Do the extreme southern areas of illinois have more of a southern feel/influence than midwestern??? (Chicago: homes, buy)

[Southern Soul Bro]

Do the extreme southern areas of Illinois have more of a southern feel/influence than midwestern??? I noticed that the extreme southern areas of Illinois and Missouri are very close to Kentucky and Tennessee.

I also noticed that the demographics of some of the rural towns in extreme southern IL and extreme Southeast Missouri look more similar to southern rural towns as opposed to midwestern rural towns.

Are these areas basically "southern"...???

[bhj867]

yea pretty much. I live in Harrisburg, which is pretty close to the river.

A lot of these little towns and cities used to be big industrial, Riverboat, and coal towns in the 1800s-1950s that shriveled up. As far as I have seen in my lifetime it's straight up pickup trucks chewin' tobacco, and country music for the old timers and us kids just listen to a little more rap music than country, and wear our clothes a little more urban. Places like Carbondale and Marion (Harrisburg included in my opinion) are a LITTLE more mid-westernized mainly because of the University and their larger size, but not by much.

The whole region is teetering on the edge of being completely Southern. A lot of the old timers talk with a complete Kentucky southern accent or a complete St. Louis accent, and some of us kids have carried it on to a certain extent. Trailer parks are also a norm around these parts, as well as horse back riding and four wheeler riding (Do a little of both myself). A lot of the people here are REALLY outdoorsy and still own large amounts of old family homestead farmland (my family included) but most don't farm on their land. There is also a large Mennonite population here that unlike most of us can afford to farm large amounts of their land bordering our fields overgrown with weeds and trees lol. The closer you get to the river the more "backwards" the people get in my opinion lol. But it's all a matter of opinion.

[dcisive]

It is one of the things I remember most when I went to SIU Carbondale back in the early 70's. It was no doubt just like being in Tennessee from my account. I went back to visit in the late 90's and while Carbondale seemed a bit more Midwestern feel to it, the surrounding areas were pretty much the same. That's not a bad thing really. Kind of simple and homey. Definitely NOT like Northern Illinois at all however.

[Scio42]

Originally Posted by King_X

Do the extreme southern areas of Illinois have more of a southern feel/influence than midwestern???

Not quite southern, more like south lite....

[linicx]

Originally Posted by King_X

Do the extreme southern areas of Illinois have more of a southern feel/influence than midwestern???

I think it is directly related to how 'Southern feel" is viewed. To some it is still the racially divided pre-Civil War south, but to the exceptionally uneducated every area of America that is south of 1-80 is "redneck" and not deserving of human dignity.

Illinois has been a cultural mix of north and south since the day Illinois Country was opened to setlement. I say this with some assurity as my ancestors, who came from the British Isles and the Netherlands all settled on the east coast in MA, NY, and VA. The Virginians tended to move south as far as Georgia, whereas the others moved through PA and thence westward to settle in Ohio ca 1800. Theu fought in the north and the south in the RW, and side by side in the Civil War. From Ohio and the long islland state tney settled in Kansas and Illinois. Their children moved into Chicago, MO and IA, while others moved westward and settled in Cherokee Territory before statehood was granted to Oklahoma.

My ancestor was one of a group of Indian fighters whe were sent to Kentucky to rescue Daniel Boone after he was capttured by Indians. .

What is Southern? My Victorian grandmothers were from the north and the south. Neither had an education. Both were well spokeh, properly dressed and educated in the duties of home and family including how to use a wash board - as did all female children of that era. They baked the same pies and cakes they cooked the same foods and they cleaned th same way. In later years they lived with their daughters and celebrated . 90 or more years in good health. The only difference was what money could buy in terns of new fangled gadgets. One grandmother had a 'mangle', but the other did not.

What is "Southern" Illinois? I think it is a portion of the State of Illinois that is bounded by Missouri and Kentucky and nothing more. Are the people who live there influenced by the surrounding states? Possibly. I personally have no way to determine this is a fact or not without a interviewing people who live in each county. What I suspect is the interviewer would get a differnet perspective from the eastern border to the western border. And still have no conclusive answer.

.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Scio42

Not quite southern, more like south lite....

Midwestern with a tinge of the South/Texas mixed in. Hard to explain.

[WishToLiveInSeattle]

These Southern Illinois people are backwards, ignorant and it is very, very racially divided around here to the point that an African American can not get a good job in this area.

It is like living in a 1960's movie.

I am ashamed to even say that I grew up in this wretched area of the country.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by WishToLiveInSeattle

These Southern Illinois people are backwards, ignorant and it is very, very racially divided around here to the point that an African American can not get a good job in this area.

It is like living in a 1960's movie.

I am ashamed to even say that I grew up in this wretched area of the country.

Then move to Chicagoland where African-Americans, if they so apply themselves, can get absolute fantastic jobs if they so desired.

[Drover]

To me, extreme southern Illinois feels more southern than midwest. Then again, my notion of "midwest" is informed by living in the upper midwest with its more industrial bent and strong Euro-ethnic identities. I'm sure someone from Mississippi would consider Union County to be thoroughly midwestern.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by King_X

Do the extreme southern areas of Illinois have more of a southern feel/influence than midwestern??? ...Are these areas basically "southern"...???

Yes they do. No question about it. Pretty much.