Is there really a culturally Southern area of Illinois? (Chicago: 2015, agricultural)

[RisingAurvandil]

I might consider a few river towns to be southern, but that's it. Southern Illinois generally lacks the cuisine, accent, evangelism, and poverty that seem to define the South.

Not resembling the lower Great Lakes cities does not make it any less Midwestern. The Midwest is a large area, that varies wildly from Kansas, to Chicago, to StL, to Michigan's UP.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by RisingAurvandil

I might consider a few river towns to be southern, but that's it. Southern Illinois generally lacks the cuisine, accent, evangelism, and poverty that seem to define the South.

Not resembling the lower Great Lakes cities does not make it any less Midwestern. The Midwest is a large area, that varies wildly from Kansas, to Chicago, to StL, to Michigan's UP.

In my opinion the Great Lakes are the anomaly of the Midwest not the other way around.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

In my opinion the Great Lakes are the anomaly of the Midwest not the other way around.

Not exactly. The Great Lakes region makes up the majority of the population of the Midwest. Relatively few people live in the Great Plains states.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Not exactly. The Great Lakes region makes up the majority of the population of the Midwest. Relatively few people live in the Great Plains states.

Ok, but what do you call states like Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa that aren't in the Great Plains? Ohio and Indiana are Great Lake bordering but the culture in the rest of either state is not really like the Great Lakes region of each state.

[damba]

This is why it's important to note that there are indeed relevant 'sub-regions' contained inside many of these larger defined areas. Of course the more Appalachian-like parts of OH won't be much like Chicago at all (etc.) Defining/describing a particular 'culture' in general can be difficult on its own(!)

cheers

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Ok, but what do you call states like Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa that aren't in the Great Plains? Ohio and Indiana are Great Lake bordering but the culture in the rest of either state is not really like the Great Lakes region of each state.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Ok, but what do you call states like Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, and Iowa that aren't in the Great Plains? Ohio and Indiana are Great Lake bordering but the culture in the rest of either state is not really like the Great Lakes region of each state.

To clarify, the center of gravity in the Midwest in terms of population lies in the Great Lakes region, even though the largest cities in those respective states are south of the Great Lakes themselves (Columbus, Indianapolis, etc).

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

To clarify, the center of gravity in the Midwest in terms of population lies in the Great Lakes region, even though the largest cities in those respective states are south of the Great Lakes themselves (Columbus, Indianapolis, etc).

But again, when you say Great Lakes what do you mean?

Here is what Midwest Great Lakes tends to mean

Cleveland metro
Toledo metro
All of Michigan
Chicago metro (includes Northwest Indiana)
All of Wisconsin
Duluth metro

Is that where most of the Midwest population is? If you take the remaining Ohio, Illinois, Indiana populations and then add them up to the populations of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota, will the population of the Great Lakes region be greater? Genuinely curious.

[North 42]

I would consider the northern halves of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to be culturally Great Lakes, and the southern halves of these states to lean towards Ohio River culture, the middle sections naturally would be a mix of both.
You don't have to be right on the lakes themselves or only very close to them to be in the Great Lakes Region and culture.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by North 42

I would consider the northern halves of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to be culturally Great Lakes, and the southern halves of these states to lean towards Ohio River culture, the middle sections naturally would be a mix of both.
You don't have to be right on the lakes themselves or only very close to them to be in the Great Lakes Region and culture.

Well considering that Columbus, Lafayette, and Decatur, are all very different than small towns up in the Great Lakes I would be very inclined to disagree here. I would say the Great Lakes sphere of influence is not very large in many states except Michigan and Wisconsin.

[North 42]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Well considering that Columbus, Lafayette, and Decatur, are all very different than small towns up in the Great Lakes I would be very inclined to disagree here. I would say the Great Lakes sphere of influence is not very large in many states except Michigan and Wisconsin.

Actually Columbus is not that much different from Ann Arbor, just bigger, and in no way do they feel like they are in a different region. Obviously the further you get from the lakes themselves the less influence they will have, but the Great Lakes is a huge region that has a lot of influence. Plus, not every part of the Great Lakes is the same, there is a different feel depending on what part of them you are in.