I've lived in Missouri my entire life and I have heard it referred to as a 'flyover' state more times than I can count. This drives me nuts. While I know Missouri isn't perfect, I still think it's beautiful. Unfortunately, people have a tendency to take this beauty for granted and make assumptions about those of us who live there.
Allow me to address some things people may not know about Missouri:
1. Despite all of the farmland you may see out of the window, we don't all live in rural areas.
Missouri has not one, but TWO large cities. Pictured above is Kansas City, Missouri and I'm still absolutely in love with it. On the opposite side of the state is St. Louis and both cities have multiple suburbs around them. They're far different from the blocked farmland you see when looking out an airplane window.
2. 'There's nothing in Missouri!' Okay, but there actually is A LOT in Missouri.
Johnson's Shut Ins State ParkMissouri State Parks
I've already mentioned two pretty incredible cities that Missouri is home to, but it's also home to 56 state parks, 35 historical sites and six national parks. Also, have you ever heard of Branson? I've lived in Missouri my entire life and STILL have more I want to do in Branson. Next time you 'fly over,' think about all of the things you might be missing. Oh, also we have several wineries that are pretty damn good.
3. Our state isn't just flat... like at all.
Big Piney RiverConnor Watkins Ozark Mountain Experience
Okay, so I've met a few people in college from out of state and they have told me that before coming to Mizzou, they thought that Missouri was just a flat state. I have NO idea where this originated from, Missouri is FAR from flat. In fact Missourians usually make fun of Kansas for being 'so flat' (sorry, Kansas). In each direction of the state, you'll probably find different landscape features. We have the wetlands, mountains, massive forests and farmland. After having to make a geographical model of Missouri in the fourth grade, I can assure you that there is quite the variety of geographical areas.
4. We're not just a bunch of hillbillies.
Beverly HillbilliesCoins on Television
I kind of addressed this when I said we don't all live in rural areas, but it goes a little bit further than that. Even people in extremely rural communities are not nearly as 'hick' as portrayed in the media. While I love the show 'How I Met Your Mother,' there's an episode where Barney tries to convince a girl his name is 'Ignatious Peabody Nobel from East Westerton, Missouri.' My family just moved to Southern Missouri in a fairly rural town and I have NEVER met anyone as 'hick' as Barney's portrayal.
5. We don't run around in our overalls and cowboy boots, sitting on bales on hay all of the time.
Bales of HayFlavor 574
This is another one of those weird things I get questioned about from out of state people. While I personally HAVE done this, and wear my cowboy boots and overalls when at my parent's house, most of my friends have not. In fact, some of my friends make fun of me when I say 'ya'll.' Really, in high school, my friends and I would go to the mall, have movie nights and spend too much money on Starbucks, just like any other teenager.
6. KC has the BEST BBQ around.
KC BarbequeGroupon
Okay, FINE, technically a lot of the 'KC barbecue' you hear is from the Kansas side, but you'll still find it in KCMO and also, Kansas City was a Missouri city FIRST.
7. Also, STL has some of the best beer around.
BudweiserBuilt St. Louis
Ever heard of Budweiser? Yeah, you can thank Missouri for that.
8. We have not one, but TWO MLB teams.
Royals vs CardinalsESPN
That's right, the KC Royals are a Missouri team. Over in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs are ALSO a Missouri team. In fact, Arrowhead and the Kauffman Stadium are right next to each other. I will never forget watching the 2015 World Series and seeing a Mets fan with a 'You're not in Kansas Anymore' sign. They didn't come from Kansas. On the other side of the state, you got the Cardinals, a MLB team with the second most World Series wins (11, last world series win in 2011).
9. Yes, people actually live here.
Mizzou Football GameMissouri News- University of Missouri
Missouri is actually the 18th most populous state in the U.S, beating out many other 'flyover' states. In fact, several famous people originate from the Show Me State including Mark Twain, TS Eliot, Maya Angelou, Harry S Truman, Ellie Kemper, Kate Spade, Eminem and many more.
In summation, Missouri has so much more to offer than many give it credit for, and if you are one of the people who view Missouri as just a place to fly over on your way to 'more exciting' states, keep on flying- because you don't deserve what Missouri has to offer.
