Midwest? South? (Louisville, Union, Dixon: travel, hospital, college)

[MorganMRE]

What demographic would you consider Kentucky apart of? Midwest or South?

[Paddington]

Kentucky is distinctly South, IMO. The newspapers in Cincinatti routinely report on how things are quite different just over the river.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by Paddington

Kentucky is distinctly South, IMO. The newspapers in Cincinatti routinely report on how things are quite different just over the river.

I sort of disagree. Cincinnat's NKY suburbs are distinctly Midwestern (the city of Cincy is actually losing population to this area). Also, parts of the Louisville area, especially the east side, seems Midwestern. The rest of the state, yes, is very southern.

[MorganMRE]

Originally Posted by Paddington

Kentucky is distinctly South, IMO. The newspapers in Cincinatti routinely report on how things are quite different just over the river.

Eeek. I disagree. I lived in Cincinnati for almost 2 years and there is no difference between Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. People who were born and raised there will tell you differently because Kentuckians don't want to be associated with "buckeyes" and Cincinnatians don't want to be associated with "hicks." Truth is, it's just one giant spill over. Greater Cincinnati encompasses not only Ohio, but Kentucky and Indiana. Northern Kentucky is NOTHING like the rest of the state. Northern Kentucky is Kentucky's bastard child hahahaha.

The reason I toss this question up is because I'm from southern Kentucky [almost Tennessee]. So we have that southern influence from Tennessee and I always considered Kentucky the south. Then I moved to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and realized that the whole state really wasn't. Northern Kentucky has next to no southern culture. People were rude and abrasive. They made fun of my accent and I was asked to repeat things umpteen thousand times a week.

Then this past month I traveled Western Kentucky, and it really didn't seem southern to me, either because of the influence from Missouri. I wouldn't say it was like Northern Kentucky, but it wasn't what I was used to. Then Louisville is right across the river from Indiana - and I wouldn't consider Indiana southern, so I don't see why Louisville would be considered southern, either. hehehehe.

I was just curious as to what other people's perspectives were. I think "technically" Kentucky is a southern state because it's south of the Mason-Dixon line. But I wanted other people's takes on it as well

[blue62]

My part of Ky. is definitely south. I love all of Ky. I am origionally from Ohio. We have lived here for thirty years. I have been to a lot of States, but none as beautiful or friendly.

[Toria]

when I moved to Kentucky, I moved to the SOUTH !
'nuff said....

[Off Topic]

Kentucky is actually closer to Canada than Florida. Plus we fought for the Union during the Civil War.

In other words, we're in the South!

(Seriously, no one seems to know where to put us. Most of us consider ourselves southern.)

[MorganMRE]

Originally Posted by Off Topic

Kentucky is actually closer to Canada than Florida. Plus we fought for the Union during the Civil War.

In other words, we're in the South!

Kentucky was a border state during the Civil War...?

But the Civil War came right through my part of the area and the people in my area fought for the Confederacy. We have Civil War reenactments every year and people bring their Confederate flags and sit there and cry. They get all into it. So yeah, Kentucky as a whole didn't fight for one particular side.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by MorganMRE

Kentucky was a border state during the Civil War...?

But the Civil War came right through my part of the area and the people in my area fought for the Confederacy. We have Civil War reenactments every year and people bring their Confederate flags and sit there and cry. They get all into it. So yeah, Kentucky as a whole didn't fight for one particular side.

KY was NEVER part of the Confederacy. It actually became a Union stronghold and basis for attacks in the South. KY always remained in the Union, like MO. Now, KY did have a large percentage of residents who fouht for the Confederacy. Often, you would have a family where the older brother fought for the Union but the younger brother fought for the Confederacy. I can't imagine that!

Still, in the year 2007, I am not sure the Civil War means much anymore. South today means accent, food, way of life, and attitude. 95% of KY is most likely south. Parts of Louisville and NKY are confused as to what they are, and that is about right.

[Jzer21]

OK. I'm speaking as someone who has lived in the extremes of both the Midwest and the South. I was born and grew up in Northern Illinois. I moved to KY when I was 8 and lived there until I was 18. I went to college in Birmingham, AL and, upon graduation, moved to Nashville (where I now reside).

Kentucky is a split state. Its culture starts southern at the bottom, but as you move upwards, the climate, stores, restaurants, accents and attitudes all begin to turn Midwestern. Just from my personal observations, I feel that, as a whole, the state is shifting more towards a Midwestern feel (save the Eastern parts, which will probably never change). I was in Louisville for Derby this year and saw a few promotional flyers and such that touted Louisville for its "Southern Hospitality." This really made me laugh. "Who are they kidding?" I thought. It seemed to me that someone was trying to promote Louisville's image from 100 years ago. When I think Southern, I think of the real South (specifically Birmingham due to my personal experience) and trust me...Louisville is NOTHING like Birmingham. It's not even like Nashville for that matter. It really isn’t 100% one way or the other and why would anyone want it to be? I, for one, think a multicultural state is very cool.