Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote, “The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.” (Laura Ingalls Wilder, Farm Journalist: Writings from the Ozarks, by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Stephen W. Hines, Editor, Published April 30th, 2008 by University of Missouri).
Our mom would read to us from the Little House books written by, Missouri author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. My big brother cried during the beginning of By the Shores of Silver Lake. The poor little guy must have been distraught when mom read from the pages that Jack the dog died of old age. This left a lasting impression on our sisters, too, because it all happened well before my time and I have heard this story about our brother crying over a dog in the Little House books many times. If you haven’t read them, sorry for the spoiler! (but I did just save you from heartbreak, though.) They were published in the 1930s and 40s and are the semi-autobiographical account of Laura’s childhood as part of a settler and pioneer family.
Another childhood right-of-passage is to read Missouri author Mark Twain. The author’s real name was Samuel Clemens and is touted by William Faulkner as “the father of American literature.” His books Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn inspired some of my childhood shenanigans.
I would try to float in the creek on homemade rafts, blaze new paths in the woods so I could make a fort, and dig for hidden treasures all the while being on lookout for bad guys. There was a Tom Sawyer cartoon series during the eighties that aired on nickelodeon. (I think it was nickelodeon.) Anyway, I remember singing the theme song at the top of my lungs while doing those activities, “I just wanna be free sitting under a tree!!! Tom Sawyer!” These books give us a glimpse into mid-western settlement, western expansion, and the culture of that time.
The Midwest is a vast and diverse land as is the people who inhabit it. The states included in the mid-west are Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Often, the region is referred to as the heartland of America because of its association with agriculture and industry. However, the southern parts of Indiana (Where my grandma was born and raised) and much of Missouri (Where I am from) are often classified as part of the Midsouth and share some things in common with the Southern culture.
So, the question arises, is Missouri a Southern State or a Mid-Western State? Missouri is classified as a Midwestern state, but there is plenty of the South peppered throughout the state. Certain people will vehemently disagree that Missouri could be classified as Southern. In the YouTube video, It’s a Southern Thing: Which States are Southern? – Back Porch Bickerin’ one of his arguments is that Mizzou (Missouri University) is now in the SEC (South-Eastern Conference) football division so it must be a southern state! Walt Hickey from FiveThirtyEight writes, “Also, does anyone know what’s going on with Missouri? Mostly excluded from the South and Midwest, it appears to be the geographic equivalent of the last kid picked during dodgeball.” If quizzed Missourians might agree that we are classified as a Midwest state, but have southern qualities or they may respond completely opposite by passionately stating that Missouri is strictly Midwestern.
The truth is that Missouri is where east meets west and north meets south. It has a varied history. With the role it played in America’s expansion, it is the crossroads of the country. With its interregional trade and business, St. Louis has more of an out east feel while Kansas City is more of a western Cowtown with its historical stockyards and cattle drives. Both St. Louis and Kansas City had starting points for the pioneer trails to the west. St. Louis was the next to the last city on the journey west. St. Louis became part of the U.S. in 1803 through the Louisiana purchase. According to legend, on the day of transfer of the territory to the United States in 1803, St. Louis flew under three flags in one day–French, Spanish, and American. Kansas City was a border town and the last stop before venturing into frontier land. It was the western limit to the United States until the 1850s. The influx of various ethnic groups and races helped create the two cities’ reputations for jazz, blues, and barbecue.
Missouri, also, has a fantastic agricultural tradition. According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, “The Show Me State is home to more than 100,000 farms, covering two-thirds of the state’s total land acreage and supporting many of the state’s top agricultural commodities including soybeans, corn, cattle and calves, hogs, and turkeys.”
Our grandparents were farmers. Our parents had a brief try at farming before I was born. I have friends who are farmers. I remember 4H and FFA being very popular during my school years although I never participated.
Missouri is a cultural blend of the Midwest and the South. Generally, north of the Missouri River people have more of an affinity with Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois. South of the Missouri River people have more of an affinity with Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Also, the farther away you get from the larger Cities of St. Louis and Kansas City the more likely you are to hear someone say Mizzorah vs. Missouri. My mom used to call it Mizzorah and many from her generation still do.
Most Missourians are friendly, open people, who enjoy music, food and outdoor activities.
Love this, you are really good author! Keep it up!
Author
Thank you Carrie!