What's up with Maytown & Jemison, AL (Birmingham, Pelham: house, elementary school)

[Jeanie]

My husband and I are looking to retire within the next 2-4 years from the Chicago area; looking for some property with acreage (15-20 acres) to build a house and do some farming and fishing and enjoying much WARMER winters. I've noticed a couple of pieces of nice property in the Maytown and Jemison area, which looks to be a little NW of Bham. We want to be near Bham just to keep up with the 'city life' but we need some peace and quiet also.

Just want to know any information that available on these two locations.

Thanks

[passtheword]

Originally Posted by Jeanie

My husband and I are looking to retire within the next 2-4 years from the Chicago area; looking for some property with acreage (15-20 acres) to build a house and do some farming and fishing and enjoying much WARMER winters. I've noticed a couple of pieces of nice property in the Maytown and Jemison area, which looks to be a little NW of Bham. We want to be near Bham just to keep up with the 'city life' but we need some peace and quiet also.

Just want to know any information that available on these two locations.

Thanks

Hi,

We live in Calera, which is about 10 miles north of Jemison. Jemison is actually south of downtown Birmingham (about 45 miles or so). Not sure where Maytown is. The areas you mentioned were NW of Birmingham. Did you mean Jasper or Sumiton instead?

Calera has a population of around 6500 last time I remembered, but it's growing pretty fast. Jemison is smaller, with a couple thousand people living there. We moved out here about 4 years ago, and it's nice to be away from Birmingham and the bigger suburbs, but still close enough to have all the conveniences you want.

[rexbittle]

We have about 3350 residents in Jemison now and that is about to grow again with two annexations taking place soon. The enrollment at the elementary school alone (K-4) is about 930 kids (2007-2008).

We just celebrated our Centennial of incorporation as a city in 2007. It is a very exciting time to be in Jemison. But it will be a long time before we lose the small town feel which is JUST FINE with me!!

[stillamarine]

Well we live in Mulga, right near Maytown (matter of fact there is a Welcome to Maytown sign up the road lol). For me it couldn't be better. I'm a city boy myself, I grew up in Grand Rapids, MI (spent many a weekend night in Chicago!). I love it here because we have the country life (no cell phone service even!) yet it takes 15 mins to get downtown.

[rexbittle]

That's pretty neat stillamarine. How long have you been here? I was raised in Pelham back when Pelham was just a small town. We lived in the suburbs of Atlanta for a long time since then. But I have been back here (first Hayden, then Jemison) since 2001. We just love these small towns. Great places to rear kids. We can have such a more positive influence with them.

But I have to tell you that when we left Atlanta (even though we didn't live IN Atlanta) I felt that I had left big cities behind for good. Then last year I had to make two business trips to Chicago. WOW!! What a great town!!! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I was there and would go back in a heartbeat. That town is clean and the people are very, very friendly. The food is awesome! I just watched the July 4th special on WGN when they do "Taste of Chicago". My mouth was watering the whole time. So as much as I love the country and these small towns, if for some reason I HAD to choose to be in a big city again - Chicago is my kind of town!! (I just never thought I would say something like that).

By the way, from your online name, I assume you are a retired military guy or at least you have served for a good while now? THANK YOU for your special service to our country. I appreciate you for that sacrifice.