Vernacular Areas in Florida

Abstract

This study examines vernacular areas in through survey of the general population, and reviews findings on vernacular areas in this distinctive and varied cultural setting. One indication of cultural varia- tion in is found in the literature on cultural regions, where major boundary can be identified extending across the northern part of the peninsula. This identification is based on review of maps at national scale depicting cultural boundaries of differing types in the area. When some of these boundaries are placed on single map, it becomes obvious that major cultural divide must be there (Fig. 1). Bigelow's analysis of cultural regionalism in the United States is based on ethnicity. (J) Using his own maps as well as others dealing with language, race, national origins, religions, voting behavior, per cap- ita income, and age structure, Bigelow developed cultural regions map of the United States. His boundary across terms the southern part of the state North with the rest being part of the Gulf Coast. Another example is provided by Reed's study of the use of the term Dixie in the South. (2) Analyzing business telephone listings, he found higher occurrence of Dixie usage north of boundary in die north area. He describes the use of this term as a symbol of the region's historic culture. Shortridge's boundary separates intense, conservatic protestant religion to the north from diverse, liberal prot- estant farther south. (3) Zelinsky's boundary of religious regions has slightly different locational orientation. (4) He identifies peninsular Florida as subregion of the Southern major religious region. From more recent work depicting cultural regions, Zelinsky iden- tifies nationally important cultural boundary extending across the northern part ofthe state. (5) This boundary can generally be described