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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 pgm123
So, where is the West?
Also, where does the Midwest and Northeast break?
Is the Midwest a single region or several?
Easy. The west starts in the far western portions of the Great Plains states. The Northeast starts at Washington, D.C. and east of the Great Lakes. The Midwest starts at the Ohio River and above far southern Missouri and far southern Kansas.
I always thought WV was tough to group. Where I grew up in southwest VA we were about an hour and a half from west virginia but it was the southernmost region of west virginia which is VERY VERY backwood Appalachian (which I love). This is the area that Jesco White is from and the rest of the people in "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia." I always felt kind of like the split was just north of Charleston but I've not spent a lot of time much north of that. WV has kind of the same dynamic that a lot of states in the south have. The rural areas are obviously very southern acting and sounding...just like VA, NC, TN, or wherever. But when you get near the cities it dilutes quite a bit. The major difference is that when you go north into WV you are quite clearly getting into the north...when you go north or get into the cities of virginia, north carolina, tennessee, or wherever it feels like you're in the south but just surrounded by yankees. This is of course all a matter of opinion, but it's what I feel like I've seen.
Easy. The west starts in the far western portions of the Great Plains states. The Northeast starts at Washington, D.C. and east of the Great Lakes. The Midwest starts at the Ohio River and above far southern Missouri and far southern Kansas.
Ah, but...
The Great Plains go most of the way through Montana, part of the way through Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico (as well as Texas). Does the Midwest go to the start of the Rockies or does it stop at the state borders.
As for Great Lakes, what is the border? Obviously Erie is part of the Great Lakes, but what about Pittsburgh? How far east does it go?
I don't know what those maps are supposed to show me.
Linguistically, it's more of a transition zone (infused with appalachian twang).
culturally, she has very little in common with the culture of the south. Again, hillbilly =/= southern. Hillbillies can be southern or northern depending on where they are. WV and Kentucky are transition hillbillies whereas the hillbillies in Tennessee are more southern.
But southern culture is more low-country. Think places like Savannah, Charleston, spanish moss, plantations, cotton, New Orleans, the gulf, etc You guys got hillbillies in eastern ohio, south western Pennsylvania too so it ain't real southern thing. I'd say the hillbillies in south-west Pennsylvania have more in common with hillbillies in northern Georgia despite one being in the south and the other north. Hillbilly is a cultural unit
As for Great Lakes, what is the border? Obviously Erie is part of the Great Lakes, but what about Pittsburgh? How far east does it go?
Pittsburgh is more Appalachian-rust belt than anything else. The great lakes do include places like Buffalo, Rochester and I'd say the boundary becomes a transition zone around Syracuse.
Expect some upstate New Yorkers to protest vehemently how they are real east coasters
I don't know what those maps are supposed to show me.
Linguistically, it's more of a transition zone (infused with appalachian twang).
culturally, she has very little in common with the culture of the south. Again, hillbilly =/= southern. Hillbillies can be southern or northern depending on where they are. WV and Kentucky are transition hillbillies whereas the hillbillies in Tennessee are more southern.
But southern culture is more low-country. Think places like Savannah, Charleston, spanish moss, plantations, cotton, New Orleans, the gulf, etc You guys got hillbillies in eastern ohio, south western Pennsylvania too so it ain't real southern thing. I'd say the hillbillies in south-west Pennsylvania have more in common with hillbillies in northern Georgia despite one being in the south and the other north. Hillbilly is a cultural unit
I agree with the majority of that but just as all hillbilly culture isn't entirely southern, all lowland culture isn't either. Most agree that SE Georgia is southern but the Everglades likely wouldn't be considered as such. Places like Savannah and Charleston are southern all day long but Naples and Miami aren't southern culturally. Just like Knoxville, Chattanooga, Roanoke, Huntsville are southern and Pittsburgh isn't. But I do agree with the priciple theme of your post that hillbilly culture doesn't correlate to southern...but I would go a degree further that marsh, swamp, or whatever culture doesn't always correlate to southern either. Southern culture is a weird one to map imo. I still feel like the kudzu line is one of the most accurate indicators that i've seen subtracting southern Illinois and Indiana and Maryland...but again...all IMO
I agree with the majority of that but just as all hillbilly culture isn't entirely southern, all lowland culture isn't either. Most agree that SE Georgia is southern but the Everglades likely wouldn't be considered as such. Places like Savannah and Charleston are southern all day long but Naples and Miami aren't southern culturally. Just like Knoxville, Chattanooga, Roanoke, Huntsville are southern and Pittsburgh isn't. But I do agree with the priciple theme of your post that hillbilly culture doesn't correlate to southern...but I would go a degree further that marsh, swamp, or whatever culture doesn't always correlate to southern either. Southern culture is a weird one to map imo. I still feel like the kudzu line is one of the most accurate indicators that i've seen subtracting southern Illinois and Indiana and Maryland...but again...all IMO
I find it odd that Kadzu would be found in such an isolated area up near Portland, OR. That's about 2000 miles away.
I agree with the majority of that but just as all hillbilly culture isn't entirely southern, all lowland culture isn't either. Most agree that SE Georgia is southern but the Everglades likely wouldn't be considered as such. Places like Savannah and Charleston are southern all day long but Naples and Miami aren't southern culturally. Just like Knoxville, Chattanooga, Roanoke, Huntsville are southern and Pittsburgh isn't. But I do agree with the priciple theme of your post that hillbilly culture doesn't correlate to southern...but I would go a degree further that marsh, swamp, or whatever culture doesn't always correlate to southern either. Southern culture is a weird one to map imo. I still feel like the kudzu line is one of the most accurate indicators that i've seen subtracting southern Illinois and Indiana and Maryland...but again...all IMO
I like the Kudzu line too actually. A few odd spots here and there that I don't agree with but it is probably the best natural dividing line I've seen. The line in my neck of the woods is probably accurate to within 5 miles. You can tell when you are on one side of the line or the other when you are near the river, heavy infestation of Kudzu.
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