Why do some people think Colorado is in the Midwest? (Denver: how much, neighborhood)

[CO.Native.SW]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

You make a good point. One's definition often centers on one's own perceptions and experience. For example, when I lived in Wyoming and I told people that I was from Colorado, the response was frequently, "Oh, you're one of THEM." When I explained that I was from rural Colorado, it was, "Oh, well that's cool then--we just don't like all those metro Colorado egotistical ******'s that come up here and look down their noses at us."

My typical response is similar when somebody says they're from California, because transplants from California are often the "fruit and nut gang" from the metro areas and frequently have the same condescending attitude toward "hick" Coloradans. But, I also know a fair number of Californians from the rural parts of California, and I often have more in common with them than I do with residents of the Front Range metro areas. It's interesting to read on the California forum where they often refer to fellow Californians as "rednecks" unless they live in the LA or San Francisco metroplexes. Like I said, personal experience and perceptions.

I know what you're saying. Its almost as if people assume there are not hicks in every state. There are "hicks" in certain places of every state in America. Yes, even California. I think the only thing that people can really say that Denver is midwestern is because its on the high plains, but overall, i say Denver is mountain west/west/southwest. Whatever people want to describe it as.

[CO.Native.SW]

Originally Posted by tfox

I very often hear people refer to Denver as "midwestern." I think for two reasons -- first, Denver is geographically on the great Plains, and some people see the plains as "the midwest" -- ergo, Denver is midwest (if on the edge of it). QED. Second, I think many people, especially our Californian transplant neighbors -- use the term "midwestern" to mean "Middle American" -- in other words, a synonymn for provincial. The Mile High City is undeniably provincial -- we are not the SF Bay area and don't claim to be. So, we are "Middle American" in that sense in for some that's interchangable with "midwestern."

To me, Middle America is not a region of the US. In my opinion, middle america is a middle class neighborhood with normal american values. You can easily find those in every state. For example, many suburbs even in California or New York are pretty middle american, with normal values, and middle class tendencies. Just my two cents. Thats all.

[davidv]

In the study of geography, there are three different types of regions:

1. Uniform regions are regions that have one or more characteristics in common. Uniform regions have set boundaries and the the characteristic can be quantified.

2. Functional regions are regions that are defined by movement in and out of a central hub.

3. Vernacular regions are regions that are defined by a person's perception of the world.

Since people do not have the same perceptions, there is often disagreement about the boundaries of these regions. Many times these regions are defined by their culture. Vernacular regions almost always have a core area that everybody agrees is a part of the region (no one denies that Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi are the South), but it is the edges of the regions that are hard to define. Throw in the fact that cultural regional boundaries are not hard and fast, but rather the edges of these regions are more transition zones between one region and the next, and these transition zones exhibit traits of both regions.

Colorado finds itself on the edge of three distinct regions: the midwest, the west, and the southwest, and as such, it has the traits of all of these regions.

How do Coloradans identify themselves? Look at the mascots for our state's college and pro sports teams. We have icons of the plains (broncos, buffaloes, and indians - before the name became political), of the mountains (rapids, nuggets, avalanche, rockies. rams and bears), and the southwest (thunderwolves, skyhawks, roadrunners).

[CAVA1990]

Part of the problem is the term "Midwestern" is defined too broadly. I wouldn't consider the other Plains States (Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Eastern Montana, Wyoming) in the same cultural and historical context as Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, or Wisconsin. The former have a much stronger association with cowboy culture, the open range, and the Old West as does Colorado whereras the latter bring to mind cornfields and riverboats. Think Dodge City vs. St. Louis or Chicago. I think much of Colorado, on both sides of the mountains, fits with that Plains States perception.

[lalahartma]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

By far the best New Mexican food in Colorado is down in the San Luis Valley. The El Charro in Alamosa is really good, the Dutch Mill in Antonito, and the cafe in Manassa (though the last time I was there last summer, it was for sale). All three sort of "hole in the wall" places with great food and moderate prices.

Heh, those are practically _in_ New Mexico!

[CosmicWizard]

jazzlover wrote:

But, I also know a fair number of Californians from the rural parts of California, and I often have more in common with them than I do with residents of the Front Range metro areas.

You raise a good point here. Residents of a rural area in just about any state have more in common with rural residents in another state than they do with residents of the metropolitan areas of the state they live in. I think the reverse is also true. Metro residents in one state tend to have more in common with metro residents in another state than they do with rural residents in their own stste. Granted, this is broad generalization, but it does ring true in a general way.

Having lived in both metropolitan areas and rural areas, I know that it takes a different mindset to thrive in a metro area than it does to thrive in a rural area. In addition to bringing a certain mindset with you wherever you go, I notice that my mindset is also strongly influenced by my environment, and thus it continues to evolve.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by CosmicWizard

Metro residents in one state tend to have more in common with metro residents in another state than they do with rural residents in their own stste.

It's pretty well accepted that the only real difference between red states and blue states is their relative proportions of urban, suburban, and rural voters.

[Solas71]

I was born in C Springs and my family is from San Acacio in the San Luis Valley, my culture is of that region, especially what we eat (Beans, Green Chili, Red Chili, Menudo, Biscochitos etc..) we are not midwestern, we have a Southwestern flavor to us, I think we're most similar to New Mexico and parts of West Texas.. When I go to Denver I feel that culture very strongly as much as I feel it in Pueblo.. I've been to the midwest and to me it's nothing like Colorado NOTHING, I've also been to New Mexico and Texas and I felt right @ home. I've heard people refer to Colorado as the midwest and I always have to correct them and explain that Colorado is THE WEST as well as SOUTHWEST, that's what we are and our culture shows it at least when it comes to us Colorado Natives..

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Solas71

When I go to Denver I feel that culture very strongly as much as I feel it in Pueblo..

I don't know how old you are but it seems the Southwestern influence has spread North only in recent years. Used to be Denver was pretty much a meat and potatoes kind of place as was most of the rest of the state with the exception of the Southcentral/Southeastern areas where there was historically a larger hispanic population.

[Solas71]

I'm 40yrs old and I have family in Denver that have owned restaurants there since I was a kid @ least in the Hispanic neighborhoods, you have to realize that a lot of family's from San Luis moved out of there back in the day to have a better a life and they settled in Denver and other parts of the Front Range, not to mention the Hispanics that already lived in Denver already. I have first knowledge of this, when I was a kid this cuisine and culture wasn't as in vogue like it is today so it might not of been as noticeable but it was there, and in Colorado Springs too..