Do you view Denver as being an "inland West Coast" city? (Vail: rental car, 2015)

[Apple Tree]

Originally Posted by davidv

OP wants to know whether Denver is an "inland West Coast city" or part of the Midwest. The answer is neither.


The hallmark values of the West are self-reliance, hard work, and distrust of large institutions -- especially political
institutions.

The plains are for ranching. One of the icons of the West is the cowboy.

We have a history of mining with its boom and bust nature that we know so well. Whether it is metals, oil, or natural gas, with have a strong link to the earth.

We are politically independent. No political party has a majority here. We vote people and issues.

We have churches, but religion doesn't define our population.


It is not about physical geography or location. It is our mindset. We are Westerners because we believe we are.
.

You just described the Dakotas and Texas. Are they also the West?

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Apple Tree

Denver is in the plains. It is and always has been one of the great cities of the plains. It is closer to and has more in common with Omaha than Jackson Hole.
Why the kneejerk negative reaction to being classified as a high plains city? I have spent time in Billings, Rapid City, Cheyenne, and all are nice places with good people.
I agree that Denver is not Midwest. In my mind, the only true Midwest states are those in the corn belt. Part of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. Texas and the Ozarks sure don't feel like Midwest. Northern Wisconsin and Minnesota don't feel like the Midwest. Denver doesn't either. It is high plains, and you should be proud to say that.

To say Denver has no mountain identity is foolish at best, but you're trolling again so what else should we expect.

[Apple Tree]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

To say Denver has no mountain identity is foolish at best, but you're trolling again so what else should we expect.

I'm not saying you don't have any mountain identity. It is part of the broader package, no doubt. Lots of people from Denver make trips to the mountains. Lots of people fly in to Denver so they can begin their drive to the ski resorts. What is so wrong with being high plains? I think ranches, cowboys, sweeping vistas, and crisp, dry air is cool. I love the high plains.

when I think true Mountain West, I think Park City, Bozeman, Missoula, Boise, Steamboat.

[Mr. Analyst]

Originally Posted by Apple Tree

I'm not saying you don't have any mountain identity. It is part of the broader package, no doubt. Lots of people from Denver make trips to the mountains. Lots of people fly in to Denver so they can begin their drive to the ski resorts. What is so wrong with being high plains? I think ranches, cowboys, sweeping vistas, and crisp, dry air is cool. I love the high plains.

when I think true Mountain West, I think Park City, Bozeman, Missoula, Boise, Steamboat.

Denver sits on the edge of the eastern foothills of the Rockies. I'd say at the very least it lies on the eastern-most edge of the Mountain West region.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by Apple Tree

You just described the Dakotas and Texas. Are they also the West?

Yes.

Rapid City is the West. Parts of Western Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas would be the West. Even parts of Canada are more like us than the East Coast is. You find many of the same attitudes and activities. There are rodeos, not agricultural fairs. OSU and UWyo both identify with Cowboys.

Just because it is flat doesn't mean that it can't be the west.

The 20 inch rainfall line (the line separating orange and yellow on this map) is a better physical predictor than mountains. West of that line, agriculture is too risky without any irrigation, and east of that line is where you find the typical rolling hills and farms of the Midwest.

[Lost Roses]

When I moved to Denver 50 years ago, it was known as "The Queen City of the Plains." Nowadays, I haven't heard that name in years. That said, I knew I was moving "Out West."

[jwiley]

Originally Posted by davidv

OP wants to know whether Denver is an "inland West Coast city" or part of the Midwest. The answer is neither.

Denver IS the West.

The hallmark values of the West are self-reliance, hard work, and distrust of large institutions -- especially political
institutions.

Yes, we are on the high plains, but the high plains of Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado are not for farming without irrigation. The plains are for ranching. One of the icons of the West is the cowboy.

We have a history of mining with its boom and bust nature that we know so well. Whether it is metals, oil, or natural gas, with have a strong link to the earth.

We are politically independent. No political party has a majority here. We vote people and issues.

We have churches, but religion doesn't define our population.

We have a large Hispanic population whose ancestors were the original cowboys.

It is not about physical geography or location. It is our mindset. We are Westerners because we believe we are.

It is why we have a huge stock show and Indian Powwow every year.

It is why we name our sports teams Broncos, Nuggets, Pioneers, Buffaloes.

It is why we have the most honorable Native American mascot in the nation at Arapahoe High School.

Denver itself has an influx of people from other parts of the country which makes it more of a collection of cultures. But at its core, Denver and Colorado are the West.

Very good post, while Texas gets all the hype for being a cowboy area, and rightly deserves it, people ignore the fact that ranching is a large part of the history of Colorado, and all the states along the rocky mountains. There are still the most rodeos in Colorado, and the largest stock show/rodeo in the country in Denver. While some throw a fit about the dusty cow town image of Denver, the older generations of my family who have been within 35 miles of Denver their whole life love that image.

Mining is also a big part of the state, and natural resources as well.

The fact is I call Denver and Colorado as a whole mountain west, because I do not think we belong in the same category as California, Oregon, and Washington. Nor do I believe we are all that similar to the true midwest like Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and the like.

If anything Denver is very similar to Salt Lake City (if you could remove the religious group out of there), Albuquerque, and Cheyenne, only larger with more transplants slowly eroding the culture that I and many more love about Denver and it's history. Hell I could even see the argument for Denver being similar to some of the west Texas cities than I could see them being compared to Omaha or San Fransisco.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by Mach50

Corporate Headquarters: Coors, Ball Aerospace, DISH, DirectTV, Conoco, Frontier, Janus Capital, Level 3, Lockheed Marting, Raytheon, Qdoba, Chiplote, Oracle has a major presence, Vail Resorts.

Landmark? Union Station and Daniels & Fisher (Clock) Tower.

Natural beauty makes Denver unique.

Liberty Media.

[randomparent]

Perhaps we can settle on Western High Plains and call it a day?

[Timmyy]

I just call it home.