Is Austin a southern, southwestern, or western city? (San Antonio, Texarkana: transplants, public schools)

[jdevelop2]

I have seen Austin labeled as all three. I am sure some will say it is a mix. What aspects of Austin do you guys believe make it southern, southwestern, or western?

[sanmiguel]

It's in central Texas...como Mexico no hay dos.

[Danbo1957]

It's a Southern city and a Western city, WITH a long history of Mexican-Americans living here - Austin was founded by whites, unlike San Antonio, which was founded by Spaniards.

Austin was founded where it is by intent, a crossroads of several cultures (as well as being in the middle of the state).

The term Southwestern really is only used here as a reference to the rest of the USA. Tucson and Albuquerque are "Southwestern" cities as per a cultural term.

[txgolfer130]

It's a combo of all of the above, as well as Mexico!

Southern: We take our hats off indoors, we actually greet people, we open doors, say ma'am and sir and show respect to our elders (for the most part).

Southwestern: We (even the city dwellers) love the country feel, most can get along on a basic level outdoors, and we love our space even in the city.

Western: Well, there are some areas within the "city" limits that still have acreage and horse, cows and such. There are quite a few people who can ride, rope and stay outdoors for days...literally. The "don't fence me in" mentality and "if you're not bothering me, I don't really care" stance well tells you everything. Basically, as John Wayne said:

John Bernard Books (The Shootist):
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them."

[TexasHorseLady]

I agree, it's a combination, but mostly it's a Texas city (which is pretty much the same thing).

And what John Wayne said, too.

[CarnivalGal]

I think of Texas in general as Southern. When I think western, I think Arizona or even Colorado. It doesn't help that there are public schools that have Rebel Flags as part of their athletic uniforms or that they sing Dixie at football games (I am thinking specifically of Hays, but I know there are more throughout the state).

[TexasHorseLady]

Nah, Texas isn't Southern. There's Southern influence, granted. There's also Mexican influence, Western influence, German influence, Southwestern influence, and so forth.

Texas is just Texas. Attempts to force it into one of these other categories says more about the person trying to do the forcing than it does about the state itself.

[OA 5599]

I haven't found Austin to be "Southern" either. If you order iced tea here, it is usually unsweet by default. The only people with southern accents in Austin are originally from the real South (Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia, etc). There is no prevailing accent in Austin that I have noticed at all...the people sound like they could be from anywhere (and with so many transplants, they usually are). I'll occasionally notice a Texas accent (with sounds different than a Southern accent), but even that happens very rarely. I've never seen a Rebel (confederate) flag in Austin, and I can't remember ever seeing one anywhere else in Texas either. Comparatively, I saw them all the time when I lived in Missouri (a border state that did not secede from the Union)

I don't think of cacti growing in the South. Austin has cactus growing everywhere. Just about every river in Central Texas is named in Spanish too (Guadalupe, Frio, Comal, Blanco, etc). I'll agree that there is some Southern influence (the hospitality, warm climate, country musicians, extreme popularity of football, and BBQ), but Austin feels nothing like Alabama to me. Texas is Texas...you can't easily lump it in to any region...as TexasHorseLady says, the influences of what Texas is today come from many, many places.

The area around Texarkana does feel fairly Southern to me, at least from driving through it. But that part of Texas is surrounded by Louisiana and Arkansas.

[joejitsu]

Its South By Southwest.

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by Danbo1957

It's a Southern city and a Western city, WITH a long history of Mexican-Americans living here - Austin was founded by whites, unlike San Antonio, which was founded by Spaniards.
.

Um....Spaniards ARE 'whites'.