1. You’re Gonna Want To Watch “Hoosiers” ASAP—Scratch That, Need To
Basketball, underdogs, redemption, Gene Hackman—”Hoosiers” is probably one of the best films to ever chronicle life as it once was in Southern Indiana.
More importantly, it’ll have been a formative part of your neighbors’ childhoods, so at least acquaint yourself with the IMDB page if for some reason you can’t watch this amazing classic.
2. Everyone In Southern Indiana Hates Wildcats With A Justified Passion
The biggest rivalry in the entire nation is definitely between Indiana and Kentucky. This rivalry isn’t going away anytime soon (it’s been raging since their first basketball game in 1893). Our best advice? Cultivate as many colorful insults for UK as quickly as possible.
3. The Biggest Cities Here Are All About Their College Pride
The big cities in Southern Indiana are so large thanks to the prestigious universities that lie at the heart. You have USI in Evansville and Indiana University Bloomington in, well, Bloomington. And these Hoosiers love their teams with all their heart!
4. You Can Tell The Out-Of-State Watermelon—Because It’s Just Not As Good
Owensville and Brownstown both have watermelon festivals, and what succulent treat deserves a celebration more than them? Southern Indiana leads the whole state in watermelon production, and that means that the fruit they grow is always amazing.
5. Everyone In Southern Indiana Is So Friendly You Won’t Have Any Trouble Making New Friends
No matter your walk of life, spiritual or political persuasion or sports affiliation, Hoosiers in Southern Indiana are going to be more than happy to have you as the newest member of their community.
6. Sweet Tea And Good Ol’ Southern Comfort Are Plentiful In Southern Indiana
Indiana’s Heart of Dixie is definitely, and appropriately, in the south. All the earmarks of Southern culture have made their way up into the bottom of the Hoosier State.
What does this mean? It means that if you bought a full white suit and Stetson hat you’d be a little less lucky to get the side-eye than you would further north.
7. Southern Hoosiers Have The Best Southern Twang
Source: Youtube user Tami Hart
The smaller the town the bigger the twang, some say, and this certainly holds true for Southern Indiana.
The closer you get to the Ohio River, the more the Southern twang you typically associate with “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” fills out into a full-on drawl.
8. In Southern Indiana They Really Mean It When They Say “Bless Your Heart”
While Southern Indiana may be a cultural offshoot of Tennessee and Kentucky, the big difference is that the hospitality that everyone associates with the South has a different air up here. In Southern Indiana you get the best of both worlds, Midwest Nice and Southern Hospitality.
For that reason, you can be sure that anyone from Southern Indiana really means it when they pay a compliment, and they’ll be free with them, at that.
9. Your Friends From Gary Didn’t Even Know Evansville Existed?
Between the distinctive dialect and night-and-day difference between Northern and Southern Indiana’s culture, it’s little surprise that everything north of Indianapolis is fixated solely around Chicago and Lake Michigan, only venturing far enough south to hit up the Indy 500.
Which is fine with you, because that just means you get Southern Indiana all to yourself.
10. The Country’s Best Water Park Is In Your Backyard
Holiday World deserves its own government-recognized denomination. That’s how many people make the annual mecca to this Church of Fun.
Riding the Mammoth or the Voyage are rites of passage for any child of Southern Indiana—and the key to fun-lightenment for anyone else.
11. If Cliff-Diving Wasn’t Your Hobby Before, It Most Certainly Will Be
Not everyone is lucky enough to live right on the river, and even if they do, everyone knows that having a small watering hole to hang out around is way superior. Cliff jumping off St. Paul Cliffs into the cool blue lake below is as American an experience as any, and will be a big part of your future summer vacations.
12. Flat Country Is North Indiana—South Indiana Is All Hikeable Hills
They say that you’re really in Southern Indiana once the hills are rolling all around you. These hills, dotted with trees and full on woods, make the entire area look like a postcard.
Fun fact: these breathtaking mounds of earth carry another amazing Southern Indiana wonder that we’re going to get to in a short while.
13. Kentuckiana Is A Real Place—It May As Well Be Its Own State
Alternate names, like Indyucky, are also acceptable. Kentuckiana technically refers to area between Evansville and Louisville, on both sides of the river, but in many ways it refers to the Southern culture that has bled across the water and the Midwestern attitude that’s trickled down from the north, making Southern Indiana a truly unique place to live.
14. The Small Town Southern Indiana Lifestyle Is Cheap, Quiet And The Answer To High Blood Pressure
There are only a few large cities, and even the ones that are on the bigger end wouldn’t stack up against Chicago or even Louisville. This is not a criticism: Southern Indiana knows how to take it easy because they’ve grown in small towns where friendliness abounds and the culture is a little more laidback. You should try it—it’s good for you.
15. Wanna Hit The Big City? You Won’t Be Bound For Indy
You’re going to Louisville. Or Evansville, if you don’t feel like crossing the river. Indianapolis is fine and all, but Louisville is a whole lot closer. In fact, the only reason you’ll probably head north is if you’ve got family or want to watch NASCAR. But who wants to do that when you’ve got the racetrack down in KY?
16. Southern Indiana Isn’t Superstitious—It Really Is Haunted
Between the Cannonball Bridge, Colombus Theater, Shore Inn all being haunted, definitely haunted, it’s little wonder why there are whole organizations centered around ghost hunting around the region.
Everyone has at least one building in their neighborhood they’ve seen some unsettling, supernatural event take place in. Take their word for it—they know what they’re talking about.
17. Southern Indiana Knows How To Staycation Inn Style
With small towns comes inns, the cutest bed and breakfasts you’ll ever encounter.
Some places you’ll simply need to make a priority for a lazy weekend away are The Riverboat Inn in Madison and the Story Inn in Nashville.
18. Break Out The Camo Because You And Your Buddies Are All Buck Hunters Now
With all the woodland and rolling hills, that means you’re going to run into a lot of wild game just waiting to hang over your mantle.
But in all seriousness, the game is good down here, and you’re not going to have to look far to find like-minded hunters who can show you the ropes or join you on trips to bag some good venison.
19. Everyone In Southern Indiana Is A Pro At Spelunking
Why are there so many hills in Southern Indiana? Because they’re all covering massive caverns! Everywhere you go, from Marengo to Blue Springs—pretty much anywhere along the Indiana Cave Trail—you’ll be able to discover lost kingdoms of stalagmites and stalactites that will strike awe into anyone.
20. Turns Out, There’s Been A Riverboat-Shaped Hole In Your Heart All Along
When you live next to the river, you’re going to get on a boat. And if you’re going to get on a boat, you’re going to get on a nice one, ripped from the pages of “Tom Sawyer,” and in this, Southern Indiana has you covered.
There’s no lack of floating casinos trawling along the waters (and why would you gamble on dry land when you have such an exotic option?)
21. Hoosier National Forest Might Win Most Peaceful And Most Fun
Hoosier National Forest is full of hiking trails and paths, both paved and dirt, that will take you deep into the heart of this amazing Indiana wonder. Communing with animals is such a part of Southern Indiana culture—when you grow up in small towns nestled into the midst of such lush woods, there’s no way around it—that finding places where this nature is fully protected is always a gift.
22. The Madison Regatta Is Guaranteed To Thrill You
Maybe you’re not so much into the 19th century riverboat and would rather ride something that can beat 50 mph on the water? Well, Madison has you covered: their annual regatta of souped-up speedboats draws in folks by the thousands.
It’s basically the aquatic version of NASCAR. Did you think they could make NASCAR any better? Only in Southern Indiana
23. Everyone In Southern Indiana Has At Least A Little Bit Of Farmer In Them
When your high school home games are next to a slaughterhouse and there’s a cattle crossing sign in your town, and you don’t think that’s strange, you must be in Southern Indiana.
With all that sophisticated agriculture right in your backyard, odds are you’ve visited a farm enough times to at least have a rudimentary idea of how to raise cows.
24. If You’re Looking For Jon Stewart Lovers, You’re Gonna Want To Go To Bloomington
Source: Giphy.com
The stereotype about college towns is that they’re usually more progressive and liberal than the regions surrounding their city. Well, Bloomington is no exception to this rule.
While the rest of Southern Indiana hold to their more traditional beliefs, Monroe County married a number of same-sex couples in light of the ban being struck down on the federal level.
25. Otherwise, John Boehner’s Biggest Fan Club Is Southern Indiana
You don’t get the South without a healthy respect for traditional values. Most of Southern Indiana is not like the black sheep that is Bloomington—they hold tight to the teachings of church and all focus on the family.
So remember: Progressive city mice want Bloomington, country mice want everywhere else.
26. No Ones Loves Christmas More Than Southwestern Indiana
Besides being the home of Holiday World (!!!) Santa Claus is also recognized as one of the best places in the world to celebrate everyone’s favorite December holiday.
27. If You Count Your Rosaries, You’re Going To Be In Good Company
If the focus on Christmas, Southern roots and conservative focus haven’t clued you in yet, we should say that Southern Indiana is religious, specifically Catholic.
Which is great- just have a look at cathedral in Jasper and its stunning wall-size stained glass. Stunning.
28. In Southern Indiana There’s Really Only Two Types of Music: Country And Western
Really driving home the Southern in Southern Indiana, it should come as no surprise at this point that the radio station everyone’s turned to is a country station.
WFLQ in French Lick, WHLK in Shelbyville, WVNI in Nashville—there’s no shortage of rocking country music in this corner of the country.
29. USI Stands For Ultimate Spot In-Indiana-For-Higher-Education
Evansville’s USI is not only the most well-known university in the Southern part of the state, it’s also the source of great sports pride, too.
Everyone knows about the Eagles-Wildcats rivalry, but USI’s prowess is hardly limited to sports. As far as academics, the nursing program in-house and online are the best ranked at the institution.
30. Don’t Pay The Illinois Haters Any Mind, You’re Gonna Love Southern Indiana
It’s not totally clear why Illinois isn’t shy with its contempt for Southern Indiana, much like the northern part of the state. Just rest assured that that kind of judgment isn’t reciprocated down here. Once you’re here, all you have to do is kick back and relax in whichever way works for you. Enjoy the view!
What do you love about living in Southern Indiana? Leave a comment and let us know!
