The other day I heard someone say that cops in this part of NW Ohio refer to US 6 as the "Shoe Line", meaning people north of the highway wear shoes, and people south don't. Interestingly, US 6 is not too far north of lines linguists have drawn separating North and South Midland speech.

 

I wondered how common it is in Ohio to use roads, rivers, or places to define culture or cultural differences. What lines or places do you know that define places culturally? What places have cultural meaning in your area?

The Chagrin River separates "God's Country" from the rest of us heathens...

"South of the turnpike" is a phrase that I've seen used here among other places to distinguish Cleveland/NEO/NO from the rest of the state.

Hmmm...good question.  Not from here so can't say.

 

 

One most obvious.... Readin' Writin' and Rt. 21

One most obvious.... Readin' Writin' and Rt. 21

 

can someone tell me more about this one? i know that many W Virginians and Kentuckians went back and forth to NE Ohio along Rte 21.

I've also heard U.S. 30 as a key marker in the state.

Locally for Dayton, I'd say rivers and interstate freeways are a good sign for cultural differences.  "Across the river" in Dayton can mean "black" or "white" in a basic sense.  I think subtly, when people say "north of 70," they mean "rural" and south being "urbanized."

*Apparently in Erie County, if you live south of Bogart Road (suburban Sandusky's southern boundary) you are a hillbilly.

 

*US Route 224 from Seneca County to the Pennsylvania State Line is basically the southern boundary of the Connecticut Western Reserve.  The dividing line between reason and thoughtlessness (LOL j/k).

Cincinnati's got the whole "East Side, West Side" thing going on.  I'm pretty sure that "West Side" is considered West of Mill Creek and I-74, "East Side" is anything East of I-71, and the area between is called Central Cincinnati, Uptown and Downtown, or is lumped into the East Side depending on who you talk to.

Don't forget Norwood!

*Apparently in Erie County, if you live south of Bogart Road (suburban Sandusky's southern boundary) you are a hillbilly.

 

*US Route 224 from Seneca County to the Pennsylvania State Line is basically the southern boundary of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The dividing line between reason and thoughtlessness (LOL j/k).

 

Thanks for the note about 224. Its interesting how centuries-old lines can still mean something.

Does anyone consider Northside to be West Side in Cincy? I mean, it's west of Vine, 75, and the Mill Creek...but I can't imagine anyone saying that. What about College Hill?

^^^That's why I said Mill Creek and I-74.  I've never heard Northside associated with the Westside.

The area between I-75 and I-71 is sort of No man's land.

 

Are you talking about the hoods in Cincy, or that area of nowhere with Xenia, Jamestown, and Cedarville?

I think he means it's not East or West.

 

I don't think 74 works, because White Oak, Monfort Heights, and Colerain are totally West Side.

Also in Cincy is "The Rhine" aka Central Parkway

 

It was originally the line between German Americans and Real Americans, then it became the line between African Americans and Real Americans, now it's becoming the line between the hipsters and yuppies and Real Americans.