the boundries of "southern" culture in Florida (Miami: transplants, house)

[MAniacTHW]

Originally Posted by wvtraveler

Naples and Ft. Myers?

For some reason, I read that as Fort Lauderdale . That's on me. That said, it's still a huge metro area. Any metro areas less than one million (which there are many of) will give you all the southern culture you could want.

[wvtraveler]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

For some reason, I read that as Fort Lauderdale .

Ah, that makes more sense then.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Fort Myers-Cape Coral-Pt. Charlotte-Naples is it's own metro of over 1 million people. We generally just all it South West Florida or SWFL. Up until about 15 years ago it was very southern and still is in many places. Pretty much once you get away from the beach it's pretty country.

Do you even know Naples? At my work place there is one single southerner in the whole building (she is from Georgia). Cuba, Colombia, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Ohio are all over the place. These aren't retirees on the beach. Most of these people have lived in Naples for decades and have families of their own that they are raising in the area and none of us make enough money to afford living on the beach.

I'm from here. Meeting anyone with a southern background has been a rarity for my entire life.

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

Do you even know Naples? At my work place there is one single southerner in the whole building (she is from Georgia). Cuba, Colombia, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Ohio are all over the place. These aren't retirees on the beach. Most of these people have lived in Naples for decades and have families of their own that they are raising in the area and none of us make enough money to afford living on the beach.

I'm from here. Meeting anyone with a southern background has been a rarity for my entire life.

Yeah, and than as soon as you get west of I75 in places like Immokalee it gets pretty old Florida. Naples, itself might not be, but Collier county outside of Naples is a whole nother world. I was referring to all of SWFL, not just within the cities. If that was the case than Cape is just northern as any large city in Florida, but go right next door to North Ft. Myers and you might as well be Dixie.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Yeah, and than as soon as you get west of I75 in places like Immokalee it gets pretty old Florida. Naples, itself might not be, but Collier county outside of Naples is a whole nother world. I was referring to all of SWFL, not just within the cities. If that was the case than Cape is just northern as any large city in Florida, but go right next door to North Ft. Myers and you might as well be Dixie.

Immokalee is a mostly Hispanic area. Not southern. And those families are recent arrivals. Not "old Florida".

[Crane's Rooster]

Well you been there you're whole life so I won't question your experience. But I grew up in SWFL from 80-early 90s. Back than most of Collier county was farmland and rural. Yes the workers were mostly Hispanic but they were migrant workers and it was a pretty country area and old Florida like East Lee County, Olga, Alva and Labelle near where I grew up. Those old farm towns I considered country, southern and old Florida. I still consider Immokalee a farm town, although I haven't been in a while. I know things changed once the Casino opened. What would you consider areas like Immokalee?

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Well you been there you're whole life so I won't question your experience. But I grew up in SWFL from 80-early 90s. Back than most of Collier county was farmland and rural. Yes the workers were mostly Hispanic but they were migrant workers and it was a pretty country area and old Florida like East Lee County, Olga, Alva and Labelle near where I grew up. Those old farm towns I considered country, southern and old Florida. I still consider Immokalee a farm town, although I haven't been in a while. I know things changed once the Casino opened. What would you consider areas like Immokalee?

Well, The culture there currently is Mexican for the most part. The vast majority of the people living in immokalee today are immigrants and their children so the old country culture is still very strong. The last census counted a 70% Hispanic population. In a generation or two these families will just be part of floridas culture. Not southern, northern, Latin American, just Florida.

[ETap0687]

For those who don't know, I've been here since 2012 and I'm originally from Nashville. In comparison to where I'm from, I don't feel there's a "southern culture" here and it's one of the main things I miss from home. While I haven't ventured too much into the northern part of Central Florida, from what I hear and see it looks country/rural, but not a southern culture vibe that I may be used to. I do know north FL like Tallahassee and Jacksonville have the culture you're looking for. South FL, absolutely none lol.

What is your definition of southern culture? I ask because we all may have a different meaning of southern culture.

[Crane's Rooster]

Originally Posted by Happiness-is-close

Well, The culture there currently is Mexican for the most part. The vast majority of the people living in immokalee today are immigrants and their children so the old country culture is still very strong. The last census counted a 70% Hispanic population. In a generation or two these families will just be part of floridas culture. Not southern, northern, Latin American, just Florida.

Wow I hadn't realized it was that heavily Hispanic now. In my days it was just migrant workers, they didn't really settle down or bring their families there with them. Most of them were young men who just worked the season and moved onto the next farm. I guess they decided to put down roots now. I've heard alot has changed due to the Casino as well, more year round work.

[Happiness-is-close]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Wow I hadn't realized it was that heavily Hispanic now. In my days it was just migrant workers, they didn't really settle down or bring their families there with them. Most of them were young men who just worked the season and moved onto the next farm. I guess they decided to put down roots now. I've heard alot has changed due to the Casino as well, more year round work.

Immokalee even has its own high school and the lowest median age in the county. They settled down.