[Rubi3]

My hometown had a cotton gin and each autumn, school was dismissed for 2 weeks so the kids who lived on farms could help during that time. The town kids just had the time off, I suppose. For some reason picking cotton sounded like a fun thing to do and I pouted around the house because I couldn't pick cotton, so my parents made arrangements for me to have that opportunity. My older brother was going along. Our father took us to a cotton field where we were introduced to the man in charge. We each were issued a very long burlap bag which would hold the cotton we picked. It was heavy. Our father left and unfortunately, our lunch and water was still in the car.

We started down separate rows, dragging the bags. Didn't take long to discover the bolls containing the cotton sometimes hurt my hand. It was going to be awhile before my bag would show signs of holding anything at all. So far, the fun part had not appeared. It was a long morning and by the time noon arrived I was starved and so was my brother. We went over and sat under some shade trees and commiserated. Catching sight that moment of our dad's arrival was joyous, to say the least. We agreed it was time to leave. I never wanted to even think about picking cotton again. My working in the field days were over.

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I don't know where Pickens' family originated but he grew up in Holdenville which is in east central Oklahoma.

His father was born here but his father's parents came from South Carolina and Arkansas.

His mother was from Arkansas.

He also has a pretty thick Southern accent.

Originally Posted by Howest2008

Northeastern , North Central , and Northwestern Oklahoma is strictly ( Southwestern and Midwestern )
and the state of Oklahoma is becoming less and less SOUTHERN each and every years as the
Demography are changing as the Population make up changes with out of State people moving
there to Oklahoma.

Here is what close this discussion OKLAHOMA is Southwestern because COWBOY/COWGIRLS and
INDIANS CULTURE defines what a SOUTHWESTERN State is ( OKLAHOMA )....

I disagree with Northern Oklahoma not being at all Southern, but I agree that Oklahoma's Southern culture has been/is being diluted with demographic change.

Part of why I wouldn't call Oklahoma part of the Southwest region is because there is very little criteria (other than geography, which we're more like South Central) that defines the Southwest. There's cowboy/rodeo culture in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, etc., plus it's more of a lifestyle/occupation with its own culture than a real culture like the South or Midwest are.

This map is from the Wikipedia page for the Southwest.


"The Dark Red states mean they are almost always considered Southwest states, The light red states mean they are rarely considered Southwest states and the Blue States mean they are conisdered Southwest and Southern states"

Southwestern Bell operated in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri.


The term "Southwest" has been used historically to refer to everywhere from Tennessee to California as the U.S. has expanded westward.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

His father was born here but his father's parents came from South Carolina and Arkansas.

His mother was from Arkansas.

He also has a pretty thick Southern accent.



I disagree with Northern Oklahoma not being at all Southern, but I agree that Oklahoma's Southern culture has been/is being diluted with demographic change.

Part of why I wouldn't call Oklahoma part of the Southwest region is because there is very little criteria (other than geography, which we're more like South Central) that defines the Southwest. There's cowboy/rodeo culture in Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, etc., plus it's more of a lifestyle/occupation with its own culture than a real culture like the South or Midwest are.

This map is from the Wikipedia page for the Southwest.


"The Dark Red states mean they are almost always considered Southwest states, The light red states mean they are rarely considered Southwest states and the Blue States mean they are conisdered Southwest and Southern states"

Southwestern Bell operated in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri.


The term "Southwest" has been used historically to refer to everywhere from Tennessee to California as the U.S. has expanded westward.

I think one issue that you have with the designation of "southwest" is that you have to differentiate the difference between Eastern Oklahoma and Texas vs. Western Oklahoma/West Texas and parts of Eastern New Mexico vs. The desert and mountains of New Mexico and Arizona.

Western Oklahoma/Texas and Eastern NM is the transition zone between the East and the desert/mountain southwest.

The best way to describe it IMO is "the southern plains" however when the term "plains" is not used to describe a region I think you can call it "southwest", you just can't call it "desert southwest".

I feel the same way about the "northern plains". If you can't call the western aspect of Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas you are stuck with labeling them "Midwest" or "West". Neither of which are very accurate to term this region.

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

His father was born here but his father's parents came from South Carolina and Arkansas.

His mother was from Arkansas.

He also has a pretty thick Southern accent.



I disagree with Northern Oklahoma not being at all Southern, but I agree that Oklahoma's Southern culture has been/is being diluted with demographic change.

Part of why

plus it's more of a lifestyle/occupation with its own culture than a real culture like the South or Midwest are.

This map is from the Wikipedia page for the Southwest.


"The Dark Red states mean they are almost always considered Southwest states, The light red states mean they are rarely considered Southwest states and the Blue States mean they are conisdered Southwest and Southern states"

Southwestern Bell operated in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri.


The term "Southwest" has been used historically to refer to everywhere from Tennessee to California as the U.S. has expanded westward.

Name one collegian sports team in the states of Arkansas , Louisiana , Tennessee , who call themselves " The Cowboys " ...... Kansas has almost no Cowboy Culture and is a Plains Midwestern State .. Wyoming , Montana are Mountains States and are not classified as Southwestern States....Texas and Oklahoma border New Mexico and Texas also border Arizona....which are Southwestern States ( how close are Wyoming and Montana to ) bordering New Mexico and Arizona.

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by Howest2008

Name one collegian sports team in the states of Arkansas , Louisiana , Tennessee , who call themselves " The Cowboys " ...... Kansas has almost no Cowboy Culture and is a Plains Midwestern State .. Wyoming , Montana are Mountains States and are not classified as Southwestern States....Texas and Oklahoma border New Mexico
and Texas also border Arizona....which are Southwestern States ( how close are Wyoming and Montana to )
bordering New Mexico and Arizona.

McNeese State Cowboys

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

McNeese State Cowboys

Never heard of them , do they play Big Time Division 1 Sports like OSU and a boat load of other
OK Schools (?)

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

I think one issue that you have with the designation of "southwest" is that you have to differentiate the difference between Eastern Oklahoma and Texas vs. Western Oklahoma/West Texas and parts of Eastern New Mexico vs. The desert and mountains of New Mexico and Arizona.

Western Oklahoma/Texas and Eastern NM is the transition zone between the East and the desert/mountain southwest.

The best way to describe it IMO is "the southern plains" however when the term "plains" is not used to describe a region I think you can call it "southwest", you just can't call it "desert southwest".

I feel the same way about the "northern plains". If you can't call the western aspect of Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas you are stuck with labeling them "Midwest" or "West". Neither of which are very accurate to term this region.

I agree with all of this, but I would definitely add that aside from the towns in Eastern New Mexico that border Texas, Oklahoma has very little in common with the states of New Mexico and Arizona. Part of being in a region is having tangible similarities to the other areas in your region. Oklahoma has much, much more in common with Arkansas than New Mexico in my opinion.

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by Howest2008

Never heard of them , do they play Big Time Division 1 Sports like OSU and a boat load of other
OK Schools (?)

They are FCS, which is the division that North Dakota State plays in. It's one level below OU and OSU (FBS).

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by Studying Okie

They are FCS, which is the division that North Dakota State plays in. It's one level below OU and OSU (FBS).

My Nephew on my Wifes side of the family played Football at NDS and they were small time unheard
of. He played for the team until he was kicked off for academic reasons.......

North Dakota State Bison - 2014 Football Roster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_No..._football_team

[Studying Okie]

Originally Posted by Howest2008

My Nephew on my Wifes side of the family played Football at NDS and they were small time unheard
of. He played for the team until he was kicked off for academic reasons.......

North Dakota State Bison - 2014 Football Roster

2012 North Dakota State Bison football team - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That's very cool you know someone who played for North Dakota State! They've pulled upsets against the FBS schools they've played the last couple of years including beating Kansas State. They've also won the FCS championship the last couple of years I think.