[Giesela]

I grew up and lived in south central Michigan most of my life and considered Michigan the Midwest.
Having lived in Nebraska a few years, I'm not so sure. I can' compare to Kansas, Missouri or whatever is hard core Midwest but the people in Nebraska were exceptionally polite and pleasant and looked out for neighbors without being at all intrusive. Without putting down the people in Michigan it was NOTICEABLY different. I loved it. I believe that comes from their middle of no where hard hard working farmer roots.
Michigan has a lot of additional influences, loggers and trappers in the north, appalachia in the auto industrialized south. It has much more blue collar attitude. Now I'd consider it more part of the northeast.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Giesela

I grew up and lived in south central Michigan most of my life and considered Michigan the Midwest.
Having lived in Nebraska a few years, I'm not so sure. I can' compare to Kansas, Missouri or whatever is hard core Midwest but the people in Nebraska were exceptionally polite and pleasant and looked out for neighbors without being at all intrusive. Without putting down the people in Michigan it was NOTICEABLY different. I loved it. I believe that comes from their middle of no where hard hard working farmer roots.
Michigan has a lot of additional influences, loggers and trappers in the north, appalachia in the auto industrialized south. It has much more blue collar attitude. Now I'd consider it more part of the northeast.

The Midwest itself can be grouped into many different regions.
Here is my grouping:

Upper Midwest- includes mostly northern Michigan, northern Wisconsin, northern and central Minnesota, and extends a little into North Dakota. The landscape in this part of the Midwest is mostly forested with many lakes. Duluth is the largest city in this region and was a large powerhouse due to its strategic location along the Great Lakes shipping routes via Superior. Duluth has now diversified its economy more toward healthcare, education, and tourism- but still retains its manufacturing roots and connection to the natural resources off to the northwest in the Iron Range.

Midwest Agricultural Core- This includes much of western Ohio, central and northern Indiana, central and northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, much of Iowa, southern Minnesota, northern Missouri, eastern Nebraska, and eastern Kansas. This is largely defined as the soybean and corn belt that is mostly all dryland agriculture with little irrigation used. CAFOs are becoming more common in this region as well as larger-scale industrialized agriculture packing plant operations. The largest city in this region is Chicago.

Lower Midwest- This includes southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and southern Missouri. This region typically has less large-scale agriculture due to the fact that the soils tend to be less favorable. Much of this area is forested with some cattle ranches and dairy farms mixed in. Crops are mostly grown in the river valley areas. The topography in the lower Midwest tends to be more rocky and hilly with much less in the way of flat land. The largest city in this region is Cincinnati.

Central Plains- This includes most of central Kansas, central Nebraska, and the central Dakotas. This region is the 2nd agricultural heartland behind the Midwest agricultural core. Soils tend to be good in this area, especially the further north you go. Cash crops include wheat, sorghum, milo, as well as corn. Much larger acreage ranches become more common as you start to move west in this region. Rainfall starts to noticeably decline the further west you go in this region. Topography is mostly level with some hilly terrain in portions of Nebraska. The largest city in this region is Wichita.

High Plains- This area includes most of western Kansas, western Nebraska, and the western Dakotas. The high plains also extend into areas of eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, and eastern Colorado. Rainfall is the lowest of any subregion of the Midwest. Widespread profligate water mining to irrigate crops made possible by subsidies is common. Corn is grown to feed cattle at the huge feedlot operations that dot the High Plains. Dryland farming and big cattle ranches are also part of the landscape. The largest city in this region is Bismarck.

The Industrial Midwest (Great Lakes)- This includes much of central and southern Michigan, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana, northern Ohio, and central Ohio. This area is the most dependent on manufacturing and is still in a struggle to diversify its economy as the wrath of globalization has caused havoc. Some cities in the region began to diversify sooner than others. This region has always played an important part in river trade via the Great Lakes shipping channels. The largest city in this region is Detroit.

[edsg25]

Here's what I found so strange about Michigan:

A few years back we drove up to Mackinac from home (Chgo). Through much of the northern end of the trip up the LP, we hugged the lakeshore. That scenery and the incredible beauty and history of Mackinac make it a fabulous tourist destination worthy of people from across the country seeing. It is not lakeshore; it is pure coast.

And yet the license plates told a surprising story: overwhelmingly Michigan. How can one explain the oddity of a major, A-1 tourist destination overloaded with in state license plates.

Only one answer: issolation.

Michigan is set apart. And while the highly populated south end of the LP is no much off the beaten path, the rest of the LP and all the UP are. It's not on the way to anywhere.

The shame, of course, is that the beauty of Michigan is such that it shouldn't have to suffer from issolation (any more than Hawaii doesn't). Considering what you folks in the Great Lakes state have, you should by all rights be one of the leading tourist states in the nation.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by edsg25

Here's what I found so strange about Michigan:

A few years back we drove up to Mackinac from home (Chgo). Through much of the northern end of the trip up the LP, we hugged the lakeshore. That scenery and the incredible beauty and history of Mackinac make it a fabulous tourist destination worthy of people from across the country seeing. It is not lakeshore; it is pure coast.

And yet the license plates told a surprising story: overwhelmingly Michigan. How can one explain the oddity of a major, A-1 tourist destination overloaded with in state license plates.

Only one answer: issolation.

Michigan is set apart. And while the highly populated south end of the LP is no much off the beaten path, the rest of the LP and all the UP are. It's not on the way to anywhere.

The shame, of course, is that the beauty of Michigan is such that it shouldn't have to suffer from issolation (any more than Hawaii doesn't). Considering what you folks in the Great Lakes state have, you should by all rights be one of the leading tourist states in the nation.

That is one thing that I have noticed just from the shape of Michigan. From what I have been hearing, Michigan's peninsular geographical position creates such an isolation. No one goes through Michigan, you go to it.

[uggabugga]

'poor for farming'? lol.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

That is one thing that I have noticed just from the shape of Michigan. From what I have been hearing, Michigan's peninsular geographical position creates such an isolation. No one goes through Michigan, you go to it.

I'd say you could group the northern portions of the LP, all of the UP, and much of northeastern WI as being off that beaten path.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by edsg25

I'd say you could group the northern portions of the LP, all of the UP, and much of northeastern WI as being off that beaten path.

Anything north of Bay City and Houghton Lake is off the beaten path as well as north of Wausau.

[YAZ]

Want a nice drive?

Take Old U.S. 23 up or down Lake Huron.

An even better one?

Da U.P......Lake Shore Drive to Paradise.

I think you have to get on MI 123 to get there. It's been a while for me, sorry.

[michigan83]

The Industrial Midwest (Great Lakes)- This includes much of central and southern Michigan, northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana, northern Ohio, and central Ohio. This area is the most dependent on manufacturing and is still in a struggle to diversify its economy as the wrath of globalization has caused havoc. Some cities in the region began to diversify sooner than others. This region has always played an important part in river trade via the Great Lakes shipping channels. The largest city in this region is Detroit.

Everyone always seems to leave out agriculture when describing this region.

The southern half of Michigan has a very strong dairy presence, quite a bit of corn and soybean acreage, as well as some industrial chicken and hog farms. It's not Illinois or Iowa, but there is still quite a bit of farming in the "rust belt".

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by michigan83

Everyone always seems to leave out agriculture when describing this region.

The southern half of Michigan has a very strong dairy presence, quite a bit of corn and soybean acreage, as well as some industrial chicken and hog farms. It's not Illinois or Iowa, but there is still quite a bit of farming in the "rust belt".

Actually, Michigan is second in agricultural diversity for the US in crops grown commercially. When it comes to individual crops there are several we are the #1 grower in the US and plenty more where we are #2 or #3 in the Country. There is a LOT more agricultural production in Michigan than most native Michiganders realize.