Where do the Ozarks truly begin in Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis: camp, living)

[ajf131]

Where do the Ozarks really begin in Missouri? I've always thought these counties were the most accurate definition of them for both culture and geology, although I think the westernmost part of the Ozarks is in Springfield, around the top of the Missouri Ozark Plateau. The easternmost boundaries are clearly a good deal west of the Mississippi. Many people I've found confuse the Ozarks with the Missouri and Mississippi River bluffs. Here is the map which I think is the most accurate. This apparently is the official definition. Your thoughts?

Missouri Ozarks Regional Explorers

[Northwoods Voyager]

This topic was discussed many years ago when I first moved to Mid Missouri from St. Louis. Was told by the natives here that they thought the backyard, front door, and/or the footsteps, began in southern Gasconade county along with southern Maries county. Both of these counties exhibit the hills and curves that are indigenous to the Ozarks. That may be pushing it a little, but I have been in these counties and can see what they are referring to. but, then again, that is the opinion of the fine folk that have resided in those counties all of their lives.

[Ozark Nana]

Then I wonder why the call it "Lake of the Ozarks" if it isn't even IN the Ozarks?? Interesting information, thanks...

O.Nana

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by Ozark Nana

Then I wonder why the call it "Lake of the Ozarks" if it isn't even IN the Ozarks?? Interesting information, thanks...

O.Nana

Ummmm,,, because it is called "Lake of the Ozarks", not "Lake in the Ozarks". Silly Besides,,, ya really think that humans always name things properly?
Seriously - yes, the Lake of the Ozarks are indeed w/in the Ozarks, just at the upper northern region.

No disrespect to the link that ajf provided, but as mentioned w/in another thread, there are various definitions of exactly what the Ozarks are, where the boundaries are at, and even as to exactly how the region became. Geologists still debate its origin, and history.

There is the "core" Ozarks, which more closely resembles the map w/in that link. However, in a broader sense, the borders of the Ozarks actually goes into the SE tip of Kansas, the NE region of OK, the northern aspect of AR, and [and this gets touchy...] tickles into SW IL. Overall, there are four distinct regions w/in the Ozarks: the Salem Plateau, the Springfield Plateau, the Saint Francois Mountains, and the Boston Mountains - all but the latter are w/in Missouri proper.

Will write more and try not to bore yas w/ geology too badly , but gotta get for now...

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

Ummmm,,, because it is called "Lake of the Ozarks", not "Lake in the Ozarks". Silly Besides,,, ya really think that humans always name things properly?
Seriously - yes, the Lake of the Ozarks are indeed w/in the Ozarks, just at the upper northern region.

No disrespect to the link that ajf provided, but as mentioned w/in another thread, there are various definitions of exactly what the Ozarks are, where the boundaries are at, and even as to exactly how the region became. Geologists still debate its origin, and history.

There is the "core" Ozarks, which more closely resembles the map w/in that link. However, in a broader sense, the borders of the Ozarks actually goes into the SE tip of Kansas, the NE region of OK, the northern aspect of AR, and [and this gets touchy...] tickles into SW IL. Overall, there are four distinct regions w/in the Ozarks: the Salem Plateau, the Springfield Plateau, the Saint Francois Mountains, and the Boston Mountains - all but the latter are w/in Missouri proper.

Will write more and try not to bore yas w/ geology too badly , but gotta get for now...

I highly agree with the above statement. I would even go as far as saying that the southwest St. Louis County area would fall into the Ozarks.
ShadowCaver, would you back me up on that one?

[Northwoods Voyager]

MoNative34: Until ShadowCaver responds, let me say that yes, I agree with your statement. Having lived in St. Louis most of my life and traveled the old Route 66, now I-44, it was quite obvious of the relationship to the Ozarks, Especially driving through Pacific, Mo on '66'. Also when you leave the area of 270/44 heading west, the topography again shows what many consider the beginnings of the Ozark Mountain region.

Such a beautiful area, esp. in the fall, when the colours begin to change.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

I highly agree with the above statement. I would even go as far as saying that the southwest St. Louis County area would fall into the Ozarks.
ShadowCaver, would you back me up on that one?

Southwest St. Louis County is absolutely not a part of the Ozarks, that is really pushing the limits beyound where they belong. THere is zero Ozark culture in any of St. Louis County. THose so-called hills that you see in Southwest St. Louis County are the Mississippi and Missouri River bluffs, not the Ozarks. St. Louis and ST. Louis County are all 100% Midwestern. The Ozarks are south of St. Louis and don't encompass any of mid-Missouri, maybe the very southernmost parts of it...they begin below it. St. Louis County is not a part of the Ozarks at all. Zero. zilch.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by Northwoods Voyager

MoNative34: Until ShadowCaver responds, let me say that yes, I agree with your statement. Having lived in St. Louis most of my life and traveled the old Route 66, now I-44, it was quite obvious of the relationship to the Ozarks, Especially driving through Pacific, Mo on '66'. Also when you leave the area of 270/44 heading west, the topography again shows what many consider the beginnings of the Ozark Mountain region.

Such a beautiful area, esp. in the fall, when the colours begin to change.

Once again, those are the Mississippi and Missouri river bluffs, not the Ozark Mountains that you are seeing. The Alton river bluffs in illinois remind me a lot of the bluffs in the Southern areas of St. Louis. THey may seem mountainous but they are river bluffs for certain. I-55 has the Mississippi River bluffs, I-44 in St. Louis has the Mississippi/Missouri river bluffs together. Once complete southwest of St. Louis, around Rolla is where I begin to see the first beginnings of the Ozark foothills...little farmland, and MANY hills. The topography does not resemble anything you see in ST. Louis to me. St. Louis is situated between the Missouri and Mississippi river bluffs, so again, as proves my point here, people often confuse the Ozarks with the river bluffs. I see nothing Ozark in culture or attitude about these areas at all. Trying to say St. Louis is Ozark is pushing the term Ozark to a great degree. Having lived here all my life as well, I am 100% convinced that none of St. Louis is in the Ozarks, and every map I can find agrees with me. Even Sullivan, Missouri is not quite in the Ozarks. I never even saw any Ozark billboards indicating some Ozark type place until around Rolla. The Ozark foothills around Rolla look much different than at St. Louis in every sense. St. Louis and St. Louis County are 100% not a part of the Ozarks. St. Louis is NOT Southern at all. I can see it all happening now...soon everybody will be saying put all of Northern Missouri in the South including St. Louis and Kansas City...this is ridiculous, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE SOUTH AT ALL! Any of St. Louis being a part of the Ozarks is the biggest lie I've ever heard. I also think that the Missouri Ozarks are unique both in culture and their views...they remind me a lot of Appalachia in the Eastern parts of Ohio and in West Virginia, a jumble of Southern/Midwestern. The Ozarks in Arkansas are completely different from in Missouri. THat much I know from my experience at a place called Camp Sabra, where we drove south to arkansas...the ozarks are like a completely different region down there. I am 100% convinced tHey do not extend as far north as St. Louis though...they are clearly south of there. There is nothing Ozark about St. Louis. St. Louis is a solidly Midwestern city, any inclination of Ozark or Southern culture here is absurd and untrue. The large river bluffs cause many to think they're entering the Ozark region in St. Louis...in fact, you enter a lot of flat-looking Midwestern farmland further down I-44 for a good distance before you get to Rolla, around which point these very big rolling hills with very rough terrain and lots of pasteurland that characterizes the Ozarks around Rolla. This really only lasts on I-44 for less than 50 miles...then you get to Southwest missouri..while it may have Ozark culture to it, except for Springfield, it does not geologically appear to look like the stereotypical Ozarks, although there is no question Springfield has Ozark culture. Then in southeast missouri I've noticed is like the Upper South...the Ozarks if anything have the more in common with Appalachia than the South. Southeast Missouri's culture and speech patterns are noticeably different from those of the Ozarks. Once in this region, the further south you go, the more southern influences and speech patterns appear.

[MoNative34]

Well Northwoods... I guess we stand corrected from the gentleman that asked in the first place.... I'm so sorry ajf131 that my take was "the biggest lie you ever heard"

[ajf131]

Here is a map I may have just found that could confirm the very southernmost areas of St. Louis are the very tips of the Ozark Mountains..even if that is the case with geography, strong Ozark culture begins to emerge around Rolla, and it appears also from many sources I've read that the Ozarks are considered both Midwestern and Southern..I personally myself have met many Midwesterners and Southerners claiming heritage to both parts of the regions. So it appears the Ozarks are a melting pot of attitudes and culture. It is listed in both Midwestern and Southern living magazines as being a great attraction. If the Missouri and mississippi river bluffs are considered part of the Salem Plateau however, that surprises me, because driving along I-44 there appeared to be a clearly noticeable gap between the foothills in Rolla and the bluffs of the Missouri and Mississippi in St. Louis...apparently somebody decided to just take this whole area and lump it together as the Salem plateau. I would say that the Southern and true to the note Ozarkian culture exists in the Saint Francois Mountains, the Springfield Plateau, the southern half of the Salem Plateau, and the rest of the Springfield plateau, and it becomes more Southern the further south you go. My memory of driving through Branson into Arkansas was that around this area, it felt I was truly entering the areas where the ozarks were truly part of the south. The Missouri Ozarks appear to have both Southern and Midwestern characteristics, while the Arkansas Ozarks appear to be strictly Southern and Southern alone. Many other maps dismiss the areas north of Rolla altogether. Either way, every map I've seen excludes St. Louis and St. Louis County from the Ozark region. True Ozark culture is a good distance south and southwest of here though.