Relocating to Fort Smith area (Fayetteville, Springdale: job, sick, housing)

[momtochase]

Hi there. I think we are moving to Ft. Smith in the next month for my husbands job. I grew up in Tulsa, which I know is close, but am thinking that Ft. Smith is very different. He is from North Carolina, has never lived anywhere else and we'll be moving from NC.
Will you please give me the great, good, bad and ugly of Ft. Smith? What are the positives and negatives?
Is the Fianna area a nice place to live?
Also, most people we know that are familiar with the area tell us to buy a home in Greenwood, but all the posts on here say the people there are not very accepting of "foreigners", what's the deal?
Thank you for any insight you can give us!!!

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by momtochase

Hi there. I think we are moving to Ft. Smith in the next month for my husbands job. I grew up in Tulsa, which I know is close, but am thinking that Ft. Smith is very different. He is from North Carolina, has never lived anywhere else and we'll be moving from NC.
Will you please give me the great, good, bad and ugly of Ft. Smith? What are the positives and negatives?
Is the Fianna area a nice place to live?
Also, most people we know that are familiar with the area tell us to buy a home in Greenwood, but all the posts on here say the people there are not very accepting of "foreigners", what's the deal?
Thank you for any insight you can give us!!!

They are right, Greenwood people are not very accepting to people who weren't born and raised in Greenwood. People might be recommending it because its a safe, family oriented community, but Fort Smith itself is still a relatively small town and while there are some bad areas especially on the north side, most places are very safe.

As for living in Ft. Smith, its hard to break it down into the good, the bad, and the ugly because different people are looking for different things and what is good for one person may be bad for everybody. I will say its about as different from Tulsa or even Fayetteville as you can get. I will give a few characteristics that stick out

#1. Fort Smith has the attitude and the atmosphere of a town much smaller than it is. Everybody knows everybody and the good ole' boy network is extensive.

#2. Fort Smith is a VERY religious and politically conservative town. If you are non-religious or don't vote Republican, I wouldn't go around advertising it. Social life in Fort Smith revolves around church and most people attend 3 times per week. That said, one can still survive in Fort Smith as a liberal or non-religious person, you will just have a harder time finding your niche.

#3. Its a quiet town with not much going on, and very little traffic. I guess you could say the streets roll up at sunset. There isn't much of a nightlife scene to talk about. Most people spend their weekends in the outdoors (fishing, hunting, hiking in the ozarks) or up in NWA where there is MUCH more shopping and entertainment options. The scenic beauty in the Ozarks is stunning.

#4. While it is a small and reletively safe community, there are some seedy areas. Avoid anything in the north Ft. Smith area along Midland. Fort Smith has some great bedroom commnuities like Van Buren and Alma that are fast growing and known for their great schools. The Fort Smith area, including its bedroom communities are all very family and "family values" oriented.

#5. Shopping is getting better. Currently Wal-Mart is the only game in town, but there is currently a Target under construction. To people in urbanized areas, Target is nothing to be excited about, but in Fort Smith, it will be a breath of fresh air to have an alternative to Wal-Mart. There is also a small mall with some of your typical teen stores (Abercrombie, Aeropostale, etc). Rogers, about an hour to the north, has the arguably the best shopping you can currently find in Arkansas, so if you want more than what Ft. Smith offers you can drive there.

#6 - Dining is getting better. It wasn't long ago that Fort Smith only had your typical fast food chains like McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc but now there is a TGI Friday's, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and most recently a Hooter's. Hooter's was a huge sign of progress in a community as conservative as Ft. Smith. As with shopping, arguably the best dining in the state is an hour to the north in the Fayetteville-Rogers corridor. You have plenty of casual and fine dining options there.

#7 - The cost of living is very low - the lowest in the nation for a town its size. Many people live in Fort Smith and work in the booming NWA metro area an hour to the north.

All of this said, I would recommend living somewhere in south Fort Smith or in Van Buren or Alma. Hope this information helps.

[undertheironsea]

Moderator cut: edit
Fort Smith has its @Ú<E‚, as does every town. Don't live near the border or the north of town. Van Buren would probably be nicer, as would Alma, although it may be a bit more distance than you want to commute. Just don't let people scare you off talking about how conservative and religious it is. If you don't go around with a sign around your neck saying "CHRISTIANS SUCK" you should be fine. I imagine if you do that in any town, you'll get some flack.

[momtochase]

bchris02, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my post and everything you added was very helpful.
I have been trying to do alot of research on the area. I almost had a heart attack when I found out there was not a Target store (I hate WalMart!) and am now so relieved to know there is one being built.
I'm not excited about, but not too concerned with the lack of good shopping, as my family and friends are all still in Tulsa, so we will go there frequently for shopping and eating!!!
I am also excited about the prices of housing!! We are pretty much in awe that we can get a 2500sq, with great yard and pool for $250,000.

We do have a 2 year old who will be starting kindegarden in 3 years, so good school district is a must....are the south side schools good? Any elementary schools better than the other?

Thank you again for all your help!!!!!

[momtochase]

Moderator cut: edit orphanedI think we'll be just fine there. We're not super religious, but certainly not against it either. I just need to figure out where we want to buy a house! Thanks again.

[bchris02]

Moderator cut: edit



I am cracking up!! That is too funny! I think we'll be just fine there. We're not super religious, but certainly not against it either. I just need to figure out where we want to buy a house! Thanks again.[/quote]

I would suggest the Van Buren area first and after that the southside of Fort Smith.

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by undertheironsea

I'll give you a summary of every post you'll get after the actually informative one above: Fort Smith is nasty, uncultured, full of those evil conservative christians,Moderator cut: edit, orphaned .

Fort Smith has its @Ú<E‚, as does every town. Don't live near the border or the north of town. Van Buren would probably be nicer, as would Alma, although it may be a bit more distance than you want to commute. Just don't let people scare you off talking about how conservative and religious it is. If you don't go around with a sign around your neck saying "CHRISTIANS SUCK" you should be fine. I imagine if you do that in any town, you'll get some flack.

LOL Under, I'd rep you for heading off the NWA train derailment but it tells me I can't...

[cryingwolf]

I live south of Forth Smith, Ar and I find the town to be a sick city that does very little to protect its children. I would recommend you stay away from the south part of town near Ben Geren Park and Massard creek. This area has been for years and still going on today of being pollution with heavy metals and waste oils from Quanex Macsteel. This company does not care about the safety of children or our enviornment. Just in the last 30 months I have found three dead deer and dead fish in and around Ben Geren Park.

[Don D]

I lived in Fort Smith most of my adult life. I raised and educated three children in Fort Smith Public Schools.[Woods Elementary,Chaffin JR.High and Southside High. All UofA graduates now.
They all live elswhere now because their career opportunities were better outside of Fort Smith.
For me it is ideally located, One hour away from the Home of the Razorbacks. One hour away to great shopping in North West Arkansas, Large Beaver Lake for recreation .Kansas City Royals Minor League Baseball Team now in Springdale.
Approximately 3 hrs. Drive to Branson Missourri.
About an to Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma. Approx 1 1/2hr. to Tulsa.
One of the most historic towns in the US. I could go on and on, The area has been good for me and my Family. Every body has their own opinions. After you get here it won't take you long to form your own..

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by Don D

I lived in Fort Smith most of my adult life. I raised and educated three children in Fort Smith Public Schools.[Woods Elementary,Chaffin JR.High and Southside High. All UofA graduates now.
They all live elswhere now because their career opportunities were better outside of Fort Smith.
For me it is ideally located, One hour away from the Home of the Razorbacks. One hour away to great shopping in North West Arkansas, Large Beaver Lake for recreation .Kansas City Royals Minor League Baseball Team now in Springdale.
Approximately 3 hrs. Drive to Branson Missourri.
About an to Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma. Approx 1 1/2hr. to Tulsa.
One of the most historic towns in the US. I could go on and on, The area has been good for me and my Family. Every body has their own opinions. After you get here it won't take you long to form your own..

I have heard a lot of people say that about Fort Smith. They like it because the cost of living is low and its a short drive to many places that are more exciting with more to do.