Why the Dakotas/NE/KS are part of the Eastern US (land, transit)

[Mini-apple-less]

Even though people like to consider them western I think of them as the western end of the East. Why?

1) They're considered part of an eastern region (The Midwest).
2) They have humid summers and cold winters, unlike the dry and mild states west of them. Nebraska has essentially the same climate as New England just a bit more extreme.
3) They're mostly farmland and human settlement as opposed to desert, mountain or scrub. The land in these states has an unmistakably eastern appearance to it. Much more like Kentucky, New York State etc than like Idaho, California or Montana with their ranches, palm trees, cacti etc.
4) Their residents identify with the states east of them more. The Dakotas are extremely connected to Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa are siblings and Kansas shares a major metro with Missouri. Their connections to Colorado, Montana and Wyoming are not strong.
5) Rather than being mostly libertarian, hippie or atheist like the West, they lean more towards conservatism, Christianity or in the case of being liberal are more religious left or socialist than hippie.

[cakecakecake]

Nah they Midwestern fosho

[cacto]

The dividing line between East and West runs through the middle of those states all the way down through the middle of Texas.
Dodge City KS and Deadwood SD are emblematic of the Old West.
Omaha might have some Northeastern type weather but I've been through Western Nebraska's prairie dotted with prickly pear that didn't look Eastern in the slightest.

[cheese plate]

Originally Posted by cacto

The dividing line between East and West runs through the middle of those states all the way down through the middle of Texas.
Dodge City KS and Deadwood SD are emblematic of the Old West.
Omaha might have some Northeastern type weather but I've been through Western Nebraska's prairie dotted with prickly pear that didn't look Eastern in the slightest.

You bet! The Badlands, Black Hills, etc., are very much Western/Plains. The rest of the states are very much Midwestern/Plains.

Side note: there are "desert" or sand prairie areas with tons of Prickly Pear cactus even in Wisconsin (like Spring Green Preserve: http://www.birddigiscoper.com/prickpearcactus.jpg), but I agree that in many areas of W NE this is more common than not, and the landscape is a Western transition.

[bler144]

Originally Posted by valsteele

Even though people like to consider them western I think of them as the western end of the East. Why?

1) They're considered part of an eastern region (The Midwest).
3) They're mostly farmland and human settlement as opposed to desert, mountain or scrub. The land in these states has an unmistakably eastern appearance to it. Much more like Kentucky, New York State etc than like Idaho, California or Montana with their ranches, palm trees, cacti etc.

1) The midwest, even by its name, is not part of 'an eastern region' in the sense most Americans would think of it. Now, if you are a lifelong west-coaster, the midwest may seem 'eastish' by comparison, but geographically/culturally/economically/etc. it is quite distinct from the east.

3) I think you're using selective vision. Kansas looks more like eastern WA than it does NY state; the Dakotas look more like eastern MT.

I could pick on your other points as well, but TLDR I think you're nuts.

[CurlyFries]

I personally put the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas in their own "Great Plains" region. Lebanon Kansas has the most central point in the lower 48 states.

Lebanon, Kansas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[cheese plate]

Originally Posted by CurlyFries

I personally put the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas in their own "Great Plains" region. Lebanon Kansas has the most central point in the lower 48 states.

Lebanon, Kansas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would agree with that. I also think there's an Upper Midwestern MN/WI/MI thing. The Midwest is many sub-regions, just like "The West." Or "The South."

[Bobloblawslawblog]

They're both Eastern and Western. As someone else pointed out earlier, you can run a line right down the middle of all of these states, including Texas, and divide them pretty much equally into both sides of the nation. Culturally and topographically, they all share traits of both.

Though generally considered part of the Midwest, I am of the opinion that these states are really kind of their own sub-region: the Great Plains. Definitely a transition zone.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by bler144

1) The midwest, even by its name, is not part of 'an eastern region' in the sense most Americans would think of it. Now, if you are a lifelong west-coaster, the midwest may seem 'eastish' by comparison, but geographically/culturally/economically/etc. it is quite distinct from the east.

It's not the east coast but the Midwest is almost entirely in the eastern half of the country. I think pretty much anyone would agree it has "more to do" with the east coast than with the distant west coast. Most of the Midwest's population could drive to New York City within a day.

[Bobloblawslawblog]

Originally Posted by valsteele

It's not the east coast but the Midwest is almost entirely in the eastern half of the country. I think pretty much anyone would agree it has "more to do" with the east coast than with the distant west coast. Most of the Midwest's population could drive to New York City within a day.

OK, but this is about the Great Plains portion of the Midwest. I'm not looking at a map right now or a mileage chart, but my guess is that you would probably have to drive an equal amount of distance in either direction from the middle of any of these states (N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas) before you see an ocean.

Obviously most of the Midwest (a very large region) lies in the Eastern half of the U.S. I don't think anyone is denying that. However, the Great Plains states are pretty much a transition zone where East meets West. Certain "Westernisms" begin to appear in these states. Cowboy/ranch culture, Rockies-like terrain (Black Hills, SD), and a general frontier-like vibe that I have experienced before, firsthand, in places like Scottsbluff, NE, Liberal, KS, and Sturgis, SD that you really don't find anywhere to the East.

Obviously it's nothing like the West coast, but it does share quite a bit in common with the American West.