Placing Lincoln and Mitchell counties: A cultural study

This essay represents a cultural study of two counties in rural Kansas. Data were collected ethnographically from participant observation during strategic planning meetings and follow‐up field research over the course of three years. This essay argues that through the symbolic construction of place, the boundaries of this rural culture emerge. The physical locale, the local way of life, the socio/political order, and the rhetorical character of this culture are revealed by the interplay of the symbolic and material landscape. The strengths and weaknesses of this culture are examined. Conclusions regarding the connection of place to culture are discussed.