Exasperated In Illinois (Chicago, Champaign, Charleston: homes, schools, college)

[lookaround]

I was born in Central IL. I've lived in many other states, but now I'm back in Central IL after a major life change and I'm feeling pretty beat up here. Property taxes, utility rates, subdivision hell...but there is always something to complain about everywhere. Is Carbondale an easy going affordable place and is it an "art friendly" (lack of better term) community? I heard about a small KY town near the IL border that is attracting artists and galleries.

[sweetana3]

that small town might be Paducah. Over the last few years we have visited, the downtown is having a kind of renaissance.

It is a nice town by the way. I come for the huge national quilting show. The town treats us very well.

[lookaround]

Thank you, sweetana3!

[Pegib]

Originally Posted by lookaround

I was born in Central IL. I've lived in many other states, but now I'm back in Central IL after a major life change and I'm feeling pretty beat up here. Property taxes, utility rates, subdivision hell...but there is always something to complain about everywhere. Is Carbondale an easy going affordable place and is it an "art friendly" (lack of better term) community? I heard about a small KY town near the IL border that is attracting artists and galleries.

The town across the Illinois state line is Paducah, Ky. and it has a whole neigborhood of Artist in the Oldtown district downtown, is also the home of the Quilt Museum and a huge shopping center complex which did not exhist in 1978.
It is not "small" anymore.
It also has state of the art medical facilities at Lourdes and Western Baptist hospitals.

Pegib, Wyomimg (Coming back to Illinois soon) better tornadoes than some of the most frightening medical facilities that I have ever worked in.

[Steve-o]

Two words: Galena, IL.

[gardener34]

Carbondale is a college town, which usually has an artsy scene. Although I do not know for sure. I do know that IL is expensive. You should NOT move anywhere near the Chicago area if you think Central IL is expensive though. It is REALLY bad here.
Galena is really nice, I agree.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by gardener34

Carbondale is a college town, which usually has an artsy scene.

Maybe at large flagship schools in relatively decent-sized cities. But at smaller second-tier schools in smaller towns, that's not always the case. It's been a long time since I've been to Carbondale so I can't adequately comment on its current state, but I don't remember it being terribly artsy when I was there. There certainly wasn't an "artsy scene" in my college town (Charleston IL) outside the college's own performing arts building.

[Steve-o]

I agree with gardener34, if you think central IL is expensive, dont even consider greater Chicagoland. LOL I think youd keel over from sticker shock. Galena, as I suggested, offers affordable homes in a picturesque area (I have a thread on here somewhere with pics of Galena if youre interested) and youre not too far from Chicago or Minneapolis or Dubuque.

[Out of Alaska]

I agree - Galena is great. Champaign is also what I would call "art-friendly".

[M TYPE X]

Where in central Illinois is "subdivision hell" ? Are you talking about Chicagoland in northeastern Illinois?