1. Yes, Southern Indiana Actually Exists
To the unknowing eye it seems that Indiana is all one big, happy state. Everyone in the same state is similar and likes the same things, right? Not even close. Southern Indiana has its own likes and traditions that those Northerners don’t even know about.
2. Hoosiers Know The Colts Are Football Gods
It doesn’t matter that this team is way up in Indianapolis, football fanatics in Southern Indiana still cheer heartily for the Indianapolis Colts. Speed blue and white are the colors of game day and you’d be wise to remember that.
3. Distance Is Measured In Time, Not Miles
Hoosiers know it’s easier to find a location when you say it’s about an hour away rather than the number of miles. Sure, time often depends on the traffic but when you’re from some of these small towns the only traffic you have to worry about is getting stuck behind a tractor.
4. Hoosiers Have Two Coke Choices: Big Red Or Ski
A strong southern influence means that many locals say Coke instead of “soda” or “pop” (though not all – it often depends on the term their parents used). And when it comes to Coke, these Hoosiers need a Big Red or a Ski, please. Nothing else will do.
5. These Folks Bleed Cream and Crimson…
Southern Indiana loves Indiana University, it’s true. The main campus is in Bloomington, so close that many locals went there themselves. However, the college sport alliance is a little split when it comes to football.
6. …Unless They’re In Love With Black And Gold
Purdue University is decidedly NOT in Southern Indiana, but some Hoosiers can’t resist the Boilermakers’ allure.
7. Southern Hoosiers Are More Laid-Back
Maybe it’s all the small-town living, maybe it’s the patience earned from waiting around behind tractors and buggies or maybe it’s just a different way of life. Southern Hoosiers are happy to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Life is just a little slower here, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
8. Pizza King Is… Well, King
Forget your Domino’s, Pizza Hut, whatever you think is great pizza. Hoosiers swear Pizza King’s crispy, thin crust and square slices should be the only pizza you ever eat.
9. Basketball Game Day Means Cheering For IU…
Just like during football season, these Hoosiers want their own to win on game day. They all know there’s nothing better than cheering for the hometown team.
10. … Except When It Means Cheering For Big Blue
Hoosiers or not, some locals would rather cheer for The University of Kentucky’s Wildcats. No matter what you might think, you can’t cheer for both. Pick one.
11. Watch Out For Those Amish Buggies
Daviess County has one of the largest Amish populations in the U.S., and along with that comes their choice of transportation – horse and buggy. Accidents between cars and buggies can have devastating results, so be sure to give them plenty of room as you pass by.
12. You’re Probably Not Really From A Small Town
Your small town has 10,000 people? That’s not small at all. Maybe your village has about 5,000 residents? Nope, still not small enough. Corydon has about 3,000 people, French Lick has 1,807, Nashville comes in at about 803, Moores Hill has 597 and Livonia has about 128 residents. Talk about a place where everyone knows your name.
13. Tractors Are Just As Good As Any Car
Whether they’re driving their tractor to school or just across the farm, it’s no big deal. Chances are locals rode their first tractor as a toddler, and learned how to drive one not long after.
14. Farming Is A Way Of Life
Once in a while the stereotypes turn out to be true: Southern Indiana has an abundance of farmers. Luckily, they’re pretty good at sharing, too, as evidenced by the fact that you can hardly turn a corner in some counties without running into a farm offering you-pick apples, blackberries or strawberries.
15. Kentuckiana Isn’t As Confusing As It Seems
Kentuckiana simply refers to an area comprised of counties in both Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Don’t think it’s real? Tell that to the Kentuckiana Girl Scouts, the Kentuckiana Medical Center or the Kentuckiana Blues Society!
16. Forget Craft Brews, Cheap Beer Reigns Supreme Here
Sure, the rest of America is going crazy for craft beers and microbreweries, but Southern Indiana is just fine with the cheap stuff they can find in regular stores – though sometimes not on Sundays. Anything but Bud Light, Miller Light, Coors and other similar brews need not apply with these Hoosiers!
17. Indianapolis May As Well Be Chicago
Indianapolis is the largest city in the state, but people in Southern Indiana are much more likely to head to Louisville when they want their fill of the big city. It’s closer to most of them, of course, and when you live close to so many state lines you know crossing over once in a while is no big deal.
18. The Weather’s Rainy… Or Sunny… Or Windy… Or Snowy
Hoosiers never know what to expect out of their area’s ever-changing weather. It may have been 70 degrees and sunny yesterday, but that doesn’t mean it won’t even hit 55 today!
19. Brown County Was Made For Autumn
September through November sees Hoosiers and tourists alike flocking to this picture-perfect county. Brown County State Park, the state’s largest, is one guaranteed place to catch those fall colors in season.
20. Snow Means The Schools Will Be Closed
Yep, that’s what every student in Southern Indiana thinks when snow is forecast. See, the lower part of the state isn’t like the north – bad snow isn’t a common occurrence, so when it happens locals knows that schools will likely be closed and the roads will be terrible.
21. Southern Hoosiers Have Major Forest Bragging Rights
The Hoosier National Forest covers 317 square miles and should be on any nature lover’s bucket list. Not only does it have 260 miles of trails, but rock climbing, fishing, horse riding and bicycling are all encouraged as well.
22. The Terrain Is Pretty Hilly—Except Where It’s Not
Some might peg Indiana as having all flat farmland, but if so, they haven’t been to Southern Indiana. This area is blessed with plenty of rolling hills, which Hoosiers with carsickness despise. Of course, if you want to see some flat land here all you have to do is go near the rivers.
23. Be Careful, Time Zones Are A Little Tricky Here
If you’re going to a meeting in a different county, you might want to clarify what time it begins. All of Indiana is in the Eastern Standard Time zone, right? Yes…. But no. Six counties in the southwest part of the state are in Central Time, as are six in northwestern Indiana. And a bit of advice: Don’t even ask a local about Daylight Savings Time.
24. West Baden Rivals Any Big-City Establishment
The West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick is so opulent that early reviews called it the Eighth Wonder of the World when it opened in 1902. The hotel boasts more than 500 rooms and a dome that was once the largest free-spanning dome in the U.S.
25. The Spring Mill Inn Serves To-Die-For Desserts
These aren’t desserts from the grocery store, they’re desserts like your grandma used to make. If your grandma made things like fruit cobbler, cornmeal pie and persimmon pudding, that is.
26. Limestone Is The Real Star Of Southern Indiana
Limestone, a treasure? No, seriously. You’ve seen this rock that the Bloomington and Bedford areas have in abundance all over the place. Just a few buildings with Southern Indiana limestone include the Empire State Building, New York Yankee Stadium, The Pentagon and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial.
27. Holiday World Isn’t Just For December
It sounds like one of those kitschy places with every Christmas tree ornament imaginable, right? Nope. Holiday World is actually a theme park with celebrate areas for July 4th, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There’s also a water park for those warm summer days, with free sunscreen included!
28. Gerst Haus Is A Haven For Hoosiers With German Roots
Source: Instagram
This Evansville establishment has all the comforts those with German heritage seek, form hot potato salad and giant pretzels to sauerkraut and sausage. The giant fish bowl beverage is technically optional, but why chance it?
29. Southern Indiana’s Historic Homes Will Leave You Speechless
While some areas have one or two majestic homes, Southern Indiana is filled with them. From the Culbertson Mansion and the Scribner House in New Albany to the Reitz Home Museum in Evansville, there’s no shortage of grand history here.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about Southern Indiana? Tell us in the comments below! 
