In a different time and place
Posted 05-06-2009 at 10:04 PM by GraniteStater
In a time long ago in the past I made my first trip to the south. This was not the deep south, but to eastern Tennessee. I am not sure what I expected but many things surprised me. One thing that struck me was that neighbors seemed to care less about broken down cars and junk littering the yards. I think this has to do with the prevailing "live and let live" mentality that is common throughout the Appalachian region.
Another item that amazed me was the landscape. I think I was initially expecting mostly forests and farms. What I saw was a more bucolic emerald isle setting of lush green hills, horse farms, forests, kudzu, log cabins, and modulars all blended into one. It doesn't suprise me why many who settled there have Irish and Scottish ancestry.
The third item that schocked me was the cold temperatures. I mostly expected the south to have more of a humid and mild climate with occasional bursts of cold. What I experienced in the Cumberlands were temperatures colder than -20F in January of 1985.
Overall, I think the Cumberland Plateau is MUCH more distinctively Appalachian than it is southern. Many people incorrectly assume that most of the south is like the Delta or rural Alabama, etc. The Upper South does not share that intensive agricultural heritage nor did it ever have a substantial black population. The soils were much too poor to support plantation agriculture, and the climate was not particularly warm.
That brings me to my final point. Although the Cumberland Plateau is definitely southern culturally it does have its share of northern influences that range from: Mixed hardwood forests with white pine, and a climate that is more compatible with that of southern Ohio.
Another item that amazed me was the landscape. I think I was initially expecting mostly forests and farms. What I saw was a more bucolic emerald isle setting of lush green hills, horse farms, forests, kudzu, log cabins, and modulars all blended into one. It doesn't suprise me why many who settled there have Irish and Scottish ancestry.
The third item that schocked me was the cold temperatures. I mostly expected the south to have more of a humid and mild climate with occasional bursts of cold. What I experienced in the Cumberlands were temperatures colder than -20F in January of 1985.
Overall, I think the Cumberland Plateau is MUCH more distinctively Appalachian than it is southern. Many people incorrectly assume that most of the south is like the Delta or rural Alabama, etc. The Upper South does not share that intensive agricultural heritage nor did it ever have a substantial black population. The soils were much too poor to support plantation agriculture, and the climate was not particularly warm.
That brings me to my final point. Although the Cumberland Plateau is definitely southern culturally it does have its share of northern influences that range from: Mixed hardwood forests with white pine, and a climate that is more compatible with that of southern Ohio.
Total Comments 2
Comments
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That's funny that you say, "Live and Let Live" because that's my favorite quote. Maybe I need to spend more time in eastern TN.
This was a very interesting blog entry to read. Thanks!Posted 08-01-2011 at 08:40 AM by SweetOzarksGirl
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From past posts in the Tennessee forum, it is indeed a "live and let live" atmosphere. The residents don't hide it, and embrace it. It can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you look at it. While I don't live in TN, I do live in the Appalachians in WV. They are very similar, but different in many ways. I appreciate the beauty there. Especially in the mountains and the plateau. It's a mixed bag when it comes to the economy. I love many of the smaller towns in Eastern Tennessee, but notice many aren't kept up. At least not when in comparison to some smaller towns in the Midwest or NE. Like I said on an earlier post, I haven't been west of the Mississippi and I appreciate your explanation as to how parts of the West and Central seem to rate higher on the optimism rankings. My personal experience has been with the Midwest and whatever one considers WV. One will tell you it's in the South, and another the Mid Atlantic. LOL Thanks again.Posted 03-24-2012 at 06:32 PM by SmokyMtnPeace
