The culture of S/W MIssouri? (Gasconade, Leonard: move, beach, automobile)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

The Bootheel is dominated by southern culture.
Not the entire section of SE MO.

The climate seems quite southern to me, though.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by Zach.USCG

I can't speak for s/w MO but southeast Missouri is dominated by southern culture.
-I grew up in the bootheel (Bernie,MO)

The bootheel is southern. Places in Southeastern Missouri like Perryville are far from being southern. The south goes up to Cape Girardeau and that's about it.

My dad spent part of his childhood choppin cotton near Bernie.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The climate seems quite southern to me, though.

Climate does not=culture.
If that were true, FL would be a banana republic.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

The bootheel is southern. Places in Southeastern Missouri like Perryville are far from being southern. The south goes up to Cape Girardeau and that's about it.

My dad spent part of his childhood choppin cotton near Bernie.

What a coinky-dink........so did my mama.

[Cali BassMan]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

What a coinky-dink........so did my mama.

Mine too......

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

Mine too......

You know, the thought just occurred to me is this.....there arent a whole lotta folks from SwampEast MO that post on here, a lot of folks certainly dont understand the culture.....maybe we should start a thread dedicated to it?
It is actually a whole culture that is slipping away, and should be documented before it it passes completely.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

You know, the thought just occurred to me is this.....there arent a whole lotta folks from SwampEast MO that post on here, a lot of folks certainly dont understand the culture.....maybe we should start a thread dedicated to it?
It is actually a whole culture that is slipping away, and should be documented before it it passes completely.

It is definitely a unique culture & a unique history. I think the main reason why is simply the fact that the bootheel swamps weren't drained for the most part until the early to mid 20th century. No other part of the nation can claim that as far as I'm aware. Major cotton production didn't begin until the 20th century as well and the bootheel began growing a huge amount of cotton due to the boll weevil. It's always fascinated me how the bootheel stayed so southern culturally despite the fact that the state that it is located in has been considered part of the midwest since the end of the civil war, almost 150 years ago.

I guess there are three regular posters who have ties to the bootheel still. You and Bassman have stronger connections than I do however since pretty much all of my family has relocated to the far northern edge of the bootheel.

I think that the culture there will outlive much other unique cultures in the nation simply because of the poor economy and lack of opportunity in the area. I love the bootheel but there is little chance other than Noranda and AECI of getting a decent job as an engineer in the area.

[Cali BassMan]

Youins go right ahead......
Unfortunatley the area I remember as a kid is gone. I remember the farm fields surrounded by woods. And several small rolling hills, growing corn, soybean and other crops, but not flooded rice fields.
I always told my wife about all the old wooden bridges but they are covered over culverts now. So much has changed....

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

Youins go right ahead......
Unfortunatley the area I remember as a kid is gone. I remember the farm fields surrounded by woods. And several small rolling hills, growing corn, soybean and other crops, but not flooded rice fields.
I always told my wife about all the old wooden bridges but they are covered over culverts now. So much has changed....

OMG, the wood bridges........
There was one on the way to Quilin, just up the road from where Pastor Wagster lived, and my Aunt Wanda and Uncle John.....I was totally convinced that thing was gonna fall down every time we drove over it.
It was right by the slough between Broseley and Quilin.

[Cali BassMan]

Seems like I remember a small one lane wood bridge between my grandpa's farm and the Wagster farm next door...( is it next door if they are 1/4 mile away?)