Smithville - clicky or open to new families? (cliquey, transporting)

[LookinginMO]

Hi everyone! My husband and kids have been talking a lot about moving to Smithville, MO from the Kansas side. We spent almost the whole summer at the lake and just love it. Our only concern is the fact we've heard a couple of times that it's a very clicky area and difficult to make friends. Does anyone have any experience with this or any insight? We'd hate to move there and then have a hard time with something so important. Thanks so much for any and all responses!

[MLSFan]

I haven't lived there but from my visits up there, I'd say more "small" town minded and not "clicky". I don't know if there's a difference to you, but to me, small town means they tend to stick together but they let me into their groups when I go up there for a bit if I let them know I want to join and that I don't really want to change/upset their balance of how things are done. I'm fairly good at incorporating myself into groups though but I didn't feel "left" out because I didn't belong in their group. You just have to put in effort to warm up to them to get in? Just go with it as a "small" community feel that stick together, make it known that you plan to be part of it and they should be fine with you.

[vls4c2]

My husband grew up in Smithville & I moved there in 5th grade (we are now in our 30's). We absolutely love the town & the schools are great (at least they were when we were there). I've never heard it referred to as clicky & that has not been our experience. People are very friendly & welcoming. It has a nice rural feel yet is very close to all the conveniences of the city. We would move back there in a heartbeat.

[B23451]

It can be cliquey, but of you're willing to get really involved in the community, making friends will be easy.

[angelrose55]

We moved to Smithville from NJ in 2004. At that time and for ten years after, it was the most miserable experience I have ever had. I have lived all over the world and nothing prepared me for this. If you weren't born there don't go there. It was an "Old Boys" dictatorship. I tried to join their American Legion Post. They had a secret meeting to see if I would be allowed to join. Mind you, I was a woman with more time in than any of them. .I found out that they were operating under their original charter and that there were no minutes. It stated that you had to be "a white male" to join. After having words with higher authority, I was in, however, they black balled our business and we went under. If you aren't part of the group your children will not get more than 2 minutes on the playing field for sports. The woman than did our taxes also did the billing for the city water department. Turns out she committed the crime of theft and transporting stolen money across state lines. She went to prison for ten years and all her clients were audited for years to come. I did make several friends but they were far and few between. The majority of people were extremely prejudiced. I would recommend a town a little closer to KC. I wish you luck.