Cool Culture Map Proves Michigan’s Upper & Lower Peninsulas Are Totally Different

Many people explain culture differently, depending on, well, their culture. Some cultures are rooted in intricate traditions, while others can shape personalities and values.

Culture is one of the many factors of life that shows that everything is circumstantial from the moment you're born. The family and environment you are born into are among the top factors that shape you as a person.

But location is just as important. There has been quite a bit of discourse on social media lately about how wildly different each of the 50 states in the U.S. is. Some states share some similarities, so it's likely more about regions.

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Michigan is as good an example of this as any. The Upper Peninsula is unmistakably different from the Lower Peninsula. From the moniker "Yoopers" to diets, dialects and activities, it's a different world up there. But does it require crossing the Mackinac Bridge to realize a different culture in Michigan?

Where is the Culture Divide in Michigan?

A map shared on the Cool Guides Facebook page split the United States up into 34 different cultures. Of course, the term culture is used rather loosely here, but in my experience, the map is a fairly strong representation of the variety of lifestyles around the country.

However, where the dividing line in Michigan is drawn, and where each region extends is somewhat questionable.

The map shows that Michigan is split between the "Great Lakes" cultural region and the "Northwoods".

Naturally, a region called the Great Lakes includes most regions that touch the Great Lakes, with the exception of the Northwoods region.

However, the insinuation that Lower Peninsula Michigan is culturally similar to Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Northern Indiana, is questionable to say the least. Michigan's southern border is a strong boundary, especially on the eastern side.

Similarly, does Yooper behavior extend as far south as Houghton Lake? Doubtful. That said, Northeast Wisconsin sharing a cultural region with Upper Peninsula Michigan is fairly accurate. Michiganders carry enough state pride to differentiate themselves, but the similarities aren't exactly subtle.

Plenty of commenters under the post called into question portions of the map, though few called into question the cultural split of Michigan. There were more questions on the validity of calling the region the "MIdwest" in the first place.