What is the true Divide Line between the North and the South? (catholics, architect)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would also add that some of the confusion on this North-South issue is that while some of us look at the geographical boundary, others are looking at the cultural boundary.
Now IMO, when you look at it with a long term historical prespective, than the political-geograhical boundaries are more important than the short term cultural shifts. So for me, the Ohio River still makes an excellent geographical boundary.
Until one gets west of the Ohio, then its completely different, there isnt any real kind of geographical boundary, at least in not in MO.
Get outta my head!
I meant one that non-locals would recognize.
Gotta say though, once one drops into the delta after the river hills, one should know they are in the south.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
2,709 posts, read 5,093,568 times
Reputation: 1028
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 I think is valid once it hits Louisville, but still is fairly definitively in the south, not quite on the upper boundary. Where I am, I-64 is not even close to the boundary.
Location: Jefferson City 4 days a week, St. Louis 3 days a week
2,709 posts, read 5,093,568 times
Reputation: 1028
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colts
I think some of you are confused between the dividing line and the transition zone.
There is no hard boundary between North and South. However, most scholars and experts do agree that there is an area of the country that has overlapping Northern and Southern culture, generally paralleling the Ohio River. There's articles online that discuss how, often times, it literally comes down to the individual towns.
If you must draw a hard boundary, the Ohio River itself serves as the general dividing line (plus the southern quarter of Missouri). Personally, I would say that the transition zone extends about 50 miles or so above and below the river on both sides. By the time you get up halfway up these states to places like Columbus--that's pretty solidly Northern.
I grew up in Michigan, but I still have a hard time calling any part of Illinois, Indiana, or Ohio "culturally southern" (Missouri's different) even if they do have some southern influences--they're still Catholic for the most part, the southern accent doesn't dominate like it does further south, etc. These places have little in common with regions deep in Dixie like the Mississippi Delta and the Black Belt of Alabama.
Remember, culture is about more than just accents and Waffle Houses. It's the architecture, food, climate, landscape, religion, politics, values, economy, city identity (where people would consider the local "big city"), ethnic background, etc. One of these days, I'm going to create a composite map with all of these elements and then normalize the boundaries into a single definitive line.
A good chunk of Illinois is Baptist, as are parts of Southern Indiana, but in any case, religion by itself is not what determines North vs. South. Catholics exist in great concentrations in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. In any case, I mostly agree with what you are saying, but the Bible Belt does extend into the Lower Midwest. The parts of Southern Indiana near Louisville are pretty definitively Southern. Less than 25% of Missouri is definitively southern...and what is is pretty sparsely populated.
As far as in Ohio, Cincinnati is pretty solidly Midwestern. That whole part of Kentucky jutting up into the Cincy area is more like Ohio than Kentucky.
Is St. Louis North or South? I've always considered part of the "Mid-South" region along with Memphis.
St Louis is Midwestern.
6th generation native here.
There are a very few southern influences, culturally speaking, but by and large, its Midwestern.
The only thing St Louis and Memphis have in common is the Mississippi and a tradition of great blues.
Is St. Louis North or South? I've always considered part of the "Mid-South" region along with Memphis.
Memphis, yes. St. Louis, no. I've been to St. Louis many times. It's firmly Midwest. In fact, most of Missouri is, with the only part that's really Southern being south of a line from Cape Girardeau to Joplin.
Is St. Louis North or South? I've always considered part of the "Mid-South" region along with Memphis.
The farthest I've ever seen the Mid-South region extended to is Cape Girardeau, Missouri. My father worked for a company that used "Mid-South" in its name in Cape.
St. Louis is by and large Midwestern.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
