Where in Missouri does the South begin? (St. Louis, Joplin: restaurants, prices)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

Cass County is not the South. It may have a history of aligning itself with the South, but culturally, overall demographically, and linguistically it is not Southern from a modern standpoint. I'll give Southern influences to it from a modern standpoint, but if it is full-blown without a doubt SOuthern, then so should KC be. And KAnsas City is a Midwestern city, not a Southern one.

I can confidently say that Cass County is strongly southern influenced in the present day as well. If you specifically travel from Johnson County, KS and cross the border into Missouri the differences are immediately evident and noticeable. My family knows some friends who live in an outlying part of Cass County and it reminds me VERY MUCH of KY or TN in a number of ways.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by RDM66

I have to agree with you. I grew up in Cass County and I'm aware of its history. The county was settled in the early 1800s by people from Virginia, the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee. I'm always amazed when I go to old cemeteries in Cass County during Memorial Days: It's a sea of Confederate flags.

There is also a small town in Cass County called West Line, MO. Someone forgot to tell the 100 people in this town that they are living in Missouri and not Mississippi. I drove through there about 15 years ago and I've never seen such a small, southern redneck town in my life. I swear every house there was flying a Confederate flag off the front porch. It has long been rumored that West Line had a very active chapter of the KKK. They were suspected of burning down a home of an interracial couple who tried to move into that area about 20 years ago.

Thanks for that background information. None of this is terribly suprising to me as this part of Missouri was heavily settled by groups from the South starting in the earlier part of the 19th century. You cross the border into Kansas and the settlement patterns and built environment is quite a bit different. The differences are plain enough for me to observe and notice and I lived in the Kansas City region for well over 20 years and have friends that live in Cass County. *THE MOST* southern influenced county overall in the KC metro area BY FAR!!!

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Thanks for that background information. None of this is terribly suprising to me as this part of Missouri was heavily settled by groups from the South starting in the earlier part of the 19th century. You cross the border into Kansas and the settlement patterns and built environment is quite a bit different. The differences are plain enough for me to observe and notice and I lived in the Kansas City region for well over 20 years and have friends that live in Cass County. *THE MOST* southern influenced county overall in the KC metro area BY FAR!!!

Well it is the southern part of the metro area so yes it will be southern influenced as its in the transition zone. It also depends on how you define metro area.

Just like St. Francis county is in the transition zone and is in the far southern part of the Stl MSA. Of course in no ways it is as southern influenced as Cass County, but it has some influences there as well.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by MoSouthernMan

Another question for the folks from Southwest Missouri I went to Silver Dollar City for the first time in 23 years last month. I think around 1990ish is the last time I was there and I was only like 7 and I remember the gift shops at Silver Dollar City used to sell a lot of civil war theme stuff and even sold various size Confederate and American flags.

My mom bought me some small Confederate flags at Silver Dollar City I remember because I thought the battle flag was neat looking.

Anyways when I went last month I didn't notice really any civil war stuff and no Confederate Flags sold there! Just wondering if ImBored knows when they stopped selling that stuff.

I assume they want to be more PC. However driving around Branson I noticed a number of Battle Flags being sold at the stores as I drove around. I think I must have counted at least 8-10. I even saw a mannequin with a Confederate bathing suit.

I don't ever remember seeing that many Battle Flags in one small area in my life! Never did in Florida.

I have never seen any confederate themed items at sdc....and I have been going there for a long time. They could have stuff like that, but it may just come and go. Even at the local museum at the college of the Ozarks they have the rebel flag displayed on their sign. I can honestly say I have been all over the south and to other tourist areas as well, and I have never seen as many rebel flags as I have seen in this area. I have honestly driven down the strip before and seen a black woman with a confederate flag bandanna, lol.

[linicx]

The Diocese of Springfield and Cape Girardeau cpver 39 counties, 25,000 square miles with a population of 1.3m and it has 67,000 members. There are 9 churches in the immediate Springfield area, one out toward Republic and in a couple others towns I don't recognize by name. Not all churches are in the same Order - for lack of a better explanation. It is possible to have 2 churches in one county. It is dependent upon where the population settled. You might have a church in Branson and Ozark but not in Nixa or Kimberling City. I lived in a town that Western and Eastern Catholic churches.

Originally Posted by imbored198824

My county has two catholic churches.....in the Entire county!!! One of them are tiny they maybe have a congregation of 50-70 people. Thats a in county of almost 60,000 people! There are SO many baptists here! Missouri has a lot more baptists! St. Louis is the only real catholic area! The county to the west of us only has one catholic church for the entire county of over 30,000 people.

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I have never seen any confederate themed items at sdc....and I have been going there for a long time. They could have stuff like that, but it may just come and go. Even at the local museum at the college of the Ozarks they have the rebel flag displayed on their sign. I can honestly say I have been all over the south and to other tourist areas as well, and I have never seen as many rebel flags as I have seen in this area. I have honestly driven down the strip before and seen a black woman with a confederate flag bandanna, lol.

Yep I noticed that at College of the Ozarks too when I went to the museum. They have a few inside as well in the glass cases regarding civil war related stuff. They have a Naval Jack and the national flag I also saw. I think the national flag was in an exhibit on Arkansas right by the Arkansas flag.

When I was at the Lake of the Ozarks about 10 years ago I saw a couple of the shops there did have Battle Flags on display also for sale in the windows, but nowhere near as many as Branson has.

I don't think I even have those flags anymore. A couple were small flags one holds in their hand to wave, and I had a bigger one that was made out of that plastic like all weather material that was fairly large.

But I clearly remember being at SDC and my mom buying me the battle flags.

It isn't shocking because Branson is in Dixie, but also it's a tourist area so some might want to bring back something that is representative of the area. I wonder does Nashville sell Confederate flags in small shops? They're like a larger Branson.

[MoSouthernMan]

Btw Imbored, have you ever ate at that Gilley's Texas café in Branson? We did and that is the most overpriced and terrible food we ever had! I heard it was good back before Mickey sold it.

The service was bad, but the food was a total farce. Their fries were bland and tasteless, my steak was terrible with the meat being cheap, overcooked when I asked for Medium rare and the steak was bland. My moms ribs were spare ribs and barely edible.

I've seen others say similar things on the reviews I saw posted while googling.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by MoSouthernMan

Btw Imbored, have you ever ate at that Gilley's Texas café in Branson? We did and that is the most overpriced and terrible food we ever had! I heard it was good back before Mickey sold it.

The service was bad, but the food was a total farce. Their fries were bland and tasteless, my steak was terrible with the meat being cheap, overcooked when I asked for Medium rare and the steak was bland. My moms ribs were spare ribs and barely edible.

I've seen others say similar things on the reviews I saw posted while googling.

I have never eaten there before. I will know NOT to do that now. Places I recommend in Branson that you can't get EVERYWHERE...Danna's bbq is great. Starvin marvin's is a popular one. Billy bob's dairyland is good burgers. Places I have heard HORRIBLE things about....Plantation restaurant and Whipper snappers(they actually found a dead coyotee in the freezer at whipper snappers)....they should be closed down!

[MoSouthernMan]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I have never eaten there before. I will know NOT to do that now. Places I recommend in Branson that you can't get EVERYWHERE...Danna's bbq is great. Starvin marvin's is a popular one. Billy bob's dairyland is good burgers. Places I have heard HORRIBLE things about....Plantation restaurant and Whipper snappers(they actually found a dead coyotee in the freezer at whipper snappers)....they should be closed down!

Thanks for the heads up. My mom wanted to try that Plantation House, but just looked kinda shady to me

Dead Coyotee? Like did it somehow sneak in, or was it some rube threw it in there (Stl term would be hoosier) and were planning on making a meal of it?

For Dinner we ate at Montana Mikes which was decent, but the prices were kinda high. I'd rather eat at Outback or Longhorn if it has to be a chain place for steaks.

I guess when it's a tourist town they can cut corners these places because they know they're the only place around to eat.

Of course in Stl I've had some bad experiences at chain places. LongHorn near me has gone way downhill. We decided to try it again last year and the hostes was so rude we just walked out and before that food was terrible when it used to be great.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by stlouisan

KC has a lot of Catholics as well, in addition to Central Missouri stemming west from Jeff City to ST. Louis. Missouri has a lot more Baptists!!! LOL you contradict a Wikipedia article stating the Catholic church has more adherents than Baptists.

I think I know everything? Look up Missouri on Wikipedia, read the whole article, in terms of number of adherents, before you open your big mouth and just spout out stuff.

You do realize any can edit wikipedia to say whatever they want. I figured you would be more intelligent than to rely on wikipedia for facts, I guess you aren't