History Main / FlyoverCountry

Sparsely populated, largely rural, and lacking in photogenic glamor, it rarely shows up in works which attempt to appear trendy or up-to-date. It gets much more play in political circles, however, as the quirks of the American electoral system make appeals to smaller states essential. When one talks about the "red state/blue state" divide in American politics, this is what is meant by "red state" -- conservative-leaning rural/suburban areas where UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}, chain restaurants, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches church]], [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem high school football]], and the Republican Party are pillars of local communities. The phrase "flyover country" was, in fact, coined by right-wing [[TalkShow talk radio]] hosts, to ridicule their imagined concept of what coastal liberal elites thought of the American interior. (Although this is only true in certain parts of the midwest; Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin are generally considered blue states. The latter two would be better described as purple states than blue, though; both Wisconsin and Michigan's state governments have been largely under Republican control since 2011, and both voted (very narrowly) for Donald Trump in the 2016 Elections)

** Pennsylvania itself has a mini flyover country. The state is often described as "Philly in the east, Pittsburgh in the west, and [[DeepSouth Kentucky/Alabama/]]''Film/{{Deliverance}}'' in between," referring to the large rural zone in the middle of the state where coal mining, farming, and manufacturing make up the economic backbone. The nickname "Pennsyltucky" (or, more politely, "The T"[[note]]If you remove the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas from Pennsylvania, what you have left is shaped roughly like the letter T. "The T" is used far more in political circles than "Pennysltucky", as the latter can be seen as insulting, especially when used by an [[NWordPrivileges urban politician]].[[/note]]) describes this region with either derision or SelfDeprecation.

Where do you live? [[BigApplesauce New York]]? Awesome. [[UsefulNotes/LosAngeles L.A.]]? Awesome. UsefulNotes/KansasCity? Uh... where is that, like, in Idaho or something?[[note]] The name is a clue; it's in Missouri, of course. Well, half of it, anyway. There are actually two of them, across from each other in different states on the Missouri River. Usually it's the Missouri one people are referring to rather than the Kansas one.[[/note]]

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}: Despite being located quite far from the Midwest, most stereotypes of the state, and of UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}}s in general, are essentially [[MinnesotaNice Midwestern]] [[StepfordSmiler stereotypes]] cranked UpToEleven. Mormonism did indeed spend many of its formative years in the Midwest,[[note]]Specifically, in Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell Counties in Missouri, and later in Nauvoo, Illinois. It originated in upstate New York[[/note]] before heading to what's now Utah in search of a land without a pre-existing Christian population to disapprove of their religion. Many of the early Mormon converts in Europe also came from Scandinavia, not unlike the upper Midwest, and moved to Utah soon after.

Culturally, the flyover region is a lot more diverse in religion and ethnicity than popular folklore tends to credit it. Most people are aware of the large African-American and Latino populations within the cities, but there's more to it than that. For example, the Detroit suburb of Dearborn has had a healthy Arab population for over a century and is home to the largest mosque in North America, and several Native American reservations are located in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas.

** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}} - The butt of many jokes due to its urban decay. [[NeverLiveItDown The river]] [[EpicFail caught fire once]]

** [[UsefulNotes/StLouis St. Louis]]: Once one of America's premiere cities, it's since become a poster child for urban decay. Home to the Cardinals, the Gateway Arch, Lambert International Airport, and it's own unique forms of pizza and barbecue. Hosted the 1904 Summer Olympics for some reason. Residents hate those from Kansas City and/or Chicago.
** [[UsefulNotes/KansasCity Kansas City]]: Chicago's less-attractive little sister. Baseball, barbecue, jazz music, and organized crime galore. Known for it's high incomes, large meatpacking industry, and endless mess of suburban sprawl.

** Cincinnati: Named after {{Cincinnatus}} and by extension UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington, this quaint city doesn’t conform to what a typical Ohio city is. Owing to its proximity to Kentucky and the ensuring cultural impact, Cincy is often called “the northernmost southern city”. In bygone years, it was known as the hub city for the trade of pigs and pork, and was a major stopping point on the Underground Railroad that smuggled slaves out of the South. Consequently it has a very prominent museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. In modern times, Cincinnati is known for its own special type of chili, the headquarters of GE Aircraft Engines and Procter & Gamble and for NCAA basketball's few intra-city rivalries, between Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati. Oh, and [[Series/WKRPInCincinnati a TV show about a radio station]]].

** Cincinnati: Named after {{Cincinnatus}} and by extension UsefulNotes/GeorgeWashington, this quaint city doesn’t conform to what a typical Ohio city is. Owing to its proximity to Kentucky and the ensuring cultural impact, Cincy is often called “the northernmost southern city”. In bygone years, it was known as the hub city for the trade of pigs and pork, and was a major stopping point on the Underground Railroad that smuggled slaves out of the South. Consequently it has a very prominent museum dedicated to the Underground Railroad. In modern times, Cincinnati is known for its own special type of chili, the headquarters of GE Aircraft Engines and Procter & Gamble and for NCAA basketball’s only intra-city rivalry between Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati. Oh, and [[Series/WKRPInCincinnati a TV show about a radio station]]].

** UsefulNotes/{{Indianapolis}}: Home of the Indy 500.

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}: Despite being located quite far from the Midwest, most stereotypes of the state, and of UsefulNotes/{{Mormonism}}s in general, are essentially [[MinnesotaNice Midwestern]][[StepfordSmiler stereotypes]] cranked UpToEleven. Mormonism did indeed spend many of its formative years in the Midwest,[[note]]Specifically, in Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell Counties in Missouri, and later in Nauvoo, Illinois. It originated in upstate New York[[/note]] before heading to what's now Utah in search of a land without a pre-existing Christian population to disapprove of their religion. Many of the early Mormon converts in Europe also came from Scandinavia, not unlike the upper Midwest, and moved to Utah soon after.

That's Flyover Country, also known as "the Heartland" or "Middle America" [[note]] which are not necessarily the same thing; see YouKeepUsingThatWord for further details [[/note]] -- American slang for the states which trendy coast-dwellers see only from the window of an airplane. Containing roughly half the country's population (if you're using a narrower definition) but much more of its landmass, this region includes everything between UsefulNotes/LasVegas [[note]] although the area between the Pacific Coast and the Rockies is more properly termed "the Great Basin" and is culturally either Catholic Latino or Anglo-Saxon Mormon, in marked contrast to the largely Teutonic mainline Protestant/Catholic character of the northern Midwest and the Scots-Irish evangelical Baptist character of the southern Midwest [[/note]] and UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}} at a minimum -- and is often extended to everything east of the Sierra Nevada and [[Series/ThirtyRock west of the Alleghenies]] (if not the Hudson River).

** [[UsefulNotes/StLouis St. Louis]]
** UsefulNotes/KansasCity

** [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis and St. Paul]]

** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}} - the butt of many jokes due to its urban decay.
** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}} - It's where Jeeps get made.

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}: Despite being located quite far from the Midwest, most stereotypes of the state, and of UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}s in general, are essentially {{Mi|nnesotaNice}}dwestern {{ste|pfordSmiler}}reotypes cranked UpToEleven. Mormonism did indeed spend many of its formative years in the Midwest,[[note]]Specifically, in Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell Counties in Missouri, and later in Nauvoo, Illinois. It originated in upstate New York[[/note]] before heading to what's now Utah in search of a land without a pre-existing Christian population to disapprove of their religion. Many of the early Mormon converts in Europe also came from Scandinavia, not unlike the upper Midwest, and moved to Utah soon after.

Sparsely populated, largely rural, and lacking in photogenic glamor, it rarely shows up in works which attempt to appear trendy or up-to-date. It gets much more play in political circles, however, as the quirks of the American electoral system make appeals to smaller states essential. When one talks about the "red state/blue state" divide in American politics, this is what is meant by "red state" -- conservative-leaning rural/suburban areas where UsefulNotes/{{Walmart}}, chain restaurants, [[UsefulNotes/AmericanChurches church]], [[UsefulNotes/AmericanEducationalSystem high school football]], and the Republican Party are pillars of local communities. The phrase "flyover country" was, in fact, coined by right-wing [[TalkShow talk radio]] hosts, to ridicule their imagined concept of what coastal liberal elites thought of the American interior. (Although this is only true in certain parts of the midwest; Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin are generally considered blue states.)

These nuances and many more tend to be lost on Hollywood. Shows based in one of the coasts will lovingly show details of the landmarks and locales, while Midwestern locations are either fictionalized or used as a generic backdrop. For example, ''Series/SexAndTheCity'' used real-life bars and restaurants in NYC as the girls' hangouts. Meanwhile, GarryMarshall, the producer of ''Series/HappyDays'' and its SpinOff ''Series/LaverneAndShirley'', never set foot in UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}} until long after both shows ended, leading to a horrifically inaccurate portrayal of the city that may have hurt its actual economic and cultural growth.

* UsefulNotes/{{Utah}}: Despite being located quite far from the Midwest, most stereotypes of the state, and of UsefulNotes/{{Mormon|ism}}s in general, are essentially {{Mi|nnesotaNice}}dwestern {{ste|pfordSmiler}}reotypes cranked UpToEleven. Mormonism did indeed spend many of its formative years in the Midwest[[note]]Specifically, in Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell Counties in Missouri, and later in Nauvoo, Illinois. It originated in upstate New York[[/note]], before heading to what's now Utah in search of a land without a pre-existing Christian population to disapprove of their religion. Many of the early Mormon converts in Europe also came from Scandinavia, not unlike the upper Midwest, and moved to Utah soon after.

Needless to say, the truth is a little more complicated than that. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture, style, and nightlife to be found in cities like [[UsefulNotes/TwinCities Minneapolis]], UsefulNotes/KansasCity, or Omaha (a full list of oft-featured cities is included at the end), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts--even Chicago, the great metropolis of the Midwest, is cheaper than NYC or LA (although not by much). And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[note]]where ''Series/MorkAndMindy'' was set[[/note]] and Ann Arbor, UsefulNotes/{{Michigan}}[[note]]home of the UsefulNotes/UniversityOfMichigan[[/note]], have their own quirks. There are very few states in the US that don't have at least ''one'' significant metropolitan area (likewise, New York State and California both have conservative rural areas of their own as well).

** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}: Beer, motorcycles, ''Series/HappyDays'', and crime. The mayor got beaten with a pipe once. Non-residents of the state seem to think this is the only city in the state.
** Madison: More Beer, the Badgers, a metric ton of restaurants and bars, hippies, and crime. 'The Boy Who Drank Too Much' was largely filmed here. Some exterior shots in ''Film/BackToSchool'' were as well. Former home of both Clyde Stubblefield and a [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War POW camp]].

** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}: Beer, Motorcycles, ''Series/HappyDays'', and crime. The mayor got beaten with a pipe once. Non-residents of the state seem to think this is the only city in the state.

** Green Bay: [[SerialEscalation Even More Beer]], Snow, and the Packers. Oldest continuously inhabited French settlement in the US, founded 1634.

** Omaha: A smallish, somewhat isolated city used as shorthand for "city in the middle of nowhere", i.e. that podunk town far, ''faaaaar'' away from everything you know and love that you're forced to move to because it was the only job you could find. (See also: Des Moines, Iowa.) Which isn't uncalled-for. Firstly, Omaha has a strong job market, anchored by four Fortune 500 companies and a large high-tech sector, and Secondly, it's a long way from anywhere: a three hour drive to Kansas City, seven and a half to Denver, eight to Chicago, two whole days to New York City, and ''three days'' to Los Angeles. Omaha has featured in a few movies, mostly thanks to native son [[Creator/AlexanderPayne Alexander Payne]]. Also home to [[UsefulNotes/YanksWithTanks the Strategic]] [[PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower Air Command.]]

** Omaha: A smallish, somewhat isolated city used as shorthand for "city in the middle of nowhere", i.e. that podunk town far, ''faaaaar'' away from everything you know and love that you're forced to move to because it was the only job you could find. (See also: Des Moines, Iowa.) Which isn't uncalled-for. Firstly, Omaha has a strong job market, anchored by four Fortune 500 companies and a large high-tech sector, and Secondly, it's a long way from anywhere: a three hour drive to Kansas City, seven and a half to Denver, eight to Chicago, two whole days to New York City, and ''three days'' to Los Angeles. Omaha has featured in a few movies, mostly thanks to native son [[Creator/AlexanderPayne Alexander Payne]]. Also home to [[YanksWithTanks the Strategic]] [[PeaceThroughSuperiorFirepower Air Command.]]

** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}} - the butt of many jokes, which may or may not have to do with its large African American culture, its DyingTown reputation, and the fact that its professional sports franchises are consistently abysmal, sometimes in ways not thought humanly possible. This is especially true for the Cleveland Browns of the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]]. The Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA are the lone exception, having gone from another Cleveland sports laughingstock to a perennial contender for the conference title virtually overnight during the UsefulNotes/LeBronJames era, and even winning the NBA Finals in 2016, breaking the city's 52-year championship drought (in ''all'' professional sports).

-->--'''Music/JasonAldean''', "Fly Over States"

** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, though this depends on who you're asking. It's big enough that many people consider it a separate entity, and nationally, it's spoken of by conservatives (especially those from ''southern'' Illinois) in the same derisive terms as the East and West Coasts, with TheMafia and {{bomb throwing anarchist}}s thrown in for good measure. However, it's still looked down upon by more provincial New Yorkers as a "wannabe" BigApplesauce, only with worse weather. Plus, the city is relatively isolated compared to New York and LA; outside the Chicagoland metro area are cornfields and Milwaukee. In other words, Chicago is stuck in a twilight zone on the edge of Flyover Country -- too urban for Middle America, too Midwestern for the coasts. A sharp contrast to...
** Peoria: Seen, for some reason, as ''the'' quintessential [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere dull, banal Middle American city]]. The phrase [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_it_play_in_Peoria%3F "will it play in Peoria?"]] emerged in the {{vaudeville}} era to describe an act that would have mass appeal nationwide, especially in the heartland (Peoria was a major Midwestern stop for many vaudeville performers), and later became popular among marketers, politicians, and pollsters. Starting in TheSixties, it became a major test market, and to this day most American focus groups are based in the city (which is a rather outdated notion, as it now Missouri, not Illinois, that marks the official U.S. population center).

** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}: Beer, Harleys, ''Series/HappyDays'', and crime. The mayor got beaten with a pipe once. Non-residents of the state seem to think this is the only city in the state.
** Madison: Beer, a virtual metric ton of restaurants, hippies, and crime. 'The Boy Who Drank Too Much' was largely filmed here. Some exterior shots in ''Film/BackToSchool'' were as well. Former home of both Clyde Stubblefield and a [[UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar Civil War POW camp]].
** Green Bay: Beer and the Packers. Oldest continuously inhabited French settlement in the US, founded 1634.

* Nebraska: Farmland extraordinaire, populated with fat old guys in denim overalls and straw hats, chewing on a stalk of wheat and talking (slowly) about whether it's rained enough this year. Completely ignorant of the outside world (probably because [[OfferVoidInNebraska all offers are void there]]), and, if the writer's sympathetic, struggling with drought, debt, bad markets, or all three.[[note]]This is all nonsense, of course. Nebraska farmers wear baseball caps, not straw hats.[[/note]]
** Omaha: A smallish, somewhat isolated city used as shorthand for "city in the middle of nowhere", i.e. that podunk town far, ''faaaaar'' away from everything you know and love that you're forced to move to because it was the only job you could find. (See also: Des Moines, Iowa.) Which isn't uncalled-for. Firstly, Omaha has a strong job market. Secondly, it's a long way from anywhere: an eight hour drive to Chicago, two whole days to New York City, and ''three'' days to Los Angeles. Omaha has featured in a few movies, mostly thanks to native son [[Creator/AlexanderPayne Alexander Payne]].
** Lincoln: For when even Omaha isn't small enough.

** UsefulNotes/{{Toledo|Ohio}}
** Columbus: Rarely seen or mentioned in fiction[[note]](''Series/FamilyTies'' was about the only major media production in recent decades to prominently feature Columbus)[[/note]], but it's another hotbed of sociological study and commercial test runs due to its racial and age demographics closely mirroring the United States as a whole. Furthermore, the city lacks a strong regional identity, even compared to other Ohio cities. Basically, it's Peoria or Muncie as a major metropolis.

** Madison: Beer, a virtual metric ton of restaurants, hippies, and crime. 'The Boy Who Drank Too Much' was largely filmed here. Some exterior shots in ''Film/BackToSchool'' were as well.

** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}: Beer, Harleys, ''Series/HappyDays'', and crime. The mayor got beaten with a pipe once. Non-residents seem to think this is the only city in the state.

** UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}: Beer, Harleys, ''Series/HappyDays'', and crime. The mayor got beaten with a pipe once.

** Green Bay: Beer, the Packers, Republicans. Oldest continuously inhabited French settlement in the US, founded 1634.

* UsefulNotes/{{Milwaukee}}, Wisconsin

** UsefulNotes/{{Detroit}}

** UsefulNotes/{{Cleveland}} - the butt of many jokes, which may or may not have to do with its large African American culture, its DyingTown reputation, and the fact that its professional sports franchises are consistently abysmal, sometimes in ways not thought humanly possible. This is especially true for the Cleveland Browns of the [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeague NFL]]. The Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA are the lone exception, having gone from another Cleveland sports laughingstock to a perennial contender for the conference title virtually overnight during the [=LeBron=] James era, and even winning the NBA Finals in 2016, breaking the city's 52-year championship drought (in ''all'' professional sports).

** UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, though this depends on who you're asking. It's big enough that many people consider it a separate entity, and nationally, it's spoken of by conservatives (especially those from ''southern'' Illinois) in the same derisive terms as the East and West Coasts, with TheMafia and [[BombThrowingAnarchist Bomb Throwing Anarchists]] thrown in for good measure. However, it's still looked down upon by more provincial New Yorkers as a "wannabe" BigApplesauce, only with worse weather. Plus, the city is relatively isolated compared to New York and LA; outside the Chicagoland metro area are cornfields and Milwaukee. In other words, Chicago is stuck in a twilight zone on the edge of Flyover Country -- too urban for Middle America, too Midwestern for the coasts. A sharp contrast to...