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That was well said!

Most of the Mountain South was pro-Union, that doesn't make them non-southerners. They just had less of a dog in the fight. They still share the same ideals, religion, and culture with the rest of the region.

Even my wife does this! >>> Many people when they think of the south they only consider the picturesque Alabama/Mississippi Plantation with loads of Spanish Moss. Most don't realize that the south has a lot of unique sub cultures scattered all around but share a common background.

I think you're exactly right about that and it's mainly due to antebellum period being so important and the subsequent books and movies that have been produced on that have all focused on plantations and slavery for good reason (that's a story that needs to be told but there are so many other Southern stories to tell that also need to be told).

The Mountain South has left an outsized mark on American and World Culture when it comes to music, 'spirits' (whiskey/bourbon/moonshine) and other things but we've had fewer writers deal with our culture or even our antebellum period which is fascinating. However, even when people think of things that are quintessentially 'Mountain South' -- our uniqueness and actual history is erased and substituted with the plantation South.

I really do wish all the unique subcultures of the South would get more attention. We are truly a fascinating region and in any given state there is sooo much diversity of culture and yet so much similarity.