Where in Missouri does the South begin? (Springfield, Cape Girardeau: public school, authority)

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

Interesting. I grew up in Memphis, went to college in the Little Rock area, and lived in Northwest Arkansas for a few years, and it always seemed like the Ozarks were a different kind of Southern than Memphis and Little Rock. So maybe they are 100% Southern, but just a different type. I never noticed much of a difference between Northwest AR and Southwest MO, so I'm kind of putting them in the same boat. But you're right about the geographic extent of Ozark culture in AR. Little Rock isn't Ozark, but once you get north of Conway and out of the River Valley (which isn't very far at all), the Ozark culture starts taking hold.

I guess when I think of "Southern" I think of the King Cotton kind of Southern another poster mentioned, which was the South I grew up with in the Memphis area--you know, the South as featured in The Help and so on and so forth.

Agree to an extent.

I mentioned it before how the Ozarks of AR and far southern MO are different.

They're still in Dixie and part of the south, BUT I call it like a southern lite. It's still southern, but not as bold as lets say the MS Delta, or central AL, or central GA for example. Those places are full blown Dixie.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

Interesting. I grew up in Memphis, went to college in the Little Rock area, and lived in Northwest Arkansas for a few years, and it always seemed like the Ozarks were a different kind of Southern than Memphis and Little Rock. So maybe they are 100% Southern, but just a different type. I never noticed much of a difference between Northwest AR and Southwest MO, so I'm kind of putting them in the same boat. But you're right about the geographic extent of Ozark culture in AR. Little Rock isn't Ozark, but once you get north of Conway and out of the River Valley (which isn't very far at all), the Ozark culture starts taking hold.

I guess when I think of "Southern" I think of the King Cotton kind of Southern another poster mentioned, which was the South I grew up with in the Memphis area--you know, the South as featured in The Help and so on and so forth.

I can understand that for sure! That is what many people associate with the south. Flat land with cotton, soybeans ect. The south is such a large area. There are many different dialects and varying topography. I was amazed recently when I went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee just how similar it is to here. The mountains remind me so much of the Ozarks, and they have a very similar culture and dialect. Even Dollywood, which is in Pigeon Forge....used to be Silver Dollar City!

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I can understand that for sure! That is what many people associate with the south. Flat land with cotton, soybeans ect. The south is such a large area. There are many different dialects and varying topography. I was amazed recently when I went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee just how similar it is to here. The mountains remind me so much of the Ozarks, and they have a very similar culture and dialect.

Well alot of the people who settled in the Ozarks were from Eastern TN, VA, western NC mountains. Branson and the area around there also feels to me similar to the smoky mountains as well. Very similar. Except for topograhy the TN mountains are taller in areas.

[Dawn10am]

Originally Posted by MoSouthernMan

I mentioned it before how the Ozarks of AR and far southern MO are different.

How is that?

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by Dawn10am

How is that?

They are culturally more Southern than the Northern Missouri Ozarks. I have no idea why that is, it probably has to do with migration patterns. There is more of a German influence in the northern MO ozarks. The southern MO ozarks are more scots irish.

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

They are culturally more Southern than the Northern Missouri Ozarks. I have no idea why that is, it probably has to do with migration patterns. There is more of a German influence in the northern MO ozarks. The southern MO ozarks are more scots irish.

True. Especially in the eastern ozarks parts there is more of a Stl influnce too. Like Rolla for example is in the south/midwest transition zone and has midwest influence due to St. Louis.

One thing I notice is the further away from stl you get, the less catholic churches. Especially when you get out of Rolla.

[imbored198824]

yep here is a pretty good map of the ratio of catholics. http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/ima...EeGbmMgAq0yurg

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

yep here is a pretty good map of the ratio of catholics. http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/ima...EeGbmMgAq0yurg

Here is a better overall map based on the 2010 census that was recently updated from the 2000 version.

[MOKAN]

^That map is awesome.

Originally Posted by STLviaMSP

I think it would be neat if Kansas City became absolutely infused by Southerners

Wow. No.

And why not?

[STLviaMSP]

^Because it's a bad culture. Low levels of civic investment, disdain for public schools, religious views that emphasize personal salvation and faith in Jesus over good works, too much respect for hierarchal authority, anti evolution and contempt for scientific inquiry that conflicts with their faith, homophobic laws, anti-union pro oligarch economics, bad music, the inability to let insults roll off the shoulder, contempt for city life, and so forth. Not that these are exclusively southern characteristics, but they are far more prevalent in the south than elsewhere. Missouri doesn't need any more of that worldview than it already has.