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The climate of the bootheel is similar to Tennessee climate and isn't Tennessee and Arkansas the Upper South?
Technically yes, but as I said those areas such as Northeast AR, Western TN and the Missouri bootheel are usually called the Mid South. Mid South seems to be a more regionally used name though by people in that region while most of us just use the term deep south and upper south. However those areas of TN, MO, AR are more aligned with the deep south and the MS delta.
Another term you don't see anymore, but did up until about 50 years ago was the "border south". Looking at old news stories and such I've seen Missouri called border south states a number of times and not the term Midwestern as much as you do today. I hardly ever see the term border south used in the newspapers anymore to describe the border states of MO, KY, MD, WV, OK, DE. I guess different generation now since back then the civil war only happened 100 years earlier.
I say take it to the voters and let the people decide. Put it on a ballot and the voter has to decide if Kentucky is in the Midwest or the South. What ever the majority votes will be the region that Kentucky is officially apart of and recognized as such by the federal government.
The climate of the bootheel is similar to Tennessee climate and isn't Tennessee and Arkansas the Upper South?
Here is an map of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. As you can see it extends up into SE Missouri. My Dad grew up on a farm outside of Dyersburg TN and we have extended family in the bootheel over to Jonesboro Ark, so I am very familiar with the people here. Many view the Delta as the most culturally southern region in the US, in a way it is it's own sub region. Sikeston MO south is what I consider the beginning of the true bootheel, you may as well be in the Northern Mississippi, the two are indistinguishable from each other. I am inclined to include the Jackson Purchase of KY into this area also.
Here is an map of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. As you can see it extends up into SE Missouri. My Dad grew up on a farm outside of Dyersburg TN and we have extended family in the bootheel over to Jonesboro Ark, so I am very familiar with the people here. Many view the Delta as the most culturally southern region in the US, in a way it is it's own sub region. Sikeston MO south is what I consider the beginning of the true bootheel, you may as well be in the Northern Mississippi, the two are indistinguishable from each other. I am inclined to include the Jackson Purchase of KY into this area also.
Yes, many consider Memphis the capital city of the Delta. Culturally, Beale Street is definitely the home of the Delta Blues. From a business point of view you have the Memphis Cotton Exchange.
Yes, many consider Memphis the capital city of the Delta. Culturally, Beale Street is definitely the home of the Delta Blues. From a business point of view you have the Memphis Cotton Exchange.
I didn't know enough about Memphis but I definitely always considered Tennessee an Upper South state or Mid South. Is the bootheel and Memphis part of the Black Belt?
I didn't know enough about Memphis but I definitely always considered Tennessee an Upper South state or Mid South. Is the bootheel and Memphis part of the Black Belt?
Memphis most definitely is, The bootheel is right on the edge, it has a much higher percentage of African Americans than any other rural Missouri counties. I believe the bootheel is about 25% black.
Here is an map of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. As you can see it extends up into SE Missouri. My Dad grew up on a farm outside of Dyersburg TN and we have extended family in the bootheel over to Jonesboro Ark, so I am very familiar with the people here. Many view the Delta as the most culturally southern region in the US, in a way it is it's own sub region. Sikeston MO south is what I consider the beginning of the true bootheel, you may as well be in the Northern Mississippi, the two are indistinguishable from each other. I am inclined to include the Jackson Purchase of KY into this area also.
I've always considered the Bootheel the three counties Dunklin, Pemiscott, and New Madrid the three bootheel counties but I guess you can throw Mississippi county in there too. Odd thing is actually southwestern Missouri is the warmest area of the state in some areas. The Bootheel has warmer average winter low temps, while SW MO has warmer average high temps in some areas but colder low temps.
Oh and another thing debated on here is how far north are alligators found in the Delta? I have heard about gators in the summer months being sighted in far southeastern Missouri around the bootheel at times and their native range some say is up to Cairo, IL and here on City data people say gators can be seen in the Ohio River in the western parts sometimes. Do you think that's true? I know there are a few gators near Memphis, TN and a large gator was found dead near Jonesboro, AR not too far from the Missouri state line a few years back and some maps show gators being found pretty far north in northeastern AR.
Gators are hardy animals and can take colder temps so I could see them making it up to the Bootheel since they don't get as many freezes. I'm sure at one time they might been native that far north but I doubt in large numbers.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I took a few college classes on the geography of Kentucky and it was always stated that the Jackson Purchase was the most Southern area. There are a variety a ways to measure this, one way it is more Southern than somewhere like Somerset is that is was very much part of the Dixiecrats' Solid South and was very supportive of the Confederacy. There are actually a handful of very Southern counties around Somerset that have been dominated by Republicans at the local level since the Civil War, when it was a die hard Union area. My mom is from that area and I had a cousin who ran for a county office as a Democrat and got obliterated because even back in 1990 it was GOP dominated. I've done a lot of genealogy and I'd say 90% of my ancestors in southern KY were Union even though it's otherwise culturally Southern.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MOforthewin
Oh and another thing debated on here is how far north are alligators found in the Delta? I have heard about gators in the summer months being sighted in far southeastern Missouri around the bootheel at times and their native range some say is up to Cairo, IL and here on City data people say gators can be seen in the Ohio River in the western parts sometimes. Do you think that's true? I know there are a few gators near Memphis, TN and a large gator was found dead near Jonesboro, AR not too far from the Missouri state line a few years back and some maps show gators being found pretty far north in northeastern AR.
Gators are hardy animals and can take colder temps so I could see them making it up to the Bootheel since they don't get as many freezes. I'm sure at one time they might been native that far north but I doubt in large numbers.
In the old days there was no locks and dams on the major rivers to block animals from moving up from the ocean. You could catch a Bull Shark in St Louis. There is a small population of wild alligators from pre dam days as far north as Memphis TN. Most range maps put the cutoff further south around Greenville MS.
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