Cultural blending between states (transplants, casinos, gated)

[Craziaskowboi]

I've been doing some thinking about how most states seem to be a blend of cultures from adjacent states. It started when I noticed what seemed to me as a pretty steady transition down the East Coast in what were the original "13 colonies."

To me, New Hampshire is a blend of Massachusetts and Maine. Massachusetts is a blend of New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Rhode Island is a blend of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Connecticut is a blend of Massachusetts and New York. New York is a blend of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. New Jersey is a blend of New York and Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is a blend of New York and Maryland. Delaware is a blend of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Maryland is a blend of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Virginia is a blend of Maryland and North Carolina. North Carolina is a blend of Virginia and South Carolina. South Carolina is a blend of North Carolina and Georgia. Georgia is a blend of South Carolina and Alabama.

You can see the same blending from north to south in the middle of the country. To me, Minnesota is a blend of Wisconsin and Iowa. Iowa is a blend of Minnesota and Missouri. Missouri is a blend of Iowa and Arkansas. Arkansas is a blend of Missouri, Texas and Mississippi. The Great Plains states seem to be blends of states to their north, south and east. Nebraska is a blend of South Dakota, Iowa and Kansas. Kansas is a blend of Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma. Oklahoma is a blend of Kansas, Arkansas and Texas..

Other cultural blends I've noticed...

• West Virginia is a blend of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky.
• Alabama is a blend of Georgia and Mississippi.
• Ohio is a blend of Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.
• Indiana is a blend of Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky.
• Kentucky is a blend of Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee.
• Tennessee is a blend of Kentucky and Alabama.
• Wisconsin is a blend of Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan.
• Illinois is a blend of Wisconsin, Indiana and Missouri.
• New Mexico is a blend of Texas, Colorado and Arizona.
• Nevada is a blend of California and Arizona.

Some states seem to be pretty dominant, with strong influence on many surrounding states. Among the 13 colonies, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia were the "alpha" colonies, so to speak, and you can still see it in the influences they exert today. Texas is another such state. Other states, however, have very unique cultures that don't blend much outside their states. I'm thinking of states like Vermont, Louisiana and Utah, specifically. Alaska and Hawaii are the same way, though that's a function of their isolation from the rest of the United States. And not all states have reciprocal influence on each other. For example, I sense that Illinois is more influenced by Missouri than Missouri is by Illinois, and that Tennessee is more influenced by Alabama than Alabama is by Tennessee.

I should clarify that each state is influenced to some degree by each of its surrounding states. I've simply listed what I perceive to be each state's strongest influences. If an adjacent state wasn't listed, that doesn't mean that there's no influence at all; it just means that the influence isn't quite as strong. Examples of this, from my point of view, would be Tennessee and North Carolina, Arkansas and Louisiana, and Kansas and Colorado.

Your thoughts?

[tovarisch]

I don't know why this would be surprising. The state boundaries are artificial lines, nothing more, and since we Americans are free to travel (without passports) between states, it seems natural to me that adjoining ones would blend into one another. Culturally and otherwise.

[Mutiny77]

Regional characteristics cross arbitrary state lines.

[belmont22]

[nashvols]

I disagree with Tennessee being more influenced by Alabama. Southern Middle Tennessee might be influenced, somewhat...but certainly not the state as a whole. And that is negated a bit by how many people from Alabama are drawn north into Nashville. Between Nashville and Birmingham, Nashville has the much stronger cultural influence these days.

[streetcreed]

Ohio is one of the most culturally blended states. The state is literally a state of very different regions.

Eastern Ohio and ne Ohio has much in common with western PA (more liberal, similar geography, even pittsburgh sports fans)

South eastern Ohio has much in common with West Virgina.

Central Ohio is the meeting ground (where Columbus is). There you have a blend of eastern, midwestern, and some appalachian transplants. The ne/east side of the city is more eastern, the south side more southern, and the west side more midwestern/conservative.

As you head west from Columbus (western Ohio) begins to feel more midwestern, conservative, and starts to blend in with Indiana.

Northwest Ohio often has more in common with Michigan than the rest of Ohio.

South Western Ohio features Cincinnati where the metro is literally in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Cincinnati often feels like it is in a totally different state than Columbus or Cleveland. Here the culture is more southern.

All of these changes in geography make Ohio a rather complex state with different cultures, accents, and political ideologies. This is why the state is such a swing state.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

New Mexico is a blend of Texas, Colorado and Arizona

There is some truth to this with topographical features of all three states being prevelant here as this is the meeting point for the Southern Rockies coming down from Colorado, the plains of Texas, and the deserts and mesas of Arizona. Places like Hobbs, Clovis, and Portales in Eastern NM have a kinship to West Texas. The Navajo Res in NM seems to blend seemlessly in Arizona. However Colorado and New Mexico are very different and there is an instant and noticeable difference crossing the state line in both scenery, culture, and overall feeling. Also in the Rio Grande Valley and especially Northern NM around Santa Fe, Taos, and the Pueblos there is a very distinct New Mexican character with historical native settlements and pueblos, real adobe mission churches, the adobe influenced architecture, along with the cuisine. New Mexico's own historical character is very palpable in those areas.

Originally Posted by Gnutella

To me, New Hampshire is a blend of Massachusetts and Maine.

Most people in New Hampshire would scoff at having any kinship to Massachusetts (aside from being Red Sox and Patriots fans), but yeah I'd agree this is very true overall aside from having a more Yankee style Conservative and Libertarian streak.

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Nevada is a blend of California and Arizona.

Casinos aside I can't think of anything that's distinctly Nevadan.

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Other states, however, have very unique cultures that don't blend much outside their states. I'm thinking of states like Vermont, Louisiana and Utah, specifically. Alaska and Hawaii are the same way, though that's a function of their isolation from the rest of the United States.

Definitely true.

[Nairobi]

Louisiana's culture definitely has some spill over into neighboring states.

[hdwell]

Western Louisiana has definitely more influence from Texas than it does Mississippi.

[iNviNciBL3]

Montana, South Dakota and Colorado are very "Great Plains" in the eastern parts and "Mountain West" in the western parts.

Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan are almost triplets. except for a large section of SW MN that fells very Great Plains.

Illinois and Indiana are like twins to me (sorry BRG)