Missouri...Southern or Midwestern? (St. Louis, Jefferson City: alligators, community, compare)

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

Or go up a hill near a small town in Scott County....

Nothing in Scott County seems midwestern to me.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

Nothing in Scott County seems midwestern to me.

I would say that the southern half of Cape County is more Southern than the northern half of Scott County. I wouldn't call New Hamburg & Kelso Southern with their huge Catholic churches and near 100% German ancestries. To me that region of Scott County feels more like Perry County.

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

I would say that the southern half of Cape County is more Southern than the northern half of Scott County. I wouldn't call New Hamburg & Kelso Southern with their huge Catholic churches and near 100% German ancestries. To me that region of Scott County feels more like Perry County.

Odd thing is a lot of the Germans in the Stl area are Lutheran. I thought that's why the Irish and Germans in Stl didn't get along during the 1850s when they came over.

Onto Sikeston, is there still a lot of wealthy people down there? I've read a lot of the farmers down there came from other nearby southern states because the land was dirt cheap like $.60 a acre after the civil war! I mean from being down there a few times those country guys don't look very rich driving their pickups.

[onegoalstl]

Maybe KSHE knows, but is it true Alligators native range used to include the bootheel? I've read in a few places their native range was all the way up to the far southern tip of IL around Cario, but I have read that in the summer months Alligators have been seen in the bootheel along the Mississippi, as well as down in Memphis too they are being spotted more.

A few years ago a large Alligator was found in Jonesboro, Arkansas which is just a few miles west of the Bootheel. So I doubt it swam up the Mississippi, but came up from the St. Francis river.

The southern bootheel's climate is pretty mild because it is such low elevation. Their low temps don't even drop down into the single digits much and Alligators are known to be hardy. In northern AL near TN alligators are being seen more, and it gets cold in the higher elevations there.

http://www.rfadventures.com/alligator.htm

[imperialmog]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

Maybe KSHE knows, but is it true Alligators native range used to include the bootheel? I've read in a few places their native range was all the way up to the far southern tip of IL around Cario, but I have read that in the summer months Alligators have been seen in the bootheel along the Mississippi, as well as down in Memphis too they are being spotted more.

A few years ago a large Alligator was found in Jonesboro, Arkansas which is just a few miles west of the Bootheel. So I doubt it swam up the Mississippi, but came up from the St. Francis river.

The southern bootheel's climate is pretty mild because it is such low elevation. Their low temps don't even drop down into the single digits much and Alligators are known to be hardy. In northern AL near TN alligators are being seen more, and it gets cold in the higher elevations there.

Alligator Facts

I heard the same story about one in Jonesboro from my sister-in-law who is from the bootheel.

As to alligator origional range, it is a bit hard to tell. One reason is weather or not the range was limited by Native Americans. That was the case with armadillo where they only got north of the Rio Grande Valley after the Native Americans were removed from that area. So their potential climate habitat isn't that set in stone.

The main issues for that animal is yearly mininum temperature (along with how long its cold) and suitable habitat. Also increases in population will cause some to expand its range

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

Maybe KSHE knows, but is it true Alligators native range used to include the bootheel? I've read in a few places their native range was all the way up to the far southern tip of IL around Cario, but I have read that in the summer months Alligators have been seen in the bootheel along the Mississippi, as well as down in Memphis too they are being spotted more.

A few years ago a large Alligator was found in Jonesboro, Arkansas which is just a few miles west of the Bootheel. So I doubt it swam up the Mississippi, but came up from the St. Francis river.

The southern bootheel's climate is pretty mild because it is such low elevation. Their low temps don't even drop down into the single digits much and Alligators are known to be hardy. In northern AL near TN alligators are being seen more, and it gets cold in the higher elevations there.

Alligator Facts

You know, my grandfather was born in 1900, and logged the St Francis most of his life, as well as having a farm on the banks of the river near Fisk......that being said, he was a great storyteller, and he never once mentioned anything about gators......which he would have if he had ever seen one.
Neither has anyone else from the area, so I have to doubt those stories, which I have read as well.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

Ahhhh, but its all about perception, isnt it?
My husband, who was born and raised in the South, has spent a great deal of time there, and declares its a very Midwestern place.
Nothing southern about it at all, according to him.
And yes, I have been to Sedalia tons of times, didnt think there was anything particularly Southern about it all.
I have no opinion on KC, I have never spent enough time there....
And yes, I do think I know just a tiny bit about Southern-ness, having been raised by a very Southern mother with a very Southern family, and having spent the past 21 years in the rural South.

Sedalia really is nothing like the majority of the Midwest core on northward. Most of the cities that I consider to be part of the Midwest core are on the interstate 80 corridor for a frame of reference.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by onegoalstl

Odd thing is a lot of the Germans in the Stl area are Lutheran. I thought that's why the Irish and Germans in Stl didn't get along during the 1850s when they came over.

Onto Sikeston, is there still a lot of wealthy people down there? I've read a lot of the farmers down there came from other nearby southern states because the land was dirt cheap like $.60 a acre after the civil war! I mean from being down there a few times those country guys don't look very rich driving their pickups.

There are plenty of Catholics there as well.

Serious migration didn't begin into the Bootheel until the late 1800's & early 1900's. Before this time, most of the bootheel looked like the bayou's of Louisiana. If you are ever down there go to Duck Creek Conservation Area, Otter Slough Conservation Area, or 10 Mile Pond Conservation Area, or any of the other conservation areas in the flatlands to see what the Bootheel really used to look like. You have to remember those levees haven't been there forever & the bootheel was a southern swamp in every regard, right down to the bald cypress trees. I doubt any Alligators have made their way up this far however.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

There are plenty of Catholics there as well.

Serious migration didn't begin into the Bootheel until the late 1800's & early 1900's. Before this time, most of the bootheel looked like the bayou's of Louisiana. If you are ever down there go to Duck Creek Conservation Area, Otter Slough Conservation Area, or 10 Mile Pond Conservation Area, or any of the other conservation areas in the flatlands to see what the Bootheel really used to look like. You have to remember those levees haven't been there forever & the bootheel was a southern swamp in every regard, right down to the bald cypress trees. I doubt any Alligators have made their way up this far however.

My great-great grandfather founded the town of Risco after he migrated from Kaskaskia Island to SE Mo.
My families claim to fame, lol

[onegoalstl]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

There are plenty of Catholics there as well.

Serious migration didn't begin into the Bootheel until the late 1800's & early 1900's. Before this time, most of the bootheel looked like the bayou's of Louisiana. If you are ever down there go to Duck Creek Conservation Area, Otter Slough Conservation Area, or 10 Mile Pond Conservation Area, or any of the other conservation areas in the flatlands to see what the Bootheel really used to look like. You have to remember those levees haven't been there forever & the bootheel was a southern swamp in every regard, right down to the bald cypress trees. I doubt any Alligators have made their way up this far however.

Arkansas Dept of conservation is stocking some alligators in north central, NW AR in the ozarks. Imagine being at Bull shoals and seeing a gator.

In the civil war Dunklin county seceeded themselves.