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Just to clarify, South Central KS is much much more Evangelical-Scripture based/Southern Baptist/ Mormon than Roman Catholic so think more Southern Bible Belt than say an image of Irish working class Bostonian Catholic.
Granite-Stater has a great point about how this area is more Western identified than East Coast. I always met more KS/OK is SoCal than East Coasters. Maybe it was just my neighborhood. Its a far airplane ride to either side of the country anyhow.
I would have to agree with regard to the KC "sphere of influence" not stretching very far to the east. The People in KC look to the west. The people in STL look to the east. However, the overall social culture of the Plains is just not a good fit for me. That is why I left as soon as I could.
I would have to agree with regard to the KC "sphere of influence" not stretching very far to the east. The People in KC look to the west. The people in STL look to the east. However, the overall social culture of the Plains is just not a good fit for me. That is why I left as soon as I could.
What the hell does that even mean? I have lived in KC and St Louis and it's really no different.
What the hell does that even mean? I have lived in KC and St Louis and it's really no different.
I've visited StL (inlaw relatives there) and KCMO many times (I'm a K-State grad). Architecturally speaking I think the 2 cities are way different. And I think GranteStater is right about StL being more Eastern (at least Midwset Chicago/Detroit) oriented than KS which looks towards Denver, etc...
In any event OP, I hope you look into both KS and OK forums for better insight. Keep in mind there are a disproportionate amount of KS haters (and non-married, single liberals) in that forum and it does not reflect the majority of the actual, on the ground experience of Kansas. IOW, if you like the crazy urban tempo of Tokyo, you will hate OK/KS. If you can't stand leaving Sydney, you'll hate KS/OK. If you love the quiet out of the way ranches that I am guessing are in far flung parts of interior Australia (Orange, in the Central tablelands maybe?) then you love KS/OK. (since your moniker says 'Terra Australis', I'm guessing you are from Down Under but not Antarctica )
My experience is that Foreign exchange students loved the idea of going to Kansas as there is some weird worldwide mythology about living in the center of the land of Cowboys and Indians (K-State has a huge am't of Foreign students due to its excellent Agricultural colleges). Once the students land here, they realize its just a bunch of stores and cars and Moms with babies just like anywhere else.
Kinda like how the world views Chicago through Al Capone/Michael Jordon legends. But thats not true either
A good way to think about it is Kansas is extreme Lower Midwest and Oklahoma is more Western South (along with TX) or South-Central (along with AR and TX).
Just something that came to my mind after I logged off to....these designations Western South (or SOUHTwest if you prefer) and South-Central help distinguish some of the obvious differences between OK and KS.
As usual, well said, buddy! I don't claim to be an expert on either state, but have been thru and spent time in both. Oklahoma has much more of a Southern influence by way of settlement patterns and it is readily apparent.
Like all states which border another region, there are certain overlaps, but all in all, I don't see Oklahoma and Kansas being in the same classification in terms of history/culture. Unless of course, one considers "Tornado Alley" a "region"! LOL
As usual, well said, buddy! I don't claim to be an expert on either state, but have been thru and spent time in both. Oklahoma has much more of a Southern influence by way of settlement patterns and it is readily apparent.
Like all states which border another region, there are certain overlaps, but all in all, I don't see Oklahoma and Kansas being in the same classification in terms of history/culture. Unless of course, one considers "Tornado Alley" a "region"! LOL
I think southern KS has much more in common culturally with OK and TX than NE Kansas. In general, NE Kansas thinks it is "culturally superior" to other parts of the state. That is probably because the two university towns ARE IN the NE part of the state where the vast majority of everyone lives (excluding Wichita).
As usual, well said, buddy! I don't claim to be an expert on either state, but have been thru and spent time in both. Oklahoma has much more of a Southern influence by way of settlement patterns and it is readily apparent.
Like all states which border another region, there are certain overlaps, but all in all, I don't see Oklahoma and Kansas being in the same classification in terms of history/culture. Unless of course, one considers "Tornado Alley" a "region"! LOL
Absolutely Brother!
Yes, and I agree with your other statement (and the other poster's question) about TX being included in the Midwest??? Based on overwhelming Southern culture alone, there is NO way that Texas (or Oklahoma for that matter) should ever be considered Midwest. The only people I have ever heard that from were when I lived on the West coast...some Californians (2 to be exact) referred to Oklahoma as the Midwest and 1 girl called Texas the Midwest!!! Another person called Arkansas the Midwest!!! What?! Being the brash Okie that I am I corrected 'em all immediately, of course, hahaha Do they not learn geography/history/culture in California???
Then again, I shouldn't give the Left-Coasters that hard a time, the vast majority accurately viewed Oklahoma and Texas as Southern states.
Yes, and I agree with your other statement (and the other poster's question) about TX being included in the Midwest??? Based on overwhelming Southern culture alone, there is NO way that Texas (or Oklahoma for that matter) should ever be considered Midwest. The only people I have ever heard that from were when I lived on the West coast...some Californians (2 to be exact) referred to Oklahoma as the Midwest and 1 girl called Texas the Midwest!!! Another person called Arkansas the Midwest!!! What?! Being the brash Okie that I am I corrected 'em all immediately, of course, hahaha Do they not learn geography/history/culture in California???
Then again, I shouldn't give the Left-Coasters that hard a time, the vast majority accurately viewed Oklahoma and Texas as Southern states.
I tell ya what, my friend, the official "Oklahoma State Meal" would make it Southern to the point of making Mississippi and Alabama jealous! LOL
I get to mouth-watering just reading about it...
This is the stuff Southern family reunions and memories are made of:
Oklahoma designated an official state meal In 1988 consisting of fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas.
Oklahoma designated an official state meal In 1988 consisting of fried okra, squash, cornbread, barbecue pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken fried steak, pecan pie, and black-eyed peas.
That's right! Make ya go slap your Grandma good, LOL!
And I like everything in that meal....just for fun, let's put our favorites from most favorite to least. Here's mine:
-Pecan Pie (still can't resist Mama's)
-fried okra (the Lord's food with Tony Chacheres)
-Pork BBQ (I like brisket, but my Texas Brother, PORK is where it's at!!!)
-Black-eyed peas (2nd greatest vegetable on the planet, just under okra)
-cornbread (no sugar)
-chicken fried steak (oh man, my wife makes some amazing CFS = it's why I'm so darn fat! Dang woman!)
-grits (You'll make fun of me for eating mine plain, with salt/pepper, OR with butter and sugar <---! I just flat like grits, period.)
-biscuits (I'll put the sausage gravy on top, please.)
-corn (so many great things you can make with corn, but good enough to eat plain)
-strawberries (I like to finish many of my meals with a handful of fresh/sweet strawberries.)
-sqaush (I can take it or leave it. It's fine, but ain't my favorite by a long shot.)
Kansas (IMO) is a rather bipolar state. West of I-135 all you have is the tornado-prone Great Plains, but along and east of I-135 you start getting the bigger cities like Wichita, Kansas City, Topeka, etc.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, instead of having spread out smaller metros has two rather large metros with two smaller ones. OKC and Tulsa are the cultural/economic/political/etc centers of Oklahoma while Ardmore and Lawton are 'micro'-metros outside of the big two.
Kansas may be 'flat' but Oklahoma is anything but 'flat'. Oklahoma has 4 'mountain' ranges (being a colorado resident i would have to argue that but w/e) and as such has a much more rugged terrain.
Strictly city-wise OKC definitely outstrips Wichita in just about everything (maybe worse traffic). Tulsa is also quite above much of what Kansas has to offer.
Both states are nice but i'd have to say that Oklahoma edges Kansas out just a little bit.
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Do they not learn geography/history/culture in California???
