Missouri...Southern or Midwestern? (Kansas City, St. Louis: agriculture, income, house)

[ajf131]

Just a poll on what you think. I personally think that Missouri is more of a Midwestern state than it is a Southern one. Despite being a slave state, its economy was not dependent on it, it voted for a pro-Union candidate, Stephen Douglas, from Springfield, Illinois during Lincoln's election, who while not touching the abolition of slavery was very anti-secessionist. Missouri freed Dred Scott, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the ruling. over twice as many fought for the Union as for the South, total Catholics outnumber Southern baptists, our overall climate is not like any Southern state i'm aware of, St. Louis and Kansas City, which i see as solidly Midwestern, behaved more like Northern cities during the Great Migration, gaining in black population, and Missouri also shares in the corn-belt, soy beans, similar to that of Iowa. In most of the state, Its agriculture and trees are just like those found in the Midwest. Also, the only Southern speech patterns I hear are significantly far South into Missouri, certainly in less than half the state. The state also is mostly above the Mason-Dixon (Ohio River, PA-MD border, 36 degree latitude across rest of U.S.) For these reasons i think Missouri should be considered a part of the Midwest. And since the U.S. Census Bureau considers Missouri Midwest, I think that pretty much confims it. Also, politically Missouri has a history of being a swing state like Indiana and Ohio. Political attitudes in these three states are fairly similar.

[la_missourienne]

I think of MO as a Midwestern state, though one could argue that the very Southern tips take on more of Southern feel. Once you cross into Arkansas, that is where the 'South' begins and the accent comes out in full force by the time you hit the heart of it. But overall, MO is quite Midwestern for all the reasons you listed--that's my vote

[GraniteStater]

In terms of climate Missouri is warmer than any state that is in the Midwest. The portions of Missouri that I would classify as southern are definitely the counties along and south of Highway 60. Some of the counties north of I-60 have somewhat of a southern flavor as well. The bigger cities in the state are more Midwest in flavor but KC is more influenced by southern speech patterns than St. Louis is. Rural areas in the state have much higher poverty rates than what is found in the Midwest core as well. Rural areas of northern Missouri also has very poor levels of economic development and increases in overall poverty the past several years. The median income in the suburban areas of both St. Louis and KC is above the national average.

[DocGSD]

Growing up in NYC and moving to SW MO a few years ago, I think I gan give an opinion with non-bias.
In my experience, I think that Missouri is by far a midwestern state. Even here in the southern part of the state, I dont notice the southern accent, well since I have a NY accent I do, but it is not the southern slure that you find in the deep south. I think the southern speach certainly picks up when you get mid arkansas and northern Oklahoma. I think that the SE part of the state is definately more southern acting and sounding than the SW.
I also lived in KCMO for a while. I cant really tell a difference between KC and SWMO. The weather here is definately more northern than southern. In that, I agree with ajf131 completely.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by Gsd353

Growing up in NYC and moving to SW MO a few years ago, I think I gan give an opinion with non-bias.
In my experience, I think that Missouri is by far a midwestern state. Even here in the southern part of the state, I dont notice the southern accent, well since I have a NY accent I do, but it is not the southern slure that you find in the deep south. I think the southern speach certainly picks up when you get mid arkansas and northern Oklahoma. I think that the SE part of the state is definately more southern acting and sounding than the SW.
I also lived in KCMO for a while. I cant really tell a difference between KC and SWMO. The weather here is definately more northern than southern. In that, I agree with ajf131 completely.

Gsd353, I could not possibly agree more with what you've said so far that is EXACTLY my belief about Missouri as well. I always though the SW part was much less Southern than the SE part. SE Missouri to me is where the Southern argument would apply. SE Missouri has a true Southern culture, demeanor, it meets all the qualifications of the South, to me at least. The bootheel especially I think might as well be considered Arkansas.

[DocGSD]

Originally Posted by ajf131

Gsd353, I could not possibly agree more with what you've said so far that is EXACTLY my belief about Missouri as well. I always though the SW part was much less Southern than the SE part. SE Missouri to me is where the Southern argument would apply. SE Missouri has a true Southern culture, demeanor, it meets all the qualifications of the South, to me at least. The bootheel especially I think might as well be considered Arkansas.

Yea, when I first visited MO from NY, I was really thinking it was going to be a big redneck trailer park. I was pleasantly supprised. Missouri is a great state. Given the chance, I would not move back to New York because I have really fallen in love with the midwestern Missouri envirnment. I have been to the bootheel on the way to Memphis. It was totally different than the southwest part of the state. STL reminds me more of NY than KC does but I must say that I like KC more. Seems to me that STL really has more of an eastern attitude than KC does. I do not see MO as a southenr state at all. You can see from my profile I have lived several places while I was in school. I like MO the best, hands down.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by Gsd353

Yea, when I first visited MO from NY, I was really thinking it was going to be a big redneck trailer park. I was pleasantly supprised. Missouri is a great state. Given the chance, I would not move back to New York because I have really fallen in love with the midwestern Missouri envirnment. I have been to the bootheel on the way to Memphis. It was totally different than the southwest part of the state. STL reminds me more of NY than KC does but I must say that I like KC more. Seems to me that STL really has more of an eastern attitude than KC does. I do not see MO as a southenr state at all. You can see from my profile I have lived several places while I was in school. I like MO the best, hands down.

You are only serving to represent what I believe all the better. St. Louis does indeed I think have a more eastern attitude to it, while KC has a more western one than STL. St. Louis has often been called the last Eastern city, KC the first western one, assuming you are going west hehe.

[ShadowCaver]

As a native Ozarkian born in St Louis, am maybe just a tad on the biased side, but nevertheless can agree w/ pretty much all that has been said above. Very cool to hear some quite positive comments! In my mind, MO is a overall a midwestern state, w/ parts as mentioned here that have a taste of the south, east, and west within them. Like Indiana where currently live, the halves on each side of Indy are quite different, in culture, attitudes, and geography. BTW, a true Southern state serves that most wonderful elixir, sweet tea, w/o having to be asked for it...

[wionee]

Having lived in Alaska most my life and Washington for 9 years, I think Missouri is refreshing. It's a fun diverse area. I really enjoyed being in Joplin and purchased a house there. It's exciting having lots of difference's in life styles, and behaviors. I found it interesting and stimulating. I can hardly wait to leave, the end of June is departure time, and I'm looking forward to some warm weather. See ya...Wionee

[DefaultAlias]

The northern half of Missouri is unquestionably Midwestern. But the southern half is a different story. By the time you reach the southern quarter Missouri becomes Missoura and one has crossed into Dixie.