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I grew up in Iowa and live in Chicago. I was never religious at all growing up, and none of my friends ever went to church or talked all holy about anything. We were all Christians, but at least where I lived in Iowa religion was a very private matter, and no one really cared if you were a believer or not - that was your issue, not theirs.
In Chicago I have nothing at all to do with religion, although I had a few coworkers who mentioned how rough it was going to church some Sundays after they'd been out drinking till 5am.
I was amazed at that, since I didn't really think people still went to church.
I know when I visited down south in Arkansas there was jesus this and holy that flying all over the small town we were visiting. It was very interesting, and actually quite intimidating.
These cities all have quite SMALL city limits, and were all basically penned in by the 1950's. St. Louis is only 60 square miles. Places out west and down south for the most part that are still growing strong have EMPTY LAND, and are hundreds and hundreds of square miles.
You think if Dallas or Houston had their city limits frozen and their entire land area built out 60 years ago they'd still be growing fast today?
All those places you listed had their city proper shrink, but their metro areas have been growing just like everyone else. You list cities that had their core drop by hundreds of thousands, but their urban areas grow by millions.
They all had densities of 12,000 to over 15,000 people per square mile. Most people in America don't like to live that dense except for a few select cities that got it right (New York, San Fran, Chicago). People left the central cities and moved a few miles away to the burbs.
Those cities you list STILL have some of the higher densities in the country, which says something to the fact they are holding those titles while losing so many people.
I would obviously concider all of those cities you listed as major cities. You need to compare urban areas, not a midestern city of 60 square miles and a southern one of 300 square miles.
I HATE it when people make assumptions about cities based on their regional location. All southern cities are not alike...all midwestern cities are not alike - some have large areas, some have smaller areas. Some southern cities haven't annexed any significant area for several decades...Atlanta, for example, last annexed Buckhead in 1952.
"Small" Midwestern Cities by Area:
Indianapolis - 372 sq. mi.
Kansas City - 313 sq. mi.
Chicago - 227 sq. mi.
Columbus - 210 sq. mi.
Fort Wayne - 204 sq. mi.
Denver - 153 sq. mi.
Detroit - 138 sq. mi.
1. It's flat
2. People are hicks
3. It's boring
4. The weather
Here are the myths debunked:
1. It's not all flat. There are plenty of high hills and bluffs. There are even mountains in Michigan.
2. Not everyone is a country hick - There are cities here you know!!!
3. It's not boring! Tons of stuff goes on here!!!
4. Grow some balls and put on a coat! If your that afraid of cold, then you don't know what you're missing with the 4 seasons.
I live in the Midwest and Love it here!! I would never want to live anywhere else
The Midwest is the most friendliest region in the USA
People hate the Midwest because it's a hate it or love it type of place. You have to really love it in the Midwest in order to want to live there. I would never live in the Midwest, it just isn't for me.
well wellwell. i was just talking about this with a friend of mine from new york.
I live in columbus ohio and personaly i feel the midwest is a great place to live. People in the Midwest live in comfort. In most places we make about 25 -30K a year, pay about $525 to rent a town home and, get a good discount for our college education for living in our home state. We live a very comfortable existance.
With that comes our work ethic. People in the midwest are very hard workers. We don't mind clocking in and out at our jobs, and this includes the professionals in our cities and towns. It's in our blood, and with that you don't have the whole fantasy that comes with consumer culture as you do in some other places (Los Angeles comes to mind). Theres nothing wrong with that but please don't think we are "slow" or lack culture. We just don't exploit it and wear it on our sleeves like people in other areas.
Just as some of you are looking down on us midwestern folk' trust we are looking down and feeling sorry for some of you. New York is a great place, but growing up in a area where i know the value of money and what it can do for you i could never chase some pipe dream of moving to a city like New York JUST to struggle with 7 roomates and loose weight walking all over the damn place to catch a subway. Again New York is a great place. But unless i had a reason, you can have the so called culture. i can get that here. You may have 20 museums but hell we have 7. lol
Or never would i decide to move to L.A. and become plastic. I have no desire to become a model or anything, not that there is anything wrong with that...im just playing with stereotypes here. Talking to people who say "like" after every other sentence is not my thing.
did i mention that chicago is the 3rd largest city in the country? OMG! it's in the midwest!
And i've met some pretty cool so called..what did yall call them... hicks AND IM BLACK! one would think i would have been lynched by now let some of you guys tell it.
come and visit some of the sights and sounds of the midwest. STAY AWHILE! soke up the culture. Where else can you find communities like the Amish who do away with the hassles of urban life completely? Where else could you go and experience the authenic groove of house music and the culture that comes with it, definitley not in some swanky club with a line outside. Where else could you actually have a great conversation with a fellow human being outside of the rhetorical converstations caused by too much mtv? (well you can get that here too but you know what im saying).
oh, well if we're including a northern city, may as well include Philly and NY, you know? just sayin!
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