Answer: New York

While the U.S. state of New York is most certainly, geographically speaking, part of the northeastern U.S., it is not, like its eastern neighbors–Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont–considered part of the “New England” region.

Why is New York not a part of the region defined as “New England”? While a book or two could be written on the subject, and there is certainly a long historical record of English colonial control and influence in the area that is present day New York, the matter can be boiled down to two primary factors.

First, despite later English influence, New York was first colonized by the Dutch (New York was originally part of the territory called New Netherland). Second, and far more important, the New England region is strongly defined by the cultural influence of early English settlers–settlers that came primarily from eastern England and contributed greatly to the distinctive accents, customs, social structures, and food of the region.