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Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
In that case, there isn't any "west" anymore, except to say that A is "further west" than B in terms of grographical coordinates and the times of sunrise and sunset. The historical concept in the USA of "The West" meant the area of the continent which had not yet been fully opened up to organized development. There now is no such place. Every part of the USA is equally economically developed, and all the expansion has taken place. In all respects, Roseburg Oregon and Ottumwa Iowa and Jamestown New York are pretty much indistinguishable from each other in terms of the basic amenities of life in those communities, and anyone walking up to the counter for a Big Mac would have no way to estimate how far west they are.
If there are any places in the USA today that call themselves "The West", that is only because the local people have chosen to identify with events and conditions that prevailed in their historic past, that they wish to cling to for flatulent reasons of civic pride and boosterism. Or maybe to emphasize their disappointment over the sad mess the nation has swirled down into. For that reason, if a town says "this is the west", well, than, that is the west. The West begins where people start wistfully saying This is the West, but they are speaking as ah historical anachronism. There are no other working criteria.
"The West" is a concept that arose during the continental expansion of America, which, for reasons too obvious to outline, took place with a progression going from east to west, and as this expansion was taking place, the east and the west had different characteristics. That is simply no longer the case. To call anyplace "West" from a "modern standpoint" is just dumb and does not take into account of the realities of what the modern standpoint is..
While what you say is true, you are outlining "General American" characteristics. Jamestown, New York and Ottumwa, Iowa are very distinguishable when it comes to culture. If we are going to do away with "The West", we might as well do away with regions.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
2,709 posts, read 5,094,873 times
Reputation: 1028
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastphilly
The west dividing line IMO is the Rocky Mountain Range. The Great Plains begin east of the Rockies which is considered midwest. It seems to me the Census Bureau has it right even though half of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico is East of the Rockies.
I would still throw Denver in with the west. I would never consider Wyoming or any part of Colorado or Montana to be the Midwest.
To me, it's really the I-35 corridor. Cities on it and to the East are NOT Western, while cities West of it are TRULY Western. The only example of cities that lie ON the I-35 corridor that may be Western are San Antonio or Austin, Texas.
I would still throw Denver in with the west. I would never consider Wyoming or any part of Colorado or Montana to be the Midwest.
I did mention that IMO the west ends on the eastern front of the Rockies. Since Denver and Cheyenne are on the eastern edge of the Rockies I can agree that both cities are west. I just have trouble believing that the eastern tiers of Colorado, Montana, Wyoming are west when central Nebraska, Dakota's, Kansas have the same geographical layout but are considered midwest. For me a natural barrier is a better yardstick so to speak to define which region is which.
To me, it's really the I-35 corridor. Cities on it and to the East are NOT Western, while cities West of it are TRULY Western. The only example of cities that lie ON the I-35 corridor that may be Western are San Antonio or Austin, Texas.
Quite a distance on either side of the I-35 corridor is solid midwest. Lets look at what lies to the west of I-35.
A. The entire state of Kansas which is a midwestern state
B. Runs through the middle of Iowa and Nebraska still is west of Iowa. That's completely midwestern
C. Runs through the middle of Minnesota and curves northeast towards Duluth. Thats big time midwest.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
2,709 posts, read 5,094,873 times
Reputation: 1028
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fastphilly
I did mention that IMO the west ends on the eastern front of the Rockies. Since Denver and Cheyenne are on the eastern edge of the Rockies I can agree that both cities are west. I just have trouble believing that the eastern tiers of Colorado, Montana, Wyoming are west when central Nebraska, Dakota's, Kansas have the same geographical layout but are considered midwest. For me a natural barrier is a better yardstick so to speak to define which region is which.
Natural barriers don't represent cultural or linguistic changes though.
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