Decatur Illinois (Chicago, Peoria, Springfield: job market, schools, community college)

[HOWELL_STREET]

In driving through Gibson City many, many times - - or maybe around it(?)- - I get the sense of being in an island out in the corn fields. There is nothing around there that I have found - - and I have never seen the other restaurants that you have mentioned. In fact, I have never found the town other than the area right around Mickey Dees 'crossroads'.

In traveling IL - 47, one zigs and zags around the area. So I guess it is in order for me to do something like "Travels With Charley" , a famous book of many years ago.

In a sense, we do "Travels With Charley" right here on the forum. But that does not give us a clear picture of a given restaurant hidden away someplace.

I've got a question for you, Drover. Where do you get ALL of your information? You seem to be an EXPERT on EVERY town in the U.S.

Maybe as your name implies, you are an OTC driver? But then, how come you seem to spend so much time on the Forums rather than on the road? Kind O' puzzling....

[Drover]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

In driving through Gibson City many, many times - - or maybe around it(?)- - I get the sense of being in an island out in the corn fields. There is nothing around there that I have found - - and I have never seen the other restaurants that you have mentioned. In fact, I have never found the town other than the area right around Mickey Dees 'crossroads'.

In traveling IL - 47, one zigs and zags around the area. So I guess it is in order for me to do something like "Travels With Charley" , a famous book of many years ago.

In a sense, we do "Travels With Charley" right here on the forum. But that does not give us a clear picture of a given restaurant hidden away someplace.

I've got a question for you, Drover. Where do you get ALL of your information? You seem to be an EXPERT on EVERY town in the U.S.

Maybe as your name implies, you are an OTC driver? But then, how come you seem to spend so much time on the Forums rather than on the road? Kind O' puzzling....

If you just drive through on route 47, you miss all of downtown Gibson City because all you're doing is skirting around the edges of the city. About 90% of the city is north and east of the Route 47 zig-zag. About a mile north of that zig-zag, there is a New Holland and Case IH dealership on 47. If you turn left (as you're headed south) on that road and then right on Sangamon Street a couple blocks later, that will take you through downtown. If you keep going straight, it will eventually put you back on Route 47. You'll get to see much more of Gibson City that way.

As for my "expertise," it has come from traveling, but it's not as broad as you suggest. For instance I have virtually nothing to say about any place west of the Mississippi unless I'm speaking in the broadest of terms about topics that can be gleaned by research; I have done very little traveling out there. I also have not extensively traveled the South, having been to Atlanta a few times, the Carolinas a few times, a brief time in northern Alabama, etc. I have some knowledge of the northern Appalachian and mid-Atlantic regions from having lived in Pittsburgh for a couple of years plus occasional visits back to the area.

[M TYPE X]

Gibson City has a Monical's ?! And I've never been there! What have I been missing?!

... there's a German restaurant? What is its name?

[jtjmom]

I grew up there. The restaurant is called Bayern Stube, and people actually do travel from miles around to check it out!

IF we're going to talk about what there is in GC, how could we not discuss the Harvest Moon Drive-In?

DQ, Mickey D's, Subway, Pizza Hut, Monical's, Bayern Stube, whatever it's called now... Danenjoy's, maybe... just behind the Bank of Gibson City on 47... The Harvest Moon... the bean plant, there's another parts manufacturer, I believe (formerly M & W Gear), they even have a little motel! Gibson City is also the home of Gibson City Melvin Sibley High School. Don't forget Railside Golf Club... It might be tiny, but IMO, Gibson is a real slice of Americana!

~Danielle

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by Switch625

Maybe they like the smell of industrial chemicals and roasting soybeans. You just never know.

The prevailing winds blow to the NE and since ADM and Tate & Lyle (Formerly Staley's) is on the east side of town, most of the smell everyone refers to is carried out into the countryside. It's only when the wind is out of the east or southeast that the majority of the city is bothered by it. Even those folks along Lake Decatur, which is within eyeshot of the ADM towers is pretty immune.

Interestingly, Decatur has at least one "mega-church" where Bloomington-Normal and many other downstate communities don't. And it's along the corridor from downtown to Millikin, so they must be doing SOMEthing right. . .

Faithfully,

G.A. (who faithfully attends said mega-church! but doesn't live IN Decatur!)

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by HOWELL_STREET

... But, I can do even one better. Have you ever lived in a paper mill town? HMMM - 'Yuck'. For a paper mill, try Muskegon, MI during certain times of the summer.

Carter Glass

My brother lives in Muskegon and if it weren't for the declining property values (he is actually in Norton Shores!) he'd be out in a heartbeat. People up there are positively weird. He constantly tells me about young girls going around exposing themselves (in WINTER, no less!) and people stealing car keys from stranded motorists, and other such "hospitable" activities.

Compared to Decatur? NO comparison!! At least in Decatur, people aren't Dutch and actually say "hello" to you. Not so in Muskegon. Whenever I go, people go out of their way to avoid looking at you. And don't you ever DARE to speak to them!! They will just give you a blank stare, as if to say: "how DARE you say ANYTHING to me???"

No, thanks!

Faithfully,

G.A.

[Bugqueen]

Boy are you in for a culture shock. I live in Taylorville, 25 miles south of Decatur and worked as a professional in Decatur for a number of years, but lived in Olympia Washington for 6 months during December though Juneone year. Gorgeous state for the other 6 months. Anyway back to the culture thing, Washington residents there were a diverse lot, and struck me as very liberal. Mid-Illinois is very conservative, very friendly and very dull and for the most part not very well educated. While housing is more expensive in Springfield, the intellectual level goes up several notches. There are several small towns within 30 miles of Springfield with very low housing costs if you don't mind commuting.

[esther applegate]

Originally Posted by wionee

Hi, I've been looking at Decatur Illinois for almost 6 months. I'm wondering if anyone has been there or has any opinions about the area. I've never been to the midwest and don't have a clue about anything. I would appreciate any information that you could share with me. Thanking you, Wionee

I grew up in decatur. it's a blue collor town with
nothing going for it and nothing, at all, to do...

[esther applegate]

nothing there, my friend...

[ndb]

Originally Posted by esther applegate

nothing there, my friend...

I grew up 30 miles north of there in Clinton and went to school in Decatur for a year before moving on to finish school....we used to frequent decatur a lot and, for the most part it's a blue collar town with a similar attitude. There is a decent amount of crime, not awful, but you need to know where you can and can't go. There is a weird pocket of nice homes and old money in the middle of town around the private university there.
There are also some cool little restaurants and stores, but, in the end, I'd probably never move there even thought the real estate is super cheap.
It's cheap for a reason. Not a lot of work (subjective, it depends on what you're looking for). Higher than the norm crime rate, lackluster job offerings, etc, etc.
If you're looking at the central, il area check out Champaign-Urbana, or, if you're looking for cheaper real estate, look at one of the small towns around that area.
The nice thing about Central IL is that pretty much everything is commuting distance.

nb