What do you consider the "midwest"? (in the US)

[vi edit]

Anything with a drawl.

Right. That's why the midwest is known for having one of the most standard accent of any of the major regions of the US and it's the accent that many national newscasters try and learn.

 

[JulesMaximus]

All of those flat fly-over states in the middle of the country above Texas.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Everything between the Appalachians and the Rockies. Except Oklahoma and Texas, we don't want to sully our image by letting those guys in.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I find people who never lived in the Mid West think of it as a geographical area as opposed to Mid Westerners who think of it as a socioeconomic grouping.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Southern parts of NJ have a drawl as well.

Rural areas of most states have some kind rural accent/drawl... The drawls are different between say, Atlanta and Milford, GA too.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I find people who never lived in the Mid West think of it as a geographical area as opposed to Mid Westerners who think of it as a socioeconomic grouping.

I guess. I never did though. Lots of socioeconomic phrases, like "Middle America", bring up thoughts of the Midwest though.

 

[slag]

KS NE and the dakotas are not midwest. They are plains states, like oklahoma. Which is not southwestern like some say

Well thats just plain wrong. We are the midwest, east of colorado, west of the mississippi. Colorado and west is "west", middle of the country is midwest (middle country, + west of mississippi), and ohio and the surrounding states are the ohio river valley area. Then you have the south, southeast, and east, and northeast.

 

[slag]

All of those flat fly-over states in the middle of the country above Texas.

Jules,

I'm going to be in San Diego for about 30 minutes on April 10th and I'm gonna find you and hash this out

but only if I can find time between switching planes....

 

[Train]

I would say its not as clearly defined as state borders.

Philly is obviously not part of the Mid West, but Pittsburg might as well be, the line runs somewhere through PA

I would say Pittsburg is ~ the eastern most edge of the midwest, with its residents being able to pick which side of the mythical line they are on.

 

[yh125d]

So then why would Iowa or Missouri be Midwest? I feel "Plains States" simply refers to the farmland moniker, and not so much the geographic region. Just as the "Mountain States" are part of the "West".

Examples of other regional monikers:
Fly-over States
Heartland
Bible Belt

Because neither Iowa nor missouri are desolate flat prarieland like KS/Neb/Dakotas/W. Oklahoma, and are therefore not plains states

 

[JTsyo]

Anything that's not counted in NE, South, West coast or mountain.

 

[yh125d]

Midwest is a location, not a description. Plains is a description, not a location. They are not mutually exclusive. You have the reasoning of a walrus.

Midwest is a name of a region, not a true description of where it is. If the "Midwest" were really the middle west area of the USA, it'd be like Oregon/norcal/nevada. The "Midwest" is entirely on the eastern half of the USA, therefore your reasoning is that of a walrus.

The midwest and the plains are two geographically distinct locations, that are decidedly different if for no other reason than Midwest = trees and Plains = almost no trees.

 

[yh125d]

Well thats just plain wrong. We are the midwest, east of colorado, west of the mississippi. Colorado and west is "west", middle of the country is midwest (middle country, + west of mississippi), and ohio and the surrounding states are the ohio river valley area. Then you have the south, southeast, and east, and northeast.

You talking about kansas? Kansas is most definitely a plains state, NOT a midwest state. There is pretty much no way to consider KS not a plains state, unless youve never ventured more than 50m west of the missouri border

 

[yh125d]

Also, there isn't really a "south". If there were, it would have to include everything from AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR, TN, AL, LS, MI, GA, SC, and FL. Noone in their right mind would put arizona new mexico and texas in the same region as georgia and florida.

 

[Gooberlx2]

If the "Midwest" were really the middle west area of the USA, it'd be like Oregon/norcal/nevada.

"Midwest" has evolved over time, but not so far as to redefine itself from its origins to current geography. As western expansion continued, "Midwest" expanded with it...but basically stopped at the mountains.

Census considers a number of the plains states as part of the Midwest for...well, whatever the fuck reason. And that's how I grew up learning it.

 

[BoomerD]

Also, there isn't really a "south". If there were, it would have to include everything from AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR, TN, AL, LS, MI, GA, SC, and FL. Noone in their right mind would put arizona new mexico and texas in the same region as georgia and florida.

But Texas IS in the same region as Georgia and Florida...sort of. It's part of the Southern USA. It certainly isn't part of the Western states...Arizona and New Mexico are part of the desert Southwest...and parts of West Texas could be considered as part of that...but not the entire state. (so could part of SoCal.)

 

[yh125d]

But Texas IS in the same region as Georgia and Florida...sort of. It's part of the Southern USA. It certainly isn't part of the Western states...Arizona and New Mexico are part of the desert Southwest...and parts of West Texas could be considered as part of that...but not the entire state. (so could part of SoCal.)

That's my point though, the states that would have to be considered "south" are too different to be grouped together. As you said, NM/AZ/some of SoCal would be more like desert SW. Texas would be... well... Texas I guess. But even LA which borders Texas can't be grouped with TX because they're so different. Much less LA and AZ.


The same logic applies to midwest. IL and ID are obviously both midwest because they're similar geographically and in the middle of it. Conversely, missouri and kansas are dissimilar geographically and kansas is on the edge of the midwest at best. Couple that with the fact that KS fits very well with another regional moniker (plains states), and you'd have to be a moron to call kansas midwest

 

[AstroManLuca]

Couple that with the fact that KS fits very well with another regional moniker (plains states), and you'd have to be a moron to call kansas midwest

Unless you consider the plains states to be a subset of a broader midwest category.

 

[MotionMan]

People seem to have different definitions of where the "midwest" is. Which of these states do you consider as midwestern?

All you listed except Colorado, Wyoming and Utah (I consider those "West").

I think Wisconsin is also MidWest.

MotionMan

 

[Gooberlx2]

Unless you consider the plains states to be a subset of a broader midwest category.

Yep. And even then it's a subset of the plains states that fall in to both categories.

 

[gorcorps]

What's considered the "midwest" is in those maps, it's just horribly misnamed. If I decided such things nothing east of the Mississippi River could even be close to falling into the category. I would toss CO and WY into the definition too, because the Rocky Mountains seem to be a good natural dividing line between what should be West and Midwest. I also would hesitate to call anything bording canada midwest... midwest implies MIDDLE, not northern.

 

[MotionMan]

What's considered the "midwest" is in those maps, it's just horribly misnamed. If I decided such things nothing east of the Mississippi River could even be close to falling into the category. I would toss CO and WY into the definition too, because the Rocky Mountains seem to be a good natural dividing line between what should be West and Midwest. I also would hesitate to call anything bording canada midwest... midwest implies MIDDLE, not northern.

CO and WY are definitely West, not Midwest.

MotionMan

 

[SKORPI0]

:hmm:

 

[Gooberlx2]

:hmm:

That's pretty much how it breaks down to me. The Southeast would be a subset of the South, East of and including Mississippi.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Jules,

I'm going to be in San Diego for about 30 minutes on April 10th and I'm gonna find you and hash this out

but only if I can find time between switching planes....

I live about 40 minutes north of the airport near the coast. You can look north at the beautiful coastline as you takeoff and imagine me sitting peacefully in my backyard smoking some ribs and watching a Formula One race.