Where in Missouri does the South begin? (Cape Girardeau, Sikeston: live, transit)

[NaturalARMO]

Although Missouri is a Midwestern state, the extreme southeastern section is part of the South. Where exactly does the South begin in MO?

Most people said that Route 60 is where it begins. Many have different opinions.

For me, I think the South begins around Benton, MO a few miles south of Cape Girardeau/Scott City and north of Sikeston/Route 60.

Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Perryville all have southern influences but they are still more Midwestern. Ste. Genevieve is Midwestern.

Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and the Missouri Bootheel are southern so that's why I put it at Benton, MO.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by NaturalARMO

Although Missouri is a Midwestern state, the extreme southeastern section is part of the South. Where exactly does the South begin in MO?

Most people said that Route 60 is where it begins. Many have different opinions.

For me, I think the South begins around Benton, MO a few miles south of Cape Girardeau/Scott City and north of Sikeston/Route 60.

Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Perryville all have southern influences but they are still more Midwestern. Ste. Genevieve is Midwestern.

Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and the Missouri Bootheel are southern so that's why I put it at Benton, MO.

We've kicked this around before. I suggested, and others agreed, that the line does indeed lie in those 30 miles between Cape and Sikeston.

[kc chris]

Maybe it's because Bentonville/Rogers is right over the border but the southwestern part of the state doesn't seem very "southern" to me. I haven't spent a lot of time in the local establishments though, I guess next time I'll ask for tea and see if they bring me unsweetened or not.

I don't think it's a straight line across the state, I think it's just an extreme south/southeastern region which would be truly the South.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by NaturalARMO

Although Missouri is a Midwestern state, the extreme southeastern section is part of the South. Where exactly does the South begin in MO?

Most people said that Route 60 is where it begins. Many have different opinions.

For me, I think the South begins around Benton, MO a few miles south of Cape Girardeau/Scott City and north of Sikeston/Route 60.

Cape Girardeau, Jackson, and Perryville all have southern influences but they are still more Midwestern. Ste. Genevieve is Midwestern.

Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and the Missouri Bootheel are southern so that's why I put it at Benton, MO.

Jackson is more southern than midwestern, but Cape Girardeau is the opposite. Perryville has virtually no southern influence what so ever. I grew up 10 miles north of Cape and consider myself southern, but it varies from village to village. I can tell you that where I'm from is about as far north as the south could possibly go in Southeast Missouri, and even then you can certainly debate it one way or another.

Benton is a good line unless you want to start carving up counties like a pumpkin. I think Missouri Highway 72 could be considered a pretty good line as well.

Oh boy, I can't wait until our historical revisionist shows up for this one.

[BioMechanical]

Originally Posted by MUTGR

We've kicked this around before. I suggested, and others agreed, that the line does indeed lie in those 30 miles between Cape and Sikeston.

My family is from a small town called Ellington, and it's about on this line. They seem pretty southern to me there, and I lived in Georgia and Northern Florida before so I'm pretty used to Southerners.

[Dawn10am]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...nsitional.html

The map in the first post on that thread is the best I've ever seen. I think the author has the Southern influences going a little too far north into the state, but besides that it's spot-on.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...nsitional.html

The map in the first post on that thread is the best I've ever seen. I think the author has the Southern influences going a little too far north into the state, but besides that it's spot-on.

The author is off his rocker, but after the 20th try or so I agree he got pretty close with the southern line.

I only did this for Southeast Missouri because it is the only area I am claiming to have any expertise with. The Black line is where I consider the north/south line to be, although it isn't absolute. The Yellow line is where I define the Missouri bootheel to begin.

[Dawn10am]

I agree, the South ends somewhere around Cape Girardeau but it's a little bit hard to pinpoint it exactly. Basically it's one of those "you know it when you see it" kinds of things.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

I agree, the South ends somewhere around Cape Girardeau but it's a little bit hard to pinpoint it exactly. Basically it's one of those "you know it when you see it" kinds of things.

Yep. The historical German immigration really begins to show itself once you get to Benton. There are several majority German small towns with large Catholic churches in northern Scott County (All of which are quite magnificent, especially the one at Oran). It isn't very cut and dry though. Much of western Cape Girardeau County isn't really midwestern at all, even though it is at the same latitude as Cape or even farther north. Also, there isn't a single rural Catholic Church in all of Cape Girardeau County. Just another reason why I love where I grew up and why I love this state.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by kc chris

Maybe it's because Bentonville/Rogers is right over the border but the southwestern part of the state doesn't seem very "southern" to me. I haven't spent a lot of time in the local establishments though, I guess next time I'll ask for tea and see if they bring me unsweetened or not.

I don't think it's a straight line across the state, I think it's just an extreme south/southeastern region which would be truly the South.

I am curious what part of southwest Missouri you visited, and if you have ever been to the Branson area? I consider this area to be more "southern" than Bentonville or Rogers. Also to answer your question about sweet tea, you can get it in any part of southwest Missouri I have been in....including springfield.