Is St. Louis more like Missouri/KC or Illinois/Chicago? (state, compared) - City vs. City - City-Data Forum

Trimac20 · 08-21-2012, 12:45 AM

Does St. Louis feel more like a part of the state that it's in - Missouri - or Illinois? Which state does it seem to have more links with? Also does it seem more like Kansas City or Chicago in all aspects?

Consider landscape, urban layout, economy, culture, food, people, history.etc. For instance, blacks in STL are more 'urban' like in Chicago, although the 'Little Egypt' region isn't far from the Delta and is pretty black too.

northbound74 · 08-21-2012, 01:08 AM

Neither or both, but not one more than the other. For the most part, it's synonymous with Missouri, more so than Kansas City which is a border place to the Great Plains and kind-of has a bit more western/plains feel (kind of)..... and half the people in the U.S. believe that the larger KC, the one in Missouri, is in Kansas. There is a Kansas City, Kansas, but it's much smaller and just a suburb of the one in Missouri.
Missouri is one of only three states that have the Ozarks, and the northern portion of those reach up to St. Louis partially influencing the culture there.
People think of the Ozarks, they think of Missouri, they think of St. Louis.
When people think of KC, they think of Kansas, even though over half it's metro isn't in Kansas. Blame the name.
Kansas City is about an hour drive from any of the Ozarks. Although it's somewhat hilly in it's own right, it's certainly a different kind of terrain.
I don't see how Chicago fits in to the equation other than they both are old, and at one time, more industrial towns.

Craziaskowboi · 08-21-2012, 01:47 AM

The same way Philadelphia is the origin and the quintessence of Pennsylvania, St. Louis is the origin and the quintessence of Missouri. The culture of Pennsylvania originated in Philadelphia. The culture of Missouri originated in St. Louis. People seriously want to separate each city from its state? How absurd.

And no, the neighboring state does not influence either city. If anything, each city influences part of the neighboring state.

Toxic Toast · 08-21-2012, 10:36 AM

This is like asking if Australia is more like New Zealand or Indonesia.

slengel · 08-21-2012, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnutella

The same way Philadelphia is the origin and the quintessence of Pennsylvania, St. Louis is the origin and the quintessence of Missouri. The culture of Pennsylvania originated in Philadelphia. The culture of Missouri originated in St. Louis. People seriously want to separate each city from its state? How absurd.

And no, the neighboring state does not influence either city. If anything, each city influences part of the neighboring state.

maybe this applies to when st. louis was pretty much the only population center in missouri, but it is not at all true now. in fact, i would say the opposite is true. st. louis was a big city before missouri was a state. the city was originally part of the illinois territory. today the city and its inner ring suburbs are at odds with most of the rest of missouri on pretty much everything. the culture couldn't be more different. i would say the culture and attitudes in st. louis clash with missouri more dramatically than any other relationship between a city and state in the usa.

kcmo · 08-21-2012, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by northbound74

and half the people in the U.S. believe that the larger KC, the one in Missouri, is in Kansas. There is a Kansas City, Kansas, but it's much smaller and just a suburb of the one in Missouri.

Half? I think it's more like 90% and I'm not kidding.

I think St Louis kind of does its own thing. It's not really "like" KC or Chicago and MO and IL are both just rural ag states outside the cities so the urban culture of StL is not really like either.

Most of STL is in MO and MO is very hilly and forested in metro StL compared to the metro east side in IL, so I guess MO is your answer.

plates · 08-21-2012, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

This is like asking if Australia is more like New Zealand or Indonesia.

Actually, that one's pretty easy.

Toxic Toast · 08-21-2012, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plates

Actually, that one's pretty easy.

I know..............that is kind of the point........

Caesarstl · 08-21-2012, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxic Toast

I know..............that is kind of the point........

The poll doesn't exactly agree with you... I know my answer, but neither city wise is one of the top choices when I think of cities most similar to St. Louis. State wise is another matter but as pointed out St. Louis doesn't get along with MO very well, but there's geographical similarities of course to parts of MO more.

Maintainschaos · 08-21-2012, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcmo

Most of STL is in MO and MO is very hilly and forested in metro StL compared to the metro east side in IL, so I guess MO is your answer.

The Metro East and StL always looked pretty identical to me every time I've been there. I don't think there's much topographical difference between the two.

I agree that I think StL isn't like Chicago really, but I think the architectural and cultural feel of StL is more like that of places in IL, IN, OH than the more "plains" feeling you get in KC. I'm not saying that StL is any less a part of MO (although it has a substantial sphere of influence into IL), but to me it feels more like a part of the middle/lower Midwest (IL, IN, OH) than it feels like a part of the plains (NE, KS).