of the tobacco industry to today’s extension of the famous Research Triangle Park. Although a small town initially, Durham played pivotal roles in many of the battles throughout the beginning of the nation’s development. It has been called the Flower of the Carolinas due to the incredible beauty and charm of the area. Duke University is a focal point of the town, with the Blue Devils athletic assoiation and an incredible array of sports. Basketball is one of the favorite sports in Durham and the basketball scoreboards are the focus of the game.

The Native American tribes of the area were the original inhabitants and were also key to the development of The Great Indian Trading Path. This roadway became an established method for transportation of good and services in the early settlement days. The mid 1700’s brought a number of European settlers to the Durham area which was prized for its agriculture. The growth of larger plantations, along with the African slaves that became the labor in the area, encouraged the town to blossom.

Most people don’t realize that Birmingham, Alabama started out as a merger of three little farm towns. It was originally created as a center city where cheaper labor that was not related to a union as well as African American workers could work in the blasting furnaces and steel mill environment. Birmingham has had a checkered past, overcoming obstacles that would collapse most towns. Birmingham is an astounding swirl of sports fans of all venues: football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, motor sports, golfing and more. The scoreboards of any stadium, no matter what the team, are the highlight of the games.

Louisville, Kentucky: The Northern Most Southern State

Northerners consider Louisville a southern state and southerners call it the northern most southern state. Wherever your opinions lay, Louisville is a city most notably known for their love of horses, their music and the incredible hospitality. Louisville is also home to some of the best sports teams around. The varius stadiums have been built with the highest tech basketball scoreboards and baseball views.

Louisville was named after King Louis XVI, of France as their troops were helping the Americans during the Revolutionary War against the British. The original site was actually settled due to a geological occurrence. It was the point where people had to stop river travel due to the Falls of Ohio rapids. The settlement grew up around the stopping point and continued to grow as river travel increased.

Norfolk, Virginia

The city of Norfolk is a testiment to the strength of the country. The citizens have maintained a community identity from the past through to today. Famed for their sports stadiums for basketball, baseball, hockey and now football; it is the hockey games that seem to bring attendance to see their beloved Norfolk Admirals. At any game the lights of the hockey scoreboards and the cheering fans show the city’s pride. Norfolk, Virginia started out as a port city stronghold, mainly due to its strategic location and the natural large harbor. It has been attacked, destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, because the people simply will not give up or give in.

The area currently known as Norfolk was originally part of the larger land area patroned by Adam Thoroughgood, in the 1830’s. The Norfolk area experienced a division until it was finally settled with the name it bears today. The wonderful harbor was a springboard for the construction of the first Half Moone Fort and allowed the port environment to have one of the best success rates for the export of supplies for the British Empire.

Mount Pleasant, SC

Mount Pleaseant, South Carolina is one of the loveliest areas of the country. Offering beauty and grandeur, fun and excitement. The Department of Recreation is a center focus for the town, with facilities for swimming, tennis, aquatics and skating. This is a town that loves their sports and basketball seems to be the highlight.

Mount Pleasant, South Carolina experienced a varied past of attack and defense to maintain its community. What is now one of the loveliest suburban areas of South Carolina has overcome takeover attempts by the French and Spanish as well as hurricanes and other natural disasters. The beauty of Mount Pleasant can simply be called breath taking and the residents have fought to keep it that way. There is a great sense of pride in Mount Pleasant. Pride for town, country, state and their beloved sports.