From Chicago area to northern Idaho (Coeur d'Alene, Sandpoint: violent crime, employment, tornadoes)

[MrGerardo]

I am starting this thread for people who moved from anywhere in the Chicago area to anywhere in northern Idaho. I feel more and more drawn to this area after every City Data thread I read on this part of Idaho. I would like to know what attracted people to this area and how the atmosphere is completely different from Chicago ( Detroit in about ten years ). I know Idaho is better, but I want to read it first hand.

[Joy4archie]

I'm wanting to move to northern Idaho as well. I live in Central Illinois!

[cali3448893]

Originally Posted by MrGerardo

I am starting this thread for people who moved from anywhere in the Chicago area to anywhere in northern Idaho. I feel more and more drawn to this area after every City Data thread I read on this part of Idaho. I would like to know what attracted people to this area and how the atmosphere is completely different from Chicago ( Detroit in about ten years ). I know Idaho is better, but I want to read it first hand.

Umm chicago is currently booming right now detroit not so much.

[mistyriver]

We didn't move from Chicago but my husband commuted back and forth between Chicago and northern Idaho for almost a year for work. Certainly it's easier to find employment in Chicago. Pros and cons to both places. I love visiting Chicago.

[MrGerardo]

It may be easier, but it's more than offset by the higher cost of living and other intangibles like drive-by shootings and other violent crimes. Of course, we can't forget tornadoes, but then again, doesn't Idaho get earthquakes? Someone help me out here.

[pimit2]

Earthquakes in Idaho? Yeah, there have been some, but they have been minor for the most part. Virtually all recorded Idaho quakes occurred in the southern part of the state.

In modern times, the most significant event actually happened at Hebgen Lake in southwest Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park. It occurred in August of 1959and was recorded at between 7.3 and 7.5 on the Richter Scale. It shook up folks in the Island Park area of east-central Idaho.

You may recall that the Hebgen Lake earthquake happened about 11:30pm, thus creating landslides leading to the death of 28 people sleeping in area campgrounds.

In NID (knock on wood), we've not experienced an earthquake of note....unless you want to count the major upheavals that probably occurred thousands of years ago creating the mountains and terrestrial beauty of where we get to live!

pimit2 (Bob)

[Clark Fork Fantast]

And don't forget the recurring flooding from Lake Missoula. Last time it happened was about 10,000 years ago, and it's bound to happen again some day! During the next ice age, that is...

But seriously, in terms of natural disasters the one thing everybody fears (I think--I do) is the next big forest fire...

[AmericanaAbroad]

I suppose people in CDA and the area might wonder a bit about Mt. St. Helens erupting again. I just don't remember many other disastrous disasters in Idaho. Forest fires like Clark says I suppose.

[pimit2]

CFF and AA are correct. The danger of a serious forest fire is always a possibility in NID. AA points out that the Mount St. Helens eruption in May 1980 had a major impact on the farmers and land in the greater Coeur d'Alene/Sandpoint area. He is right, although the impact of the event was (certainly) negative and (perhaps) positive.

Although St. Helens is in Washington State more than 300 miles southwest of NID, the plume of ash from the eruption could be easily seen from NID....and, then, the ash found its way to the local towns and surrounding area. The ash "rained down" on NID for several days after the eruption had ended. Several inches of the abrasive ash covered the land, the roads, and everything locals owned. Roadways had to be "snowplowed" to maked a driveable path, although drivers were warned that the troublesome ash could ruin their automobile engines. Many crops were ruined. The cleanup took weeks. On the positive side, the ash (it is said) added beneficial nutrients to the soil in NID. Maybe so, but year after year, my tomatoes are small and ugly....

Could it happen again? Of course. In our lifetime? Not very likely.


pimit2 (Bob)

[mistyriver]

Originally Posted by MrGerardo

It may be easier, but it's more than offset by the higher cost of living and other intangibles like drive-by shootings and other violent crimes. Of course, we can't forget tornadoes, but then again, doesn't Idaho get earthquakes? Someone help me out here.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like a bullet from a driveby shooting would be pretty tangible.