Is East Texas culturally part of the Deep South? (Houston: camping, military)

[Frustratedintelligence]

Originally Posted by Rakin

"A man from Iowa or Illinois will say 'I'm from the Middle West'..a Georgian or a Mississipian may admit to being merely a Southerner...but no Texan, given the opportunity, ever said otherwise than 'I'm from Texas'."

---- J. Frank Dobie, Texan

In my experience people tend to say exactly where they're from, be it Texas or otherwise.

[Frustratedintelligence]

Originally Posted by michaeltx9412

Surprisingly I saw a few patches of kudzu here in Central Texas as well. I'll post some pictures of it soon.

Same here. I've seen some patches of kudzu around Central and East Texas. Definitely not to the extent that you'll find it in Appalachia, but it is there.

Not that it really matters either way, since kudzu is an invasive plant from East Asia. There's nothing really southern about it at all.

[Adamp326]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

You may be saying it, but it's just your opinion - evidenced by your phrase "it's pretty much a fact," which is akin to another phrase:

"Do you mind?"

"No...not REALLY..." (Which really means, "Why, yes, I certainly do but go right ahead because I probably can't stop you."

When I can find boiled peanut stands every few miles on the side of the road, grits cooked correctly at every restaurant serving breakfast, and the Ag Report replaces the Livestock Report, I may start feeling like I'm back in the deep South from time to time. Till then...nyahhhhh.

I agree with Kathryn. Speaking generally, east Texas feels different than the Deep South, or what I perceive the deep south to be. Although I would say that East Texas is more Deep South than anything else, especially deep East Texas. When I think of the south that excludes the Deep South, like Arkansas, Tennessee and Oklahoma, east Texas does not feel as much like those places, as a whole; maybe the Ark-La-Tex to some degree. I’m sure I could site some historical factors as to why East Texas is mostly Deep South, and there were/are plenty of cotton fields close to where I grew up in northeast Texas, but there are plenty of cattle too. I’m also sure most people who migrated westward were just looking for their own land and did whatever they had to do to make the most of that land to survive. Seems kinda silly to sit here arguing online over something so trivial, now that we have so many modern luxuries. If anything we can appreciate what all the different cultures, especially in the south in my opinion have to offer. The Deep South has boiled peanuts and grits, Texas has tacos (yum), and south Louisiana has the best food in the world. I love all the things about the south and I’m very happy to be so close to it all. If you are looking for paradise you will never find it, so don’t waste your time complaining. When we die I doubt anyone will say anything about you being a southerner or not. Just wether or not you were a kind-hearted person.

[supfromthesite]

I would say the part of east Texas that is similar to northern Louisiana might be like the deep south in the rural areas, but maybe not completely. South Louisiana is not the deep south. Mississippi and Alabama are the real deep south.

[michaeltx9412]

Originally Posted by Adamp326

I agree with Kathryn. Speaking generally, east Texas feels different than the Deep South, or what I perceive the deep south to be. Although I would say that East Texas is more Deep South than anything else, especially deep East Texas. When I think of the south that excludes the Deep South, like Arkansas, Tennessee and Oklahoma, east Texas does not feel as much like those places, as a whole; maybe the Ark-La-Tex to some degree. I’m sure I could site some historical factors as to why East Texas is mostly Deep South, and there were/are plenty of cotton fields close to where I grew up in northeast Texas, but there are plenty of cattle too. I’m also sure most people who migrated westward were just looking for their own land and did whatever they had to do to make the most of that land to survive. Seems kinda silly to sit here arguing online over something so trivial, now that we have so many modern luxuries. If anything we can appreciate what all the different cultures, especially in the south in my opinion have to offer. The Deep South has boiled peanuts and grits, Texas has tacos (yum), and south Louisiana has the best food in the world. I love all the things about the south and I’m very happy to be so close to it all. If you are looking for paradise you will never find it, so don’t waste your time complaining. When we die I doubt anyone will say anything about you being a southerner or not. Just wether or not you were a kind-hearted person.

Oklahoma is not part of the Deep South... Much of OK feels like Texas.

[supfromthesite]

I think you misread.

[Adamp326]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

I was born in New Orleans and grew up in Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, NC, SC, Georgia, and Alabama. I would say that makes me pretty much an expert on the South!

Here's my take on it. Yes, East Texas seems more "southern" than the rest of Texas, and yes, many East Texans consider themselves deeply Southern. However, I can assure you - East Texas is NOT the Deep South, whether some residents believe it is or not.

And the accent in East Texas is not even CLOSE to a Deep South accent. Deep South accents are slow and easy and smooth around the edges. East Texan accents have a lot more "twang" to them.

That being said, as a "deep Souther" transplant to East Texas, it's the next best thing to being there. Y'all still don't know how to cook grits right, though. But I'll get over it. I like it here and after twenty years, I guess it's safe to say I'm probably staying!

Old post I know, but about the grits thing… two of my favorite places to go for shrimp and grits are Pearls’ Kitchen in Mt pleasant tx and lasyone’s in natchitoches LA. The second one is slap ya mamma good that I happily drive 2 hrs for (and their crawfish pies, but they are arguably better at the french market there). The first one ain’t just good grits, but one of my favorite meals I’ve ever had. So good I requested it for my rehearsal dinner. I believe it sadly shut down during Covid unfortunately, but that woman was born to cook.

[crone]

Originally Posted by llmrkc07

The golden triangle is most definitely southern and the rest of East Texas. I think if someone is to say its not did not spent much time here.

The best day of my life was not meeting DH or the birth of our 3 kids. It was getting outta Beaumont.

That area did produce some good musicians, tho.

DH is from Rusk county. I'd call it south.

Does Vidor still enforce sundown laws?

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by crone

The best day of my life was not meeting DH or the birth of our 3 kids. It was getting outta Beaumont.

That area did produce some good musicians, tho.

DH is from Rusk county. I'd call it south.

Does Vidor still enforce sundown laws?

I don't know much about Vidor - sorry.

I'd call East Texas the south but not the deep south, though many people here THINK it's the deep south!

[Pilsn3r]

It all depends on the angle you are looking at it:
For Civil War and slavery purposes, East Texas part of the deep south due to plantations and use of slavery, especially for cotton. AKA - Cotton South or Cotton Belt - which includes east Texas. This is more "fact-based".

If you look at it at a food angle, then some include east Texas as part of the Deep South cuisine, and some do not. This is more opinion based on chefs, and residents.

Geographically - again depends on the geographers. Some consider Texas and FL as part of the deep south, and some do not, and call TX and FL peripherals of the deep south.

The US Govt includes Texas as part of the "true" southern states, but does not make a distinction of "deep south" with any state.

Wiki considers east texas part of the deep south:
"Notable extremes range from East Texas, which is often considered an extension of the Deep South, to Far West Texas, which is generally acknowledged to be part of the interior Southwest."

A city-data competitor site considers east Texas part of the deep south (can't link as it's against forum rules - I've done it before and the link got deleted)

Culturally: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Texas#Culture
Culture

East Texas is often considered the westernmost extension of the Deep South. The predominant cultural influence comes from customs and traditions passed down from European American and African American Southerners who settled the region during the mid-to-late 19th century.[5] African Americans were first brought to the area as enslaved workers to develop and cultivate commodity crops on plantations. Harrison County had the most plantations and highest number of slaves in the antebellum period.[12] Deep South accent influences are noticeable in the subdialect of Texan English that is spoken throughout the region. According to the most recent linguistic studies, East Texans tend to pronounce Southern English with the drawl typical of the Lower South. Other parts of Texas are more apt to use the "twang" of the Upper South, or—depending upon demographic influences of the particular area—with some Hispanic and Midwestern traits.

More often than not on various searches, east texas is considered part of the deep south.