"Third Coast" is an American colloquialism used to describe coastal regions distinct from the East Coast and the West Coast of the United States. Generally, the term "Third Coast" refers to either the Great Lakes region[1] or the Gulf Coast of the United States.[2] "Fourth Coast" may refer to the same areas, with the assumption that the other is the Third Coast.
Usage
Considering its Great Lakes coasts, Michigan has more miles of shoreline than does any other of the 48 mainland states and more fresh water shoreline than any other state.[3] When considering the sheer size of the Gulf of Mexico bordering the Southern United States, the combined Great Lakes' square mileage of 94,250 is dwarfed by the Gulf's size of 600,000 square miles.
For filmmaking or music production, the term "Third Coast" has been used to refer to locations outside of Hollywood or New York City used for the production of films and TV shows, notable examples including Nashville, Toronto, Vancouver, Albuquerque,[4][5] Houston, Austin, New Orleans, the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and Australia.
Fresh Coast
The term "Fresh Coast" was popularized by Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett and is most often used to spur commerce, in contrast to the colloquialism "Rust Belt", first mentioned at a visit in Maple Dale Middle School.[6] Regional media outlets have adopted the phrase in an effort to re-brand Great Lakes development. The term connotes both the area's large resource of fresh water and its educational resources. "Middle Coast" is also often used colloquially within the American Midwest to refer to the lakefront recreational areas, including a Traverse City-based brewery of the same name.
See also
- Arctic Alaska (North Coast)
- Gulf Coast of the United States (Southeast Coast)
- Great Lakes Megalopolis
- Southern hip hop
- French Coast (Mediterranean)
References
- ^ "NOAA Great Lakes Region". NOAA. Retrieved 2015-09-15.
- ^ "The Rise of the Third Coast: The Gulf Region's Ascendancy in U.S." Forbes. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ "SOM - Does Michigan have the longest coastline in the United States?". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
- ^ "An Homage to 'Breaking Bad' and ABQ's Unstoppable Rise in Film". City of Albuquerque (.gov). 2022-07-29. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ Vitu, Teya (2021-06-25). "NBCUniversal opens new film studio in Albuquerque". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved 2024-02-22.
- ^ "Milwaukee on the "fresh coast," not "rust belt," says Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in D.C. speech". Retrieved 8 October 2016.
Further reading
- McClelland, Ted. The Third Coast: Sailors, Strippers, Fishermen, Folksingers, Long-Haired Ojibway Painters, and God-Save-the-Queen Monarchists of the Great Lakes. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, February 1, 2008. ISBN 978-1556527210
- Dyja, Thomas. The Third Coast: When Chicago Built the American Dream. New York: Penguin, 2013.
