Hello, Downstaters! Sincerely, the Cliff Dwellers

“Downstate” defies any single definition. For some Illinoisans, downstate begins at the southwest city limits of Chicago. Others would claim that any area north of I-80 is “outstate,” and that downstate does not really begin until one reaches Bloomington.

The above (and below, for that matter) is a excerpt from the Honorable James R. Thompson's entry in the endlessly diverting online Encyclopedia of Chicago.

Nor is there agreement on “Southern Illinois.” Most believe it begins south of Springfield, but hardcore Southern Illinois residents don't claim any territory north of Carbondale. . . . “Downstate” is a state of mind more than a state of geography. Although acres of corn and beans will never be confused with Michigan Avenue, the plain fact is that Chicagoans and downstaters think—and speak—differently.

So push aside that plate of corn and beans and find your way to the Chicago Encyclopedia's website. Although, personally, I'd love to see more authored entries on individual writers -- especially my favorites.

The Jungle receives an obligatory write-up. As does Studs Lonigan. Sister Carrie? Natch.

But where's The Pit? Or how about Floyd Dell's Moon-Calf? (Ok, ok. He did title it "Moon-calf". There's my answer.) Or anything by Robert Herrick? And I dare them -- I say, dare them -- to write up Bertram Cope's Year.

Of course, those are just my own idiosyncratic choices. Still, I was happy to find an entry for Ring Lardner, my own personal favorite Chicago writer. For a treat, here's the opening of Lardner's short story, "Haircut":

I got another barber that comes over from Carterville and helps me out Saturdays, but the rest of the time I can get along all right alone. You can see for yourself that this ain't no New York City and besides that, the most of the boys works all day and don't have no leisure to drop in here and get themselves prettied up.

There you go, Carterville! Happy?

Now, who will create the online Encyclopedia of Southern Illinois? It would certainly be a boost to regionalism, our Honorable Mayor's conceptual flavor-of-the-month. Beyond that, don't we deserve something more than a passing mention in someone else's encyclopedia?