Is Colorado partially in the Midwest? (Denver, Sterling: legal, move, land)

[Katarina Witt]

I am from Pittsburgh. Some people say that Pittsburgh is the beginning of the midwest. I have long heard that Denver is the western terminus of the MW. So I have lived in both the eastern and western ends of the midwest, as well as Illinois, which, like Mississippi in the south, no one would say was not the midwest. There are some similarities in the two cities, Pittsburgh and Denver.

[kapetrich]

As a former East Coaster (Maryland) and now West Coaster (Oregon) I would say definitely yes, but most notably the Front Range.

The Front Range feels like the Midwest smacks the West/Inner Mountain West. Geographically, certainly, but also in attitude and politics. Polars everywhere.

One of the reasons I couldn't bring myself to moving to your beautiful State.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

As a former East Coaster (Maryland) and now West Coaster (Oregon) I would say definitely yes, but most notably the Front Range.

The Front Range feels like the Midwest smacks the West/Inner Mountain West. Geographically, certainly, but also in attitude and politics. Polars everywhere.

One of the reasons I couldn't bring myself to moving to your beautiful State.

What do you mean "polars"? Bears? (LOL!) CO is a "purple" state, has been for a long time, and most of the people in CO live on the Front Range.

[brightdoglover]

Maybe I meant "The Nine Nations of North America?" Where did I get "thirteen districts?"
I lived in Pittsburgh for two years. It was certainly a Midwest city, although about eight hours' drive to the Jersey Shore. Six hours from Philly, which is an Eastern city. You could easily split PA up between the two major influence poles.
Pittsburgh was the major place to which people from the Appalachian mountain areas would come for opportunity, and was/is a major center for weavers and other crafts.
Plus, Pittsburgh has some of the same accent things going on as Cleveland.
I love having a geography teacher post on a forum! Looking forward to more stories of that teaching.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Maybe I meant "The Nine Nations of North America?" Where did I get "thirteen districts?"
I lived in Pittsburgh for two years. It was certainly a Midwest city, although about eight hours' drive to the Jersey Shore. Six hours from Philly, which is an Eastern city. You could easily split PA up between the two major influence poles.
Pittsburgh was the major place to which people from the Appalachian mountain areas would come for opportunity, and was/is a major center for weavers and other crafts.
Plus, Pittsburgh has some of the same accent things going on as Cleveland.
I love having a geography teacher post on a forum! Looking forward to more stories of that teaching.

Having grown up in Pittsburgh, I see (or should I say hear) little to no similarity in the accents of Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Cleveland is "northern vowel shift" or whatever they call it. Pittsburgh is pure Pittsburghese! One of the first things two Pittsburghers who meet out here say to compliment each other is "You don't have the accent". Like Pittsburgh in reverse, Denver is neither western nor midwestern; it's just Denver.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Maybe I meant "The Nine Nations of North America?" Where did I get "thirteen districts?"

I love having a geography teacher post on a forum! Looking forward to more stories of that teaching.

HaHa! I just realized that "13 Districts" in America probably came from The Hunger Games Series.

I love being able to share geography with people. The biggest misconception of all is that it is all about memorizing where places are. I absolutely love the discipline.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by callmemaybe

Do you think cities like Fort Collins, Boulder, etc have similarities to places like Lincoln or Cedar Rapids, as much as they do with say, Carson City or Twin Falls?

Denver and most of the Front Range (including Fort Collins, although not so much Colorado Springs) have a lot of midwestern traits, even if geographically, it's not usually considered part of the midwest region. Fort Collins does very much feel like a midwestern college town. However, Boulder is very different. The closest thing there is to another Boulder is Santa Fe, NM (minus the southwestern/Indian/Hispanic culture part). Boulder also reminds me a few different places in California such as Santa Monica or Santa Cruz. Never been there, but I've heard that Burlington, VT has a lot in common.

[callmemaybe]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Denver and most of the Front Range (including Fort Collins, although not so much Colorado Springs) have a lot of midwestern traits, even if geographically, it's not usually considered part of the midwest region. Fort Collins does very much feel like a midwestern college town. However, Boulder is very different. The closest thing there is to another Boulder is Santa Fe, NM (minus the southwestern/Indian/Hispanic culture part). Boulder also reminds me a few different places in California such as Santa Monica or Santa Cruz. Never been there, but I've heard that Burlington, VT has a lot in common.

Is boulder kinda hippie?

[CAVA1990]

I think CO used to have a more Midwestern flavor, and still does in the North Eastern and Central Eastern parts, although even there it's more like the Great Plains states of the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska than the bible thumper Midwestern states like Indiana, Missouri, and Arkansas. I like to think it's because the more progressive elements moved West leaving behind the more narrow minded. In recent years the large influx of Easterners, Californians, and Texans has made it much less so.

[julian17033]

Having grown up since age 12 in Sterling which is in far northeastern Colorado most from that area consider this part of the state a no man's land encompassing this area along with southwestern Nebraska and northwestern Kansas.
It defies description .
The high plains is a very interesting place devoid of trees and natural water sources like lakes.

The midwest does not look anything like this area whatsoever.

I moved to Sterling from the St. Louis Mo area so I have a good reference point.