What region does Nevada/Arizona identify with? (transplants, earthquakes)
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There's so many thread about definition of the South, so might as well get some input on this. Like some of ya'll have seen in other threads, these are 2 states I'm very interested in.
Culturally and otherwise, what regional definition do Nevada and Arizona fit the most into? Especially with a lot of newcomers in these states the culture I think can be hard to define.
Simply as Western?
Southwestern?
West Coast?
the Inland West?
Mountain States?
Middle America?
I've always just considered everything from Colorado westward as "Western" but when I tell people I want to move "out West" or "West" they immediately assume California. Actually not interested in going to California except on vacation....not going to deal with earthquakes, taxes, illegals, and traffic. Then I tend to consider Nevada and Arizona the "interior West" along with states like Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. But then aren't NV and AZ also "Southwestern" along with New Mexico?
BTW I think the only state that is uniquely "Southwest" is New Mexico and the western parts of Texas. But the landscape and climate of Nevada is kinda like New Mexico too more so than the cooler climes in Utah and Montana.
I know Nevada is in the Pacific time zone and Arizona is weird cause it doesn't do daylight savings time so the time zone I think varies.
There's so many thread about definition of the South, so might as well get some input on this. Like some of ya'll have seen in other threads, these are 2 states I'm very interested in.
Culturally and otherwise, what regional definition do Nevada and Arizona fit the most into? Especially with a lot of newcomers in these states the culture I think can be hard to define.
Simply as Western?
Southwestern?
West Coast?
the Inland West?
Mountain States?
Middle America?
I've always just considered everything from Colorado westward as "Western" but when I tell people I want to move "out West" or "West" they immediately assume California. Actually not interested in going to California except on vacation....not going to deal with earthquakes, taxes, illegals, and traffic. Then I tend to consider Nevada and Arizona the "interior West" along with states like Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. But then aren't NV and AZ also "Southwestern" along with New Mexico?
BTW I think the only state that is uniquely "Southwest" is New Mexico and the western parts of Texas. But the landscape and climate of Nevada is kinda like New Mexico too more so than the cooler climes in Utah and Montana.
I know Nevada is in the Pacific time zone and Arizona is weird cause it doesn't do daylight savings time so the time zone I think varies.
I hope that those in the "interior west" will insult you, as a transplant, the same way you insult the transplants from the NYC area.
Arizona is the heart of the Desert Southwest. This region consists of Southern California (once you're away from the immediate coastal areas and get into the mojave desert), most of Nevada, southern Utah, most of Arizona, southern New Mexico, far west Texas-- and also extending into northern Mexico-- Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua.
A lot of regions are overlapping. "The West" including California, the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, the Rocky Mountain West, the Colorado Plateau/ Indian Country (the four corners area), and the Great Plains. "Southwestern" is often really ambiguous-- it can mean anything from Indians and cowboys, to horses, to Mexican-influenced culture to Navajo culture, you name it. "Desert Southwest," in my opinion, is a better term to describe the region Arizona is in.
Generally the culture of 90% of the white people who live in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson metro areas) is pretty much the same as the midwest-- just different climate. The #1 source of domestic migrants is clearly from California. In many ways, Arizona (and Nevada) is part of "Greater California." #2 source of people moving here is the upper midwest-- especially Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. There's also a huge Mexican and Mexican-American population here, which in certain areas of town is the dominant group.
Arizona is the heart of the Desert Southwest. This region consists of Southern California (once you're away from the immediate coastal areas and get into the mojave desert), most of Nevada, southern Utah, most of Arizona, southern New Mexico, far west Texas-- and also extending into northern Mexico-- Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua.
A lot of regions are overlapping. "The West" including California, the Pacific Northwest, the desert Southwest, the Rocky Mountain West, the Colorado Plateau/ Indian Country (the four corners area), and the Great Plains. "Southwestern" is often really ambiguous-- it can mean anything from Indians and cowboys, to horses, to Mexican-influenced culture to Navajo culture, you name it. "Desert Southwest," in my opinion, is a better term to describe the region Arizona is in.
Generally the culture of 90% of the white people who live in Arizona (Phoenix and Tucson metro areas) is pretty much the same as the midwest-- just different climate. The #1 source of domestic migrants is clearly from California. In many ways, Arizona (and Nevada) is part of "Greater California." #2 source of people moving here is the upper midwest-- especially Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. There's also a huge Mexican and Mexican-American population here, which in certain areas of town is the dominant group.
Illinois and Ohio are the Lower Midwest, not the Upper Midwest. Any state in the Midwest that touches the Ohio River is considered Lower Midwest (MO, IL, IN, OH). Arizona and New Mexico will always be Southwestern. I don't think that outsiders can change a state's culture.
Illinois and Ohio are the Lower Midwest, not the Upper Midwest. Any state in the Midwest that touches the Ohio River is considered Lower Midwest (MO, IL, IN, OH).
I'll let somebody else argue that.
Quote:
Arizona and New Mexico will always be Southwestern. I don't think that outsiders can change a state's culture.
I agree, it is definitely Southwestern-- but what exactly "southwestern" is is not set in stone for generations and generations, unlike other regions of the country. Arizona is still a state in the making, IMHO. It's culturally is still being formed. It's not really a case of natives vs outsiders, us VS them.
[quote=vegaspilgrim;1452925]I'll let somebody else argue that.
Like who exactly do you have in mind, and how could you argue them being completely in the Upper Midwest? think about it...how on earth can you argue for them being the Upper Midwest when they are bounded by Kentucky, a Southern state at the bottom. You don't cross into the Upper Midwest from the Upper South like that...you need to go about 200 miles north from there to get to the Upper Midwest. Hence there is a region in between..the lower Midwest. Small portions of Illinois and Ohio and Indiana could be considered the Upper Midwest, but mostly all of them, including Missouri, are the Lower Midwest. The only parts of Illinois and Ohio which could be considered the Upper Midwest are the very tops of their states, mainly in places like Chicago, Toledo, and Cleveland. the true Upper Midwestern states are Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. THere is a clear difference between the Upper Midwest and Lower Midwest.
Southwest for sure. But when I went to northern Arizona (Grand Canyon/Flagstaff) I was surprised as to how many trees and forests there were. All I heard about Arizona was that it was simply desert, but it was a lot more diverse than what I had expected.
So I wouldn't classify all of Arizona as "desert Southwest." I'm guessing the southern part of Arizona can be more under that classification, however.
I think Vegaspilgrim was refering to the northern parts of Illinois and Ohio. Those areas tend to be more heavily populated anyways.
Yea. Definitely true. Although Southern Ohio and Northern Ohio are both pretty heavily populated, what with Cincinnati and Dayton and Columbus being in the Southern/Central part. Ohio is one of the most populated states in the country. obviously, Illinois is heavily populated in the Northern parts of it, because that's where Chicago is.
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