Is Kentucky the south or the midwest? (Louisville, Covington: spring break, neighborhoods)

[montanamom]

I took a trip to Kentucky two years ago. I didn't find it Southern or Midwestern. I found it "Appalachian-ey". Does that make sense? It's more like West Virginia, or possibly Tennessee, than any of these states down here in the "real" south. I know people will take issue with this, but that was my impression about the overall feel of Kentucky. I didn't like it at all.

[JefferyT]

Appalachian-ey is an OK description. KY has those appalachian-style landscapes of ridges and hollows in the central and western part of the state as well as in "the mountains". For example, Jersualem Ridge, the Bill Monroe instrumental, is named after a ridge near Rosine, south of Owensboro. You can even find "baby Appalachia" starting in suburban Louisville in that Knobs country...

[JefferyT]

Missouri is an interesting case.

How Midwestern is it really? I mean, the Ozarks or the Bootheel....

Then there's Little Dixie...which was settled by Kentuckians and Tennesseans....and heres a good wiki on Little Dixie.

[CraigCreek]

Montana Mom: You live in Western North Carolina, yet find Kentucky "Appalachian-ey", and "didn't like it at all".

Umm, if Kentucky is too "Appalachian-ey" for you, then what on earth do you make of Western North Carolina? Is that very lovely part of the world "real south", rather than "Appalachian-ey" in your estimation?

The highest peaks in the eastern United States are located in Western North Carolina, which is also noted for traditional music and dance, crafts, Scots-Irish heritage, traditional stories and folklore straight from the British Isles...all classic Appalachian qualities. Log cabins. Coverlets. Cornbread. Other corn products. All Appalachian...rather than deep South, unless you refer to the Ozarks, which share most of this heritage.

For that matter, quintessential mountain man/explorer/pioneer Daniel Boone lived in both Western North Carolina and various parts of Kentucky (and in a number of other places).

So maybe you don't think of Western North Carolina as "Appalachian-ey", or maybe you just live there for now but don't like it, either?? Help me out here - I'm confused by the apparent contradictions in your post and your present location.

(For the record, my Scots-Irish and previously Pennsyvania Dutch ancestors lived in Buncombe County, NC long ago, and my g-g-g-grandfather owned what's now the Biltmore Estate lands - and Mount Pisgah - as part of a Revolutionary War grant. I know my mountains. And yes, Kentucky is southern, and parts of it are Appalachian. Southern Appalachian, that is)

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by CraigCreek

Montana Mom: You live in Western North Carolina, yet find Kentucky "Appalachian-ey", and "didn't like it at all".

Umm, if Kentucky is too "Appalachian-ey" for you, then what on earth do you make of Western North Carolina? Is that very lovely part of the world "real south", rather than "Appalachian-ey" in your estimation?

Asheville's Mayor
Asheville North Carolina

Pikeville's Mayor
eclink Pikeville mayor

Nuff said...

[mdawg]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Asheville's Mayor
Asheville North Carolina

Pikeville's Mayor
eclink Pikeville mayor

Nuff said...

You're comparing a city of 73,000 and a metro of over 400,000 to one with barely 6,000. Plus if you want to get into the whole black mayor thing again, take a look at all the black KY mayors... Notable Kentucky African Americans - Nuff said.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by JefferyT

...old styx has been going on for years now (on different forums and under different handles) on how Midwestern Louisville is. Pay him no mind.

Really? I don't think so. Louisville is a blend of South and Midwest. So is much of KY. It is not a bad thing. You don't see threads asking if Georgia or Tennessee is southern or not. The fact that you see threads like this proves it is not 100% southern. Now preparing for the LouisvilleSlugger maps and tirade ...

I do feel northern KY suburbs around Cincy are pretty Midwestern. Also, at least a good half of Louisville is Midwestern. Most places inside I-264 and also some parts of the east end are somewhat Midwestern, but also a mix of "dirty south" and middle america. Parts of Louisville are decidedly southern, even more so than parts of Atlanta or even Nashville when I lived briefly in those towns. So, by that count, we could say that less than 25% of KY has some pretty Midwest characteristics, so that makes it a fairly southern or perhaps middle american state. I also agree with the above poster that a good portion of the state feels more like Appalachain Southern, which is much different than the rest of the south.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by mdawg

You're comparing a city of 73,000 and a metro of over 400,000 to one with barely 6,000. Plus if you want to get into the whole black mayor thing again, take a look at all the black KY mayors... Notable Kentucky African Americans - Nuff said.

Um, my post had nothing to do with race.

Boone's Mayor
Town of Boone, NC: Mayor & Town Council

Prestonsburg's Mayor
Prestonsburg Convention and Visitors Bureau

Originally Posted by stx12499

Really? I don't think so. Louisville is a blend of South and Midwest. So is much of KY. It is not a bad thing. You don't see threads asking if Georgia or Tennessee is southern or not. The fact that you see threads like this proves it is not 100% southern. Now preparing for the LouisvilleSlugger maps and tirade ...

I do feel northern KY suburbs around Cincy are pretty Midwestern. Also, at least a good half of Louisville is Midwestern. Most places inside I-264 and also some parts of the east end are somewhat Midwestern, but also a mix of "dirty south" and middle america. Parts of Louisville are decidedly southern, even more so than parts of Atlanta or even Nashville when I lived briefly in those towns. So, by that count, we could say that less than 25% of KY has some pretty Midwest characteristics, so that makes it a fairly southern or perhaps middle american state. I also agree with the above poster that a good portion of the state feels more like Appalachain Southern, which is much different than the rest of the south.

EXACTLY!!! Now, my question is why do so many folks on this forum "front" like KY is more "southern" than what it is?

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by stx12499

Really? I don't think so. Louisville is a blend of South and Midwest. So is much of KY. It is not a bad thing. You don't see threads asking if Georgia or Tennessee is southern or not. The fact that you see threads like this proves it is not 100% southern. Now preparing for the LouisvilleSlugger maps and tirade ...

I do feel northern KY suburbs around Cincy are pretty Midwestern. Also, at least a good half of Louisville is Midwestern. Most places inside I-264 and also some parts of the east end are somewhat Midwestern, but also a mix of "dirty south" and middle america. Parts of Louisville are decidedly southern, even more so than parts of Atlanta or even Nashville when I lived briefly in those towns. So, by that count, we could say that less than 25% of KY has some pretty Midwest characteristics, so that makes it a fairly southern or perhaps middle american state. I also agree with the above poster that a good portion of the state feels more like Appalachain Southern, which is much different than the rest of the south.

What is the difference between Midwest and middle american?

[pappy van winkle]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Um, my post had nothing to do with race.

Boone's Mayor
Town of Boone, NC: Mayor & Town Council

Prestonsburg's Mayor
Prestonsburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
EXACTLY!!! Now, my question is why do so many folks on this forum "front" like KY is more "southern" than what it is?

I love that you continually try to argue that Kentucky is not Southern because its not "progressive". Or at least that's what you seem to be implying. Hilarious.