Why is Iowa considered to be in the Upper Midwest and why isn't Nebraska? (estimate, estate)
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Iowa is tricky. These days I do see it as Upper Midwestern. Its certainly not LOWER Midwestern. Des Moines doesn't look or feel all that diff from southern Minnesota IMO. Nebraska is just too western. The Dakotas I see as Upper Midwest at least in the eastern part. I just don't think you can separate Fargo from the Upper Midwest.
I think its fair to define the Upper Midwest as Minnesota and the states that border it. This includes Michigan which has a water border.
Iowa is tricky. These days I do see it as Upper Midwestern. Its certainly not LOWER Midwestern. Des Moines doesn't look or feel all that diff from southern Minnesota IMO. Nebraska is just too western. The Dakotas I see as Upper Midwest at least in the eastern part. I just don't think you can separate Fargo from the Upper Midwest.
I think its fair to define the Upper Midwest as Minnesota and the states that border it. This includes Michigan which has a water border.
The Northwoods are a defining feature of the Upper Midwest, however, as that is probably at least 75% or more of the region. I think once you get south of 43N latitude you lose the Upper Midwest features quite quickly. Madison, WI is right at 43N latitude and it certainly has those Upper Midwest characteristics that are also found in the Twin Cities in terms of demographics, climate, etc.
The Northwoods are a defining feature of the Upper Midwest, however, as that is probably at least 75% or more of the region. I think once you get south of 43N latitude you lose the Upper Midwest features quite quickly. Madison, WI is right at 43N latitude and it certainly has those Upper Midwest characteristics that are also found in the Twin Cities in terms of demographics, climate, etc.
I agree with the approximate border for the upper Midwest being around 43N, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland are all in the middle ground and are neither upper or lower Midwest, at least in feel and look.
I live in extreme northern Iowa and I don't know that many people who would identify as Upper Midwest. I think of that as more the forested parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Maybe eastern Dakotas. People in Des Moines think we have Minnesota accents. When my wife and I travel, people always guess us as from Minnesota or Wisconsin.
Northern Iowa (west of the Driftless), Southern/western Minnesota (west of the Driftless), the Dakotas east of the Missouri, and NE Nebraska are all extremely culturally and geographically similar. It's prairie/plains with endless cornfields, windmills, hog and cattle operations, few trees, red politics, and Catholic or Luthern populations. You could qualify all of that as part of the Upper Midwest and it would be accurate.
The only part of Iowa that I would call Upper Midwest is the Driftless Area. That's the rugged, forested NE corner of the state where IA/MN/WI come together. It's much more culturally and geographically similar to Wisconsin than it is the rest of the Iowa. The same can be said for Minnesota's portion of the Driftless. The Driftless Area itself has a unique culture and geography that's independent of the states that comprise it, but is most aligned with Wisconsin (where the majority of the area is situated).
The Northwoods are a defining feature of the Upper Midwest, however, as that is probably at least 75% or more of the region. I think once you get south of 43N latitude you lose the Upper Midwest features quite quickly. Madison, WI is right at 43N latitude and it certainly has those Upper Midwest characteristics that are also found in the Twin Cities in terms of demographics, climate, etc.
There really isn't anything like the Northwoods in Iowa. You see some of that vegetation in the Driftless with Douglas firs and white pines, but it's still more deciduous trees and intermixed prairie on ridgetops.
East river Dakotas and northern Iowa are definitely in the same category as the prairie areas of Minnesota.
I agree that northern Iowa and the eastern Dakotas are upper Midwestern. It's a cultural term, not necessarily having to do with scenery. The Northwoods and cabin culture is a huge part of upper Midwestern culture even for those who don't directly live in the Northwoods. Southern Minnesotans have upper Midwestern accents and share the same ancestry as people in the Northwoods and similar culture as well. I've never met anyone in southern or Western Minnesota who doesn't consider themselves to be in the upper midwest. My mom's family is from Southern Minnesota and they are upper Midwestern through and through.
I agree that northern Iowa and the eastern Dakotas are upper Midwestern. It's a cultural term, not necessarily having to do with scenery. The Northwoods and cabin culture is a huge part of upper Midwestern culture even for those who don't directly live in the Northwoods. Southern Minnesotans have upper Midwestern accents and share the same ancestry as people in the Northwoods and similar culture as well. I've never met anyone in southern or Western Minnesota who doesn't consider themselves to be in the upper midwest. My mom's family is from Southern Minnesota and they are upper Midwestern through and through.
It's hard to define, but I have family friends from southern/central Iowa (about 20 minutes south of I-80) and they've always noticed a pretty distinct cultural difference between us and them (for being in the same state).
For lack of a better word, there's a harsher culture in the north. People are kind of tough and stoic. Life is about working. Shut up and stop complaining about the 50 MPH wind gusts and non-stop assault of Mother Nature. It's a little more individualistic and less communal. Kind of a Plains/western influence maybe.
Where they're from, it's a little warmer (not just literally, but culturally) - people spend more time having fun, enjoying life, getting together, etc. There are a lot of those communal societies nearby (Amana is just down the road) and that rubs off on the community in general. It's a little more pastoral, from a scenery stand point too. Gently rolling hills, more trees, etc.
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