Rate these cities in missouri from MOST southern feeling to least southern feeling (Kansas City: middle school, agriculture)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

After reading a thread about St. Joseph, MO, I had this thought: How would Missouri's cities be rated in reverse of what this thread is asking, meaning the most Midwestern. I had that thought because St. Joseph strikes me as very Midwestern. It's a town that was predominantly blue collar, with historic neighborhoods that were centered around factories. From what I can tell, these neighborhoods had (and probably still have) a very strong sense of community. St. Joseph is almost like a museum of the past since it peaked in population in 1900 and hasn't seen much development or change and hasn't had a major influx of outsiders. I'm pretty sure industry was still very strong there as recently as the 1970's and even into the 1990's. There's still not much there besides the little bit of industry that remains. While I've never been to the true Rust Belt or further east into the hardcore industrial Midwest, I'm thinking St. Joseph is a little slice of the Rust Belt far west and can imagine it being a glimpse into what Rust Belt town look like.

The center of gravity for population in the Midwest is still mostly the Great Lakes region as Chicago is the largest metro area. The "core area" of the Midwest and center of population within the region extends from that area. St. Louis, for example, was always an anomaly as it is was referred to as the southernmost area of the Midwest. The northern cities vowel shift also extends to St. Louis, while no other area of Missouri outside of that metro is impacted.

[imbored198824]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The center of gravity for population in the Midwest is still mostly the Great Lakes region as Chicago is the largest metro area. The "core area" of the Midwest and center of population within the region extends from that area. St. Louis, for example, was always an anomaly as it is was referred to as the southernmost area of the Midwest. The northern cities vowel shift also extends to St. Louis, while no other area of Missouri outside of that metro is impacted.

I'm always struck at how northern sounding people from st. Louis talk. It's an anomaly for Missouri...that's for sure. To me they almost sound like someone from Chicago. I can generally spot them though after just a quick word I can peg it as St. Louis accent.

[bigbluestl]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I'm always struck at how northern sounding people from st. Louis talk. It's an anomaly for Missouri...that's for sure. To me they almost sound like someone from Chicago. I can generally spot them though after just a quick word I can peg it as St. Louis accent.

You don't hear any southern accents in most places of Florida unless your in north Florida or north of Orlando. Even the "heartland" south central florida didn't hear it much. They're rednecks, but still don't come off as truly southern. I lived in South FL for 11 years btw.

[bigbluestl]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Which towns are those, and why?

Like I said Kirksville for example and far NE MO seems to feel much more Midwestern. For one thing it's closer to WI, Northern IL which is nearer the midwest core imo.

Western MO like St. Joe, and KC has western influence in it as well. Kirksville seems really midwestern like it would fit in WI.

It's funny though I had a teacher in college from Iowa and he said when he drives into Missouri how it feels a lot different than does Iowa and has a more bible belt feel and slower pace he thinks in the rural areas compared to Iowa. IMO I agree even though we know today those areas are midwestern, but it's lower midwest. I've heard others from NE, IA for example say the same thing when crossing into MO how it feels more bible belt and different.

I never asked him if he's been to Southern MO though. If he thought that was different I wonder what he would think of Branson, Sikeston, Springfield or Caruthersville lol.

He did mention how up in IA they always thought of MO as a buffer state between the north and south.

Missouri is Missouri a state of it's own. It's just hard to explain. Politically for example outside of St. Louis, and KC Missouri politically seems to lean southern. When you look at issues like abortion, gun control, taxes is more right wing than the other midwest states like KS, IA, MN, NE, WI, MI, OH.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by bigbluestl

Like I said Kirksville for example and far NE MO seems to feel much more Midwestern. For one thing it's closer to WI, Northern IL which is nearer the midwest core imo.

Western MO like St. Joe, and KC has western influence in it as well. Kirksville seems really midwestern like it would fit in WI.

It's funny though I had a teacher in college from Iowa and he said when he drives into Missouri how it feels a lot different than does Iowa and has a more bible belt feel and slower pace he thinks in the rural areas compared to Iowa. IMO I agree even though we know today those areas are midwestern, but it's lower midwest. I've heard others from NE, IA for example say the same thing when crossing into MO how it feels more bible belt and different.

I never asked him if he's been to Southern MO though. If he thought that was different I wonder what he would think of Branson, Sikeston, Springfield or Caruthersville lol.

He did mention how up in IA they always thought of MO as a buffer state between the north and south.

Missouri is Missouri a state of it's own. It's just hard to explain. Politically for example outside of St. Louis, and KC Missouri politically seems to lean southern. When you look at issues like abortion, gun control, taxes is more right wing than the other midwest states like KS, IA, MN, NE, WI, MI, OH.

Okay. I've never experienced those towns, but what you say makes sense.

And yes, western Missouri has western influence. I was reminded when reading and looking at stuff about St. Joseph that they, like Kansas City, had stockyards. St. Joseph had strong connections to the West. I'm thinking all of that historical wealth as evidenced by historical mansions galore must stem from business endeavors relating to that fact.

Iowa does feel different. Of course, I think that's reflected in religious and ancestry stats and history.

I guess that's kind of what "border state" means. But lately as I've looked more into this and learned more, I'm thinking Missouri isn't as unique as it seemed before. It was a slave state and largely supported the Confederacy, but it's interesting how much Southern influence other Midwestern states have too (southern sections of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio). I just read something the other day explaining that a significant number of settlers in those Midwestern states were Southerners. Missouri just seemed to have the most of that trend since it's further south and has more of the right geographical features. Of course, the plantation culture, which was largely or mostly within the northern half of Missouri, is a different story and more unique.

[MOKAN]

Do y'all like this old map?

[Ball freak]

Originally Posted by imbored198824

I'm always struck at how northern sounding people from st. Louis talk. It's an anomaly for Missouri...that's for sure. To me they almost sound like someone from Chicago. I can generally spot them though after just a quick word I can peg it as St. Louis accent.

Not for the whole state of Missouri. You speak as if a Southwest Missouri is a good representation of the whole state when in fact it is far from it.

[Ball freak]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Do y'all like this old map?

That map is old and outdated.

[MOKAN]

Originally Posted by Ball freak

Not for the whole state of Missouri. You speak as if a Southwest Missouri is a good representation of the whole state when in fact it is far from it.

What was being discussed truly is an anomaly for Missouri.

[bigbluestl]

Originally Posted by MOKAN

Okay. I've never experienced those towns, but what you say makes sense.

And yes, western Missouri has western influence. I was reminded when reading and looking at stuff about St. Joseph that they, like Kansas City, had stockyards. St. Joseph had strong connections to the West. I'm thinking all of that historical wealth as evidenced by historical mansions galore must stem from business endeavors relating to that fact.

Iowa does feel different. Of course, I think that's reflected in religious and ancestry stats and history.

I guess that's kind of what "border state" means. But lately as I've looked more into this and learned more, I'm thinking Missouri isn't as unique as it seemed before. It was a slave state and largely supported the Confederacy, but it's interesting how much Southern influence other Midwestern states have too (southern sections of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio). I just read something the other day explaining that a significant number of settlers in those Midwestern states were Southerners. Missouri just seemed to have the most of that trend since it's further south and has more of the right geographical features. Of course, the plantation culture, which was largely or mostly within the northern half of Missouri, is a different story and more unique.

That is true about IL and IN and OH. OH of course with the least bit of southern influence, IL then IN has the most Southern influence out of the 3.

However in those states like IN and IL it's a transition zone in the southern part of those states. In MO south of US 50 is transition zone, then the southern quarter of the state is Dixie/Southern.

in IL and IN their far southern parts are not Dixie like MO is. Except Cairo IL and Metroplios IL I would consider nearly fully southern and Evansville IN has a good amount of Southern influence as well, but otherwise their states are mainly transition zones in the southern parts unlike Missouri that has a sizeable chunk that is firmly in the South.

So that is the big difference. Historically, ancestry and religion Missouri has much more Southern Influence than those other 3 states. Religion wise Missouri is a lot more heavily Baptist than the other states as well.

Missouri is a Midwest state with parts of it's state in the South. Something that is diffrent from the other midwestern states. And politically too MO behavior leans more southern than the others. Indiana is the most similar to MO.