Ohio: The Northeast or Midwest? (Columbus, Cincinnati: move, eat, architecture)

[Art1979]

Originally Posted by YoMikey617

How about Mid-Eastern US or Great Lakes States for a label.

1. People in Ohio are way too rude, miserable and jaded to be considered part of the Midwest.

You know, I've heard this statement before, but only once in actual conversation. The rest of the time it's on here. Also, when I travel, it never fails that someone will comment on my good nature. I'm still floored when I hear it, because that's just the way I was raised; that's the way my friends were raised. Is there something going on while I'm not looking?

You're from Massachusetts, correct? Would you please explain to me why you think people from Ohio are rude?

Originally Posted by YoMikey617

2. People on the east coast are suprised to hear that Ohio is considered Midwest.

I disagree, the people I met and worked with in PA/NJ/NY, including NYC and Philly were never surprised to have me call it the "Midwest." In fact, a couple of conversation starters were "so, you're from the Midwest..." I guess my data set points to a completely different conclusion.

Ok, to some it's a technicality, a geographical misnomer. Alright, we're not middle enough. Small potatoes. However, I'm sure the Age of Aquarius will befall us all if it were to be changed.

[r0dpe2c]

The person who said that there are really 2 questions going on here was completely right. Geographically, Ohio lies more north and east than in the middle of the country. Culturally, Ohio has NEVER and I mean NEVER been anything else but Midwest and that means Northeast Ohio (where I'm from) also. (okay when Ohio became a state, we were in the West, but since all of the continental 48 states were formed Ohio is Midwest)

Anyone with at least a first grade level education, should know that Ohio is culturally in the Midwest. And no, it's not about your "opinion" of how you feel ... If you were born in Ohio you ARE cuturally a MIDWESTERNER!!

[the_pines]

Its a convergent point. Though its overall midwestern(this becomes clear when places like Kentucky have a midwest feel, as well as Pittsburgh, the influence is undeniable), it has southern and northeastern elements. But most of all we feel like we have traditionally been on our own. I get the feeling the rest of the midwest could care less about Ohio, and northeasterns seem to have a hatred of Ohio. Chalk it up as Ohioans, thats the region.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by HAS

Ohio is considered to be the first state in the midwest.

Here's a map of the rest of the states in the midwest as well.

http://www.woolworks.org/images/us-midwest.gif

Texas isn't midwestern.

[Cherron]

I was taught that great rivers divided various regions. Any state west of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was considered THE WEST when our country was young, which meant that Ohio was a western state at that time. After the invention of the airplane, any letter mailed across the mighty Mississippi River had to go by Air Mail and thus the Mississippi River divided the eastern and western halves of our great nation. So then Ohio became an Eastern state. The term "Midwestern" was attached to any state that bordered the Mississippi River on either side, which included MN, WI, IA, MO and IL. Yes, AR, LA, TN, MS and some might even add KY also bordered the Mississippi River, but they were considered Southern states. As industries developed in states bordering the various Great Lakes, those states often referred to themselves as the GREAT LAKES REGION, which included Ohio. Geographically speaking then, Ohio was WEST, then EAST, and even GREAT LAKES REGION, but never MIDWEST.

That said, I still think of Ohio as Midwestern. My reason? Because it is made up of mostly farming communities in the Corn Belt, as are the other Midwestern states. I have to admit though, when I visit the southern portion of our state in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I hear people speaking with a country or southern accent and feel I've crossed a major borderline of some sort!

In summary, Ohioans are a diverse bunch. Whatever it is you are looking for, we've got it. Come and get it!

[hillside]

Originally Posted by Cherron

I was taught that great rivers divided various regions. Any state west of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers was considered THE WEST when our country was young, which meant that Ohio was a western state at that time. After the invention of the airplane, any letter mailed across the mighty Mississippi River had to go by Air Mail and thus the Mississippi River divided the eastern and western halves of our great nation. So then Ohio became an Eastern state. The term "Midwestern" was attached to any state that bordered the Mississippi River on either side, which included MN, WI, IA, MO and IL. Yes, AR, LA, TN, MS and some might even add KY also bordered the Mississippi River, but they were considered Southern states. As industries developed in states bordering the various Great Lakes, those states often referred to themselves as the GREAT LAKES REGION, which included Ohio. Geographically speaking then, Ohio was WEST, then EAST, and even GREAT LAKES REGION, but never MIDWEST.

That said, I still think of Ohio as Midwestern. My reason? Because it is made up of mostly farming communities in the Corn Belt, as are the other Midwestern states. I have to admit though, when I visit the southern portion of our state in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I hear people speaking with a country or southern accent and feel I've crossed a major borderline of some sort!

In summary, Ohioans are a diverse bunch. Whatever it is you are looking for, we've got it. Come and get it!

southern ohio is indeed "country", but we're not all corn. cincy, cleveland, etc. now indiana, that's corn.

[1watertiger]

cherron, about 70% of ohios population lives in and around urban metros. only about 30% live in rural/farming areas. i personaly never felt like the midwest growing up in cleveland. i always felt like a part of the great lakes region, i think mid-east would be more accurate for N.E. ohio.

[r0dpe2c]

I would like to know from anyone, when has ohio ever been anything but Midwestern (outside of when 1st became state) ... culturally speaking? And the argument that Ohio is Northeast I just cannot understand. For every 1 article, book etc. that MAY call Ohio Northeast, I can find 5,000 that states Ohio is Midwest.

1watertiger, you are from cleveland (I lived there for 5 years) and I'm from Akron. You say you never felt like the midwest growing up, but part of the great lakes region. Well you grew up in both the midwest and the great lakes region.

cleveland and northeast Ohio has something in common with the rest of the state.....We're all from OHIO. The state has different subregions i.e. appalachian foothills, rust belt etc., but they all are still part of a midwest state.

If I say ohio state university, No one would ever think that that is an northeastern school. Heck, no one would think cleveland state is a northeast/eastern school, unless you live on the West Coast, but they consider everything east of the mississippi, the east anyway.

All I'm saying is that just because someone was born and raised in Mobile Alabama, but "feels" Northern, doesn't mean they ARE Northern. Get what I'm saying?

[Cincy-Rise]

On a side note, has anyone ever watched the Weather Channel and noticed that we're covered up when they give reports on the midwest? lol

We're too far to the right and the only time we are shown is when they cover the Northeast region.

No, I don't think we're Northeastern, but I think that is a little humorous tidbit for this thread.

[Daytonnatian]

To me, the northeast is PA and beyond, and the midwest is on the west side of the Mississippi River. Ohio is definately part of the Great Lakes states, which are MN, WI, IL, IN, MI, OH, and upstate New York, and Erie, PA, might count, too, although the rest of PA doesn't. This is completely different from the options listed above.