Is Dallas considered Southern to you? (Fort Worth, Grand Prairie: restaurants, eat, suburbs)

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Victoire2002

Naw, Texas is...... Texas. It's not part of "the South" , though geographically we are south. We don't have the history that is traditionally Southern--- plantations and the early English / Irish settlement of landed gentry.

Texas was a hard scrabble land that was traversed by Spanish Conquistadores and, later, won back as a state from Mexico. I am a native West Texan, have lived 15 years in Dallas, and my father is native Louisianan. Texas is NOTHING like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, i.e. the traditional "old South".

Texas was very briefly part of the Confederacy, but did not end up aligning itself with Southern patriots in the Civil War.

Vicki

Vicki, I don't mean any disrespect, but your reciting of Texas history in the realm of its roots and participation in the "Civil War" is extremely faulty.

In fact, when Texas was opened up for settlement, those who came were overwhelmingly of Anglo/Celtic decent and from the older Southern states (Tennessee and Alabama migrants being most numerous). After its revolution, and up until the time of the War Between the States, Texas was a pure Lower "Cotton" South state for the most part. One third of the population was black slaves, and the cotton yield per acre was the highest in the South. Texas was one of the original 7 states to secede before the incident at Ft. Sumter (the states of the Upper South didn't join until later) and become a "charter" member of the Confederate States of America.

I don't understand at all what you mean by saying it was "briefly" a part of it (the CSA), nor NOT aligning itself with "southern patriots." This is absolutely incorrect. Again, it was a charter member and, in fact, it was the second to last to be readmitted to the Union (Georiga was last) after the War was over (mainly because "Confederate" feelings were so strong, and there was an admirable refusal to admit secession was wrong). Further, going by voting, only in South Carolina was the decision to secede of a greater percentage.

I could go on, but here is a good link as to the real history of Texas in the War:

Texas in the American Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As to the other point, for sure, Texas is Texas. As a native Texan I am proud of that. However, most of the things that make Texas TEXAS, are Southern in orgin. And just as importantly, Texas is SO big that the cultural experience of someone who lives in far West Texas is not going to be the same as one in East Texas. To say Texas is hardscrabble land is true in many parts, but East Texas was a land of plantations and Old South. And it is where the Deep South begins today. Your part of Texas is, for sure, nothing like the Deep South. But go to Tyler, or Marshall, or Jefferson, etc, and it is a whole different story. And Dallas is kinda like Atlanta anymore. Neither are typical of the state and culture at large, due to the decades of northern migration.

Even West Texas, although for sure not fitting the moonlight and magolias image of the South, was settled by migrating Southerners looking to get a new start and it is still the culture that dominates.

Finally, in socio-cultural surveys, the overwhelming majority of Texas residents considered themselves to live in the South, and a definite majority to personally consider themselves Southerners.

[Exult.Q36]

Originally Posted by Spade

You lost me with the number of blacks thing. New York and Chicago have the largest black population as far as city limits in the nation and they aren't southern.I would say Ft. Worth is more southwestern than it is southern. Hell the saying for the metroplex is Dallas where the east ends and Ft. Worth where the west begins.

I understand exactly where he was coming from East Fort Worth predominately black and has a southern feel to it. So to say that Fort Worth is where the west begin is not true. Most inner city Fort Worth that live in east Fort Worth consider Fort Worth to be southern.

[DBP123]

and furthermore if you drive around ElPaso texas you wil see as many cotton fields as jalapeno fields , Texas is both a southern and a western state,and I would submit to you that to TRULY be in the west YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE SOUTH FIRST!! Go to California then spend time in New Mexico and Texas ,you will find Californian values are more in league with the north and they do generaly NOT think of themselves as cowboys,that there is a DEFINITE dissimilarity between a rodeo pronounced ro-day-o in CA and a good old fashioned Live-stock show and rodeo in texas , the live stock part of that being from SOUTHERN HERITAGE,if you go to Nashville Tn you will find many there identify with western culture,and consider themselves to be cowboys, Yes definitely,to be a part of the WEST,a state must 1st be part of THE SOUTH!!!

[TowerGuy]

I am from California and I say Dallas is certainly not "The South". My family and friends from California feel the same. For what it's worth, I went to see Kathy Griffin downtown back in April and as she talked about Dallas she stated that she didn't consider Dallas to be southern at all. In response, a huge round of applause from some 2,000 people agreed with that statement.

IMO, Dallas is too cosmopolitan and has way too many transplants from all over the country to be considered "The South". If I had to label Dallas anything north, east, south or west, I would say that it is a perfect example of East meets West. I find that it has elements of the East Coast and the West Coast. That must be why I am so happy here as a transplant.

A perfect, albeit small, example of this is the fact that next year Dallas will have Five Guys AND In-N-Out. A popular burger joint from the East Coast and a popular burger joint from the West Coast. See? East meets West.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by USA_Mom

Hi y'all,

I've been wondering because my father (lives in Colorad) considers Texas "The South" even up in Dallas. My mom and I don't (her family ancestry goes back to BEFORE Louisiana was a state and she was born and raised there). My husband, Louisiana, and I think it's more midwest. What do y'all think?

Like in the deep south, the women folk down here in Texas sho' smell a lot like fresh talcum when working outside on a hot, blistery day chopping up chiffarobes for firewood. The sharp splinters left exposed from a heap of that warped, cheap wood can cut deep even in a pair of dainty hands worn down like sandpaper and dried up with calluses. They really hate prickin' their fingahs'!

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by TowerGuy

I am from California and I say Dallas is certainly not "The South". My family and friends from California feel the same. For what it's worth, I went to see Kathy Griffin downtown back in April and as she talked about Dallas she stated that she didn't consider Dallas to be southern at all. In response, a huge round of applause from some 2,000 people agreed with that statement.

IMO, Dallas is too cosmopolitan and has way too many transplants from all over the country to be considered "The South". If I had to label Dallas anything north, east, south or west, I would say that it is a perfect example of East meets West. I find that it has elements of the East Coast and the West Coast. That must be why I am so happy here as a transplant.

A perfect, albeit small, example of this is the fact that next year Dallas will have Five Guys AND In-N-Out. A popular burger joint from the East Coast and a popular burger joint from the West Coast. See? East meets West.

I think it's a generational thing. By this I mean, I'm in my mid-40s and when I was a kid Dallas did have a southern feel. Dallas has changed since then and has a more cosmopolitan feel now.

[TowerGuy]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

I think it's a generational thing. By this I mean, I'm in my mid-40s and when I was a kid Dallas did have a southern feel. Dallas has changed since then and has a more cosmopolitan feel now.

Agreed. I am quite sure that was the case then. So much has changed...for the better IMHO. LOL.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by TowerGuy

Agreed. I am quite sure that was the case then. So much has changed...for the better IMHO. LOL.

Sorry, but the city of Dallas even in the older encyclopedias was described as cosmopolitan when compared to all the other cities in Texas and in the Southwest. For the better? Downtown Dallas once had the largest Baptist, Catholic, and Presbyterian Churches in the nation. Now it has crowds of swinging folks mingling about acting cool and drinking a lot.

[TowerGuy]

Originally Posted by Mister Nifty

Sorry, but the city of Dallas even in the older encyclopedias was described as cosmopolitan when compared to all the other cities in Texas and in the Southwest. For the better? Downtown Dallas once had the largest Baptist, Catholic, and Presbyterian Churches in the nation. Now it has crowds of swinging folks mingling about acting cool and drinking a lot.

Something wrong with that? In my opinion that is better. Baptists and Catholics and Presbys OH MY!

You're speaking with tongue in cheek right?

[txtoal]

As a native Texan, I do not think Dallas or Texas for that matter to be southern. Not when your inlaws and extended family are from AL/GA/MI & LA. Now those states are southern. I guess I just think of Texas as Texas.