Diffrences between North, Central, and South Misssissippi.

[jxndean]

Thanks for all of your replies! Most of you guys did pretty good with answering the question I guess. 2HHI did the best though. I do agree with 2HHI's post that the Gulf Coast is more liberal in their thinking than the rest of the state and more diverse, one of the main reasons why Im moving down there. Everyone else did good to. Well have a great day!

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by jxndean

Thanks for all of your replies! Most of you guys did pretty good with answering the question I guess. 2HHI did the best though. I do agree with 2HHI's post that the Gulf Coast is more liberal in their thinking than the rest of the state and more diverse, one of the main reasons why Im moving down there. Everyone else did good to. Well have a great day!

Yes but 2HHI seems like only a visitor (OK he lived in the Gulf for 2 years).

One point that you mentioned - Gulf Coast casinos. Note that Casino's are also in Tunica, in the northern half of the state.

I would add also, because it is the Gulf Coast, you would get more of an elderly retired population and the residents who serve tourism - which would mean it's neither more diverse nor liberal, maybe the opposite. The diverse/liberal category would more come with the size of the town - urban (some parts of the Gulf Coast indeed, as well as Jackson, near Memphis, etc) vs. rural, than geographic location. But who cares. Politics should not be a reason you move anywhere. If you like the beach or work in the service/tourism industry, move to the Gulf Coast. If you like seasonal weather, move to the north.

[ASU55RR]

North-Central-South doesn't really divide the state. I'm going to give a quick hit of in state regional stereotypes as I was told (these are broad generalizations so don't get offended. It's more the Delta, Hill country, pine belt, Natchez region, Jackson area, and coast.

The NW is the Delta, very impoverished and rural. Flat, humid, agricultural. Poor infrastructure, education, and health. Wonderful artistic heritage though. Vast majority are black and British white protestant, but especially in Greenville there is a fair local influence from Lebanese, Italian, Irish, and Jewish people. Older Deltans often have a somewhat "Gone With The Wind" like accent..

The NE is the hill country, lacks the large scale agriculture history of west Mississippi. Somewhat suprisingly wound up with 2 major universities despite at that time being a comparatively backward area. Today probably the most viable rural region with the most industrial economy and a popular escape for Memphians. Somewhat resembles East Tennessee in culture/accent.

The SW is Natchez area, this is somewhat like the Delta, but without the landscape to have ever boomed and busted the way the Delta did. So instead it resembles the old south more than anything. It is the most unchanged by time, poor small towns with small pockets of gentry (the mansions in Natchez). People have a very "country" accent.

The SE minus the Coast is Pine Belt, it's economy is based around primary resource production though not farming- timber, chicken coups, oil and gas. Fair amount of paper milling and chicken processing. Hattiesburg is largest city though in some ways is more a Gulf Coast city culturally because of USM and the students MSGC and NOLA. Most of the area is very typical Southern rural protestant. "Country" accent also. This area also has the largest Latin American immigrant population.

Jackson- In addition to being the largest city and capitol, it is located where the rural culture zones intersect. The area is sort of diverse- it has a small numbers of just about every ethnic and religious group (though overwhelmingly bible-belt). Fondren is the states most progressive neighborhood anchored by Millsaps and UMC. Overall is a fairly cookie cutter American city, more people live around Jackson than in it, and the stores and restaurants are the same as in other similar cities. A large number of Jacksonians aren't from Jackson, but moved there after college/HS so no real local historic culture.

Gulf Coast- Largely defined by water based industries (shipping, shipbuilding, seafood, and beachfront casinos). Has a cultural heritage more like Southern Louisiana than the rest of Mississippi as French names and Catholicism are found in large amounds (also Mardi Gras, cafe au lait...). Many older Coastians even have a tough to categorize accent (not Cajun, not Southern, and not Yat- somewhere inbetween). Area has other local quirks- French dressing on Pizza immediately comes to mind. Most diverse and laid back area, the Vietnamese community in particular has a noticible influence (especially Bahn Mi's, which is a Po'boy like sandwich for those not familiar).

[Tama]

You will find individuals who are of the liberal persuasion, assuming you mean voting democratic, favoring abortion rights, and supporting more government programs to provide social benefits, all over Ms but grouped more in university towns and the coastal regions. However, in Mississippi there is not a "liberal area"--coast or no coast--it doesn't exist--not even "more liberal" would work. More accurately, I suspect, one could say "an area with some liberal thought expressed on occasion."

[nancy thereader]

Dad was a Rabbit and I don't Lurk!!

I had thought that was a misprint for "rabbi" , but it really was rabbit????

[jacksonian]

Originally Posted by ASU55RR

North-Central-South doesn't really divide the state. I'm going to give a quick hit of in state regional stereotypes as I was told (these are broad generalizations so don't get offended. It's more the Delta, Hill country, pine belt, Natchez region, Jackson area, and coast.

The NW is the Delta, very impoverished and rural. Flat, humid, agricultural. Poor infrastructure, education, and health. Wonderful artistic heritage though. Vast majority are black and British white protestant, but especially in Greenville there is a fair local influence from Lebanese, Italian, Irish, and Jewish people. Older Deltans often have a somewhat "Gone With The Wind" like accent..

The NE is the hill country, lacks the large scale agriculture history of west Mississippi. Somewhat suprisingly wound up with 2 major universities despite at that time being a comparatively backward area. Today probably the most viable rural region with the most industrial economy and a popular escape for Memphians. Somewhat resembles East Tennessee in culture/accent.

The SW is Natchez area, this is somewhat like the Delta, but without the landscape to have ever boomed and busted the way the Delta did. So instead it resembles the old south more than anything. It is the most unchanged by time, poor small towns with small pockets of gentry (the mansions in Natchez). People have a very "country" accent.

The SE minus the Coast is Pine Belt, it's economy is based around primary resource production though not farming- timber, chicken coups, oil and gas. Fair amount of paper milling and chicken processing. Hattiesburg is largest city though in some ways is more a Gulf Coast city culturally because of USM and the students MSGC and NOLA. Most of the area is very typical Southern rural protestant. "Country" accent also. This area also has the largest Latin American immigrant population.

Jackson- In addition to being the largest city and capitol, it is located where the rural culture zones intersect. The area is sort of diverse- it has a small numbers of just about every ethnic and religious group (though overwhelmingly bible-belt). Fondren is the states most progressive neighborhood anchored by Millsaps and UMC. Overall is a fairly cookie cutter American city, more people live around Jackson than in it, and the stores and restaurants are the same as in other similar cities. A large number of Jacksonians aren't from Jackson, but moved there after college/HS so no real local historic culture.

Gulf Coast- Largely defined by water based industries (shipping, shipbuilding, seafood, and beachfront casinos). Has a cultural heritage more like Southern Louisiana than the rest of Mississippi as French names and Catholicism are found in large amounds (also Mardi Gras, cafe au lait...). Many older Coastians even have a tough to categorize accent (not Cajun, not Southern, and not Yat- somewhere inbetween). Area has other local quirks- French dressing on Pizza immediately comes to mind. Most diverse and laid back area, the Vietnamese community in particular has a noticible influence (especially Bahn Mi's, which is a Po'boy like sandwich for those not familiar).

That's a pretty good attempt. A few (possible) minor errors about Jackson though:
1. Jackson proper is not so much cookie cutter, but the suburbs definitely are. Nevertheless, there are more houses in Jackson than the suburbs.
2. Depending on how far your area reaches, more people actually live in Jackson than in the suburbs towns. If you add in the county residents, then there may be more living outside of Jackson, but again, depends on how far the area reaches out.
3. There is quite a bit of historic culture in Jackson, with regard to musicians, civil rights, civil war, authors, and more.

[bornjacksonian]

The northern part of the state seek Memphis as their major city survivor. The central part of the state surrounds it self around Jackson and our city is trying to continue to add more to it's nightlife. The southern part of the state is based on a "french/spanish" culture especially on the gulf coast. One thing you can gain from Jackson is our city is trying to add both the Memphis and New Orleans feel within it.

[MSvirgo]

I live in Jackson but my family and I are from McComb. McComb is 15 mins from the Louisiana border and 90 mins from New Orleans, so I think that this area has been slightly effected by Louisiana's culture. Many people have migrated to this area from Louisiana, including my family (my great grandparents were from the Westbank). I know that when many people move away, instead of moving to Jackson, they would go to Baton Rouge or New Orleans. After living there for a while, they would return to McComb and bring with them some of the customs from those areas, especially food and music. For example, it was nothing for us to eat red beans and rice every Monday. There was plenty of gumbo, etouffee and souse (hog's head cheese) around. Also, many of the tv and radio stations that air in McComb comes out Baton Rouge or Bogalousa. In the rural areas, with satellite, you would get everything from New Orleans. I watched many Saints games as a kid at my aunt's house. It is also not unusual to hear a New Orleans accent every so often in McComb. There may not be a lot of Catholic churches in McComb and Mardi Gras may not be celebrated there, but other influences from Louisiana are there.