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I remember reading a dictionary definition of the North one time that defined it as the states north of the Mason-Dixon Line and Ohio River, and East of the Mississippi River. Personally, I would also add Delaware because it was a Middle Colony and its ties to Pennsylvania, the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, Northern Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa, and the eastern portions of Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas that. The western portions of those Great Plains states feel more Western to me. By the same token, I would add Far West Texas (the portion directly under New Mexico) to the West.
Back to your point, I don't think many in 'Northern' states, whether they are Midwestern or Northeastern, see themselves as northerners in the same way southerners identify as southerners. The South has by far the strongest sense of region that is heavily ingrained in most of its natives, and many of those that relocate there. From what I can tell, many in the Northeast hardly identify with being northern, but more by their city, state, or in the case of New England, New England.
Correct. I've never thought of myself as a "northerner" in the way people in the South do. I identify as Iowan first, Midwestern second, American third. Northern doesn't even really play into it, because I think "North" applies equally to Washington state, Minnesota, and Maine. And none of those places have much in common with each other.
I can’t speak for other midwestern states, but I actually don’t think there’s a very strong “midwestern” identity in Michigan, or a “northern” identity for that matter. Most people I know tend to identify at the state or even more local level instead. I would imagine the midwestern identity would be stronger in places like Iowa where they don’t have much else going on. In Michigan we have four of the five great lakes so it kind of feels detached from other states in that sense.
However when I’ve visited Florida as a kid my family would describe ourselves as being from “up North” (like the northern part of the US), but I wouldn’t say it’s a strong “identity.”
FWIW, as an Iowan I don't really think of Michigan as Midwestern either. Same with Ohio for that matter. I think the places close to the Great Lakes are a different beast from the prairie/plains portions of the Midwest, but understand why it all falls under the "Midwest" umbrella.
IMO Michigan has more in common with western Pennsylvania and western New York than Iowa or Nebraska.
FWIW, as an Iowan I don't really think of Michigan as Midwestern either. Same with Ohio for that matter. I think the places close to the Great Lakes are a different beast from the prairie/plains portions of the Midwest, but understand why it all falls under the "Midwest" umbrella.
IMO Michigan has more in common with western Pennsylvania and western New York than Iowa or Nebraska.
I consider most of the western halves of the Great Plains states to be more like the West than Midwest due to the dryness of the climate, more ranching than farming, and frontier level population densities of <=7 people per square mile per census bureau classification. Also, the "Great Plainsification" is pushing eastward as rural counties in Iowa even drop closer to that threshold due to large-scale farm consolidation.
The center of population in the Midwest for the region as a whole remains in north-central Illinois.
I consider most of the western halves of the Great Plains states to be more like the West than Midwest due to the dryness of the climate, more ranching than farming, and frontier level population densities of <=7 people per square mile per census bureau classification. Also, the "Great Plainsification" is pushing eastward as rural counties in Iowa even drop closer to that threshold due to large-scale farm consolidation.
The center of population in the Midwest for the region as a whole remains in north-central Illinois.
Most of Iowa (and western Minnesota) is more similar to Nebraska and the Dakotas than it is to points east.
The eastern halves of Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, the prairie portions of Minnesota, the western 2/3rds of Iowa, and NW Missouri are a very homogenous pocket of the Midwest.
Most of Iowa (and western Minnesota) is more similar to Nebraska and the Dakotas than it is to points east.
The eastern halves of Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, the prairie portions of Minnesota, the western 2/3rds of Iowa, and NW Missouri are a very homogenous pocket of the Midwest.
I wasn't indicating otherwise, just an interesting fact that the rural population densities of counties further to the east of the Missouri River is becoming more aligned with counties that are further west over time.
I've never met a Minnesotan who referred to themselves as a Northerner over Midwesterner. Although the "true North" thing has caught on a lot.
That's interesting. Being from Minnesota, I rarely heard the word "midwest" unless it was in a business's name. Even the Minnesota based documentaries refer to it as "the north" and not "the midwest".
That's interesting. Being from Minnesota, I rarely heard the word "midwest" unless it was in a business's name. Even the Minnesota based documentaries refer to it as "the north" and not "the midwest".
WCCO had an opening bumper to newscasts in the early 1980's that indicated they were the "Northwest's News Leader."
Most of Iowa (and western Minnesota) is more similar to Nebraska and the Dakotas than it is to points east.
The eastern halves of Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, the prairie portions of Minnesota, the western 2/3rds of Iowa, and NW Missouri are a very homogenous pocket of the Midwest.
I'm not sure if I agree with this. Western Minnesota has upper Midwestern accents, high Scandinavian ancestry, and a lake culture that doesn't really exist in Kansas.
I'm not sure if I agree with this. Western Minnesota has upper Midwestern accents, high Scandinavian ancestry, and a lake culture that doesn't really exist in Kansas.
Correct, Kansas has very little Scandinavian ancestry at all, other than some outliers such as Lindsborg in McPherson County and a few others.
Most of Iowa (and western Minnesota) is more similar to Nebraska and the Dakotas than it is to points east.
The eastern halves of Nebraska, Kansas, and the Dakotas, the prairie portions of Minnesota, the western 2/3rds of Iowa, and NW Missouri are a very homogenous pocket of the Midwest.
Disagree on references to "most" and "2/3rds" of Iowa . . . . being comparable to the Dakotas and big chunks of Nebraska and Kansas. No way, no how. Then, so is much of Illinois and Indiana.
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