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I think Iowa is the most purely Midwestern state, at least as I see the term. It's where the Great Lakes and Great Plains meet. It has little to no Southern influence. It doesn't have the Northwoods. It has almost no industrial northeast vibe. It has no influence from any other part of the country.
Part of Missouri is like this, but St Louis has more eastern ties than anywhere in Iowa, the Bootheel has a Southern feel, and the Ozarks are like a western outpost of Appalachia.
On balance, Iowa meets this description. I think it has the hardest weather swings too. 130 degrees between the annual low and high is pretty common. Tornadoes, floods, blizzards, and high wind. Iowa gets every kind of weather.
Southwest MO does not have much in common with the majority of the Midwest, so I’m going to disagree.
In what way?
I've traveled through there numerous times. It's very similar to northern Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. It's an ag dominated economy and rural area. Joplin, Springfield, Nevada, etc are definitely more Midwestern than Southern.
I suppose if by "Midwestern" you mean Ohio and Michigan, sure, it's not that Midwestern. If by Midwestern you mean the rest of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, it's very Midwestern. Also, if by "Southwest MO" you just mean Branson, I'd also agree. That's heavily Ozark which is more like Appalachia than anything.
I've traveled through there numerous times. It's very similar to northern Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. It's an ag dominated economy and rural area. Joplin, Springfield, Nevada, etc are definitely more Midwestern than Southern.
I suppose if by "Midwestern" you mean Ohio and Michigan, sure, it's not that Midwestern. If by Midwestern you mean the rest of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, it's very Midwestern. Also, if by "Southwest MO" you just mean Branson, I'd also agree. That's heavily Ozark which is more like Appalachia than anything.
They think of "Midwestern" as just the far north upper Midwest. I love the upper Midwest, but I know we're just one slice of the Midwestern pie. The rhubarb flavoured part, though
I'd argue that the Midwest "vibe" extends much further south, down to northern Texas. That's in terms of geography and some cultural quirks, not in accents or culture as a whole, though.
I know what you mean by "Deep Midwest" but a better name would be either "Core Midwest" or something that encapsulates the "middle-ness." The Deep South refers to the far deep parts of the coastal south (outside of south Florida and south Texas). That's why its "deep." Deep implies connotations of "towards the bottom."
Anyway, I'd say Iowa is the centre of that subregion, and it extends west to eastern Nebraska, up to southeast South Dakota, across far southern Minnesota, southern Wisconsin, most of Illinois, most of Indiana, southern Michigan, western Ohio and west through the top half of Missouri and northeast Kansas.
I've traveled through there numerous times. It's very similar to northern Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. It's an ag dominated economy and rural area. Joplin, Springfield, Nevada, etc are definitely more Midwestern than Southern.
I suppose if by "Midwestern" you mean Ohio and Michigan, sure, it's not that Midwestern. If by Midwestern you mean the rest of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, it's very Midwestern. Also, if by "Southwest MO" you just mean Branson, I'd also agree. That's heavily Ozark which is more like Appalachia than anything.
By that definition St. Louis is not very Midwestern, which I'm starting think St. Louis is a somewhat of a cultural island in many ways. Separate from stereotypical Midwestern and Southern culture.
By that definition St. Louis is not very Midwestern, which I'm starting think St. Louis is a somewhat of a cultural island in many ways. Separate from stereotypical Midwestern and Southern culture.
I think St. Louis has a unique culture. Part of the Midwest, but it's own unique vibe. Like how New Orleans is definitely in the South, but it's totally it's own thing.
Not to that extent, but I think it's a useful analogy.
They think of "Midwestern" as just the far north upper Midwest. I love the upper Midwest, but I know we're just one slice of the Midwestern pie. The rhubarb flavoured part, though
I'd argue that the Midwest "vibe" extends much further south, down to northern Texas. That's in terms of geography and some cultural quirks, not in accents or culture as a whole, though.
I agree with you completely. I visit DFW fairly often (a good friend from college lives there), and the country side (especially towards Waco) is all but indistinguishable from large chunks of the Midwest. Gently rolling black dirt farmland where they're growing corn, wheat, and soy. It's not the Midwest, but it sure feels like it.
There's a lot of commonality that crosses north/south lines between the Mississippi and the Rockies. Is it all the same thing? No; but Minneapolis/St. Paul and Dallas/Ft. Worth are more alike than the average person would think, or the average resident of either area would likely acknowledge.
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