Think St. Louis is flat?

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Honestly that's one of those things Chicagoans will tell you, but even out that way they're still very slightly sloping "hills" Most of northern Illinois is very flat -- we were even surprised when we went up to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin over the summer that it was as flat as it was. it had been described as hilly by many Chicagoans, but I realize that what they mean by that is a little different than what i grew up with.

I wouldn't say much of St. Louis is flat, but then if you're comparing it to other cities, it does seem flatter.

Galena, I'm sorry...must've gotten the city misplaced. Thought it was closer to Chicago. While Chicago is probably more flat due to its being on a plain of the Great Lakes, Northwest Illinois is NOT flat. Galena is quite hilly. I remember driving along Interstate 39 years ago and noticing how much hillier it got north of Interstate 80.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Honestly that's one of those things Chicagoans will tell you, but even out that way they're still very slightly sloping "hills" Most of northern Illinois is very flat -- we were even surprised when we went up to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin over the summer that it was as flat as it was. it had been described as hilly by many Chicagoans, but I realize that what they mean by that is a little different than what i grew up with.

I wouldn't say much of St. Louis is flat, but then if you're comparing it to other cities, it does seem flatter.

Actually, I beg to differ. Kane County, Illinois, where Geneva is, is very hilly, it looks just like St. Louis County, if not hillier. Look up images of Geneva and Campton Hills, Illinois..don't go telling me that is flat!

[STL Aviator]

Originally Posted by ajf131

Actually, I beg to differ. Kane County, Illinois, where Geneva is, is very hilly, it looks just like St. Louis County, if not hillier. Look up images of Geneva and Campton Hills, Illinois..don't go telling me that is flat!

Ah, good 'ol Kane County. Probably 95% of Kane County is flat as a pancake. There is a change in elevation as you approach the Fox river and pretty much every town along the river has a Main Street that descends and then rises again where it crosses the river, hence pictures with hills. Almost everything away from the river is flat. I would say that STL Co. is hillier only because there isn't really any natural topography in Kane County as severe as the southwest portion of STL Co.

There are definitely some rolling hills heading into the northwest corner of Illinois near Galena though.

[ajf131]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Honestly that's one of those things Chicagoans will tell you, but even out that way they're still very slightly sloping "hills" Most of northern Illinois is very flat -- we were even surprised when we went up to Lake Geneva in Wisconsin over the summer that it was as flat as it was. it had been described as hilly by many Chicagoans, but I realize that what they mean by that is a little different than what i grew up with.

I wouldn't say much of St. Louis is flat, but then if you're comparing it to other cities, it does seem flatter.

Most of St. Louis City, especially north of Highway 40 and Forest Park, again is mostly flat. I agree that it's not flat as a board, some parts of it are very steeply sloped, but virtually all of it contains rich soil and was probably mostly farmland for growing crops. All of St. Louis City, however, and most of St. Louis County are geographically Midwestern and definitely part of the Northern Plains, along with Chicago. Only difference is that Chicago is flat, and St. Louis isn't. Southwestern St. Louis County is in the Ozark region, which apart from the trees and tallgrass prairie, looks nothing like Chicago...the soil is much rockier and there are big cliffs and very steep hills, even mountainous hills (along Lone Elk Park).