Would anyone in their right mind consider Denver a Midwestern city? (Parker: transplants, houses)

[Katarina Witt]

People in Omaha have mixed accents, some very midwestern, some less so. We noticed on that trip at Christmas, that as you go farther west in NE, the speech becomes more like that of CO. I guess that makes them more "western" than midwestern. Perhaps the dividing line is somewhere in W. Nebraska.

[EscapeCalifornia]

As someone from the left coast who's been to Texas, Missouri, and Iowa, I can see how people would think of Denver as Midwestern. I think the big thing is the relative flatness of the terrain and the fact that you can actually look outside of town and see open fields to the horizon. It might be dry prairie grass in Denver vs. corn in Iowa, but it's still more natural looking than what I see on a daily basis. The first time I got the rental car up to speed on Pena Blvd I looked around and thought "This looks like Iowa" and even the sound of the car's tires against the road surface reminded me of Iowa. I don't know if it's the road material or the some surface treatment but there's a distinct sound we don't have in California, even though we do have grooved concrete freeways too. Denver reminds me of the Midwest in that things are more spread out and traffic is so much less. Driving a couple of hours down the Interstate to the next city, and seeing open space in between, is so refreshing. No so here. People in the middle of the country don't seem so rushed either.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Denver is not a midwestern city. Usually people who call Denver a "midwestern" city are from one of the two coasts and are totally ignorant of everything in the middle of the country, often forgetting the existence of the entire mountain west region, lumping it all together. However I can see calling it "Middle America," as it IS a very middle-of-the-country kind of place culturally.

You're right as those who live on the coasts consider anything in the middle a cultural wasteland.

I suppose if you look at the map, Colorado IS more in the middle, but having grown up on the West Coast, I felt like I was coming home when we moved here from Florida. There is something about mountains, wide-open spaces, cowboys-and-Indians history and the general attitude that defines the West Coast for me and Colorado meets those definitions to a tee.

By the way, I am totally excluding California when I speak about the "west coast." It's like telling an East Coaster that you live on the East Coast because you are in Florida. Most will say, "Florida is not the East Coast" which is weird because it can't get any more "east" than it is. I think it's a general feeling that it gives off. Most West Coasters have a very definite opinion about California (deservedly or not) and most of them blame California for everything...bad drivers, rude people, inflating the housing market, destroying our school system, illegal immigration...the list goes on an on.

Because of our attitudes, political leanings, love of the great outdoors and the love of hiking boots, cargo pants and (unfortunately) people wearing Tevas with socks , I would define Colorado as a West Coast state. I suppose that is a huge generalization, but there you go.

[Scott5280]

We are just cowboys that surf snow..

[DenverLawGal]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

It's like telling an East Coaster that you live on the East Coast because you are in Florida.

Funny you say that. When I first joined here, I set out wanting to move to Miami, and chose this handle. Silly me. Now I know better and have often thought of changing my handle to reflect Miami, not the east coast. I'm too lazy though.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by wanttomoveeast

Funny you say that. When I first joined here, I set out wanting to move to Miami, and chose this handle. Silly me. Now I know better and have often thought of changing my handle to reflect Miami, not the east coast. I'm too lazy though.

I know...I think that's weird. When I heard people say that Florida was NOT the East Coast, I wondered. It got even weirder because I made a few friends there who were from the South (Alabama, Georgia) and they declared that Florida was not part of the "South" either.

[TheRefileric]

Well, If you think about it, Denver is logistically in the center of the United States. Take a look at the map. So its not a mid western or a west coast state. It's a Rocky mountain state. See ya.

[DenverLawGal]

Southerners are pretty territorial when it comes to the South. And yeah, Florida is east coast to me! But most people don't consider it.

Originally Posted by the3Ds

I know...I think that's weird. When I heard people say that Florida was NOT the East Coast, I wondered. It got even weirder because I made a few friends there who were from the South (Alabama, Georgia) and they declared that Florida was not part of the "South" either.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by the3Ds

By the way, I am totally excluding California when I speak about the "west coast." .

Just what IS the west coast then?

I can assure you back in PA or even Illinois, we thought of California as the west coast.

[deckdoc]

kinda surprised~ that the midwest according to Wikapedia includes most states EAST of the middle of the us than west~ ya can tell it was made by easterners!! Tain't midwest till its west of the mississippi!