Berea Kentucky

[blbrison]

Hi guys--this thread seemed like a good place to ask questions about Berea =)

I noticed on Google maps that train tracks roll through town--are they commuter or commercial rails? I'm currently working as an editor in Houston, TX, and I would hope to find a job along a similar line in the area. What are some local newspapers/publications that I could contact? Also, how do the college and the town get along? How expensive is land? (I need elbow room after all these years in the massive suburb that is Houston) What's the water situation like? Drought? Plague? Earthquakes? Tornadoes? Nuclear weapons? Will I be strung up if I don't go to church? When I do make it to the Methodist church, are people pretty welcoming? Will I get spat upon if I mention that I'm not particularly fond of the job the ole Prez is doing? Will I get odd looks when I do reveal my Republican side? What about coffee? I need coffee! And internet. Is the internet fast and readily available? What's the social scene like? Is there bluegrass? I LOVE bluegrass! Can anyone teach me some fiddle or mandolin? How problematic is it that I'm a Vols fan? (Nashville born and raised) Does the community recycle, or at least have recycling facilities? What is the hunting like? Is the soil fertile? Can I sled in the winter? Will I bake in the summer? Is there an active hiking community in the town? Is there a bar in town with a hitching post? (I've always wanted to live in a place that enabled me to ride into town on my horse but that may be a pipe dream) How does the area compare with Middle Tennessee? Are the roads good? Is it a place I can raise my (future) kids? I've never gotten used to locking doors--will I get robbed? Is the village library well-funded, with many and diverse books?

That's all I can think of right now.

[Davart]

Originally Posted by blbrison

Hi guys--this thread seemed like a good place to ask questions about Berea =)

I noticed on Google maps that train tracks roll through town--are they commuter or commercial rails? I'm currently working as an editor in Houston, TX, and I would hope to find a job along a similar line in the area. What are some local newspapers/publications that I could contact? Also, how do the college and the town get along? How expensive is land? (I need elbow room after all these years in the massive suburb that is Houston) What's the water situation like? Drought? Plague? Earthquakes? Tornadoes? Nuclear weapons? Will I be strung up if I don't go to church? When I do make it to the Methodist church, are people pretty welcoming? Will I get spat upon if I mention that I'm not particularly fond of the job the ole Prez is doing? Will I get odd looks when I do reveal my Republican side? What about coffee? I need coffee! And internet. Is the internet fast and readily available? What's the social scene like? Is there bluegrass? I LOVE bluegrass! Can anyone teach me some fiddle or mandolin? How problematic is it that I'm a Vols fan? (Nashville born and raised) Does the community recycle, or at least have recycling facilities? What is the hunting like? Is the soil fertile? Can I sled in the winter? Will I bake in the summer? Is there an active hiking community in the town? Is there a bar in town with a hitching post? (I've always wanted to live in a place that enabled me to ride into town on my horse but that may be a pipe dream) How does the area compare with Middle Tennessee? Are the roads good? Is it a place I can raise my (future) kids? I've never gotten used to locking doors--will I get robbed? Is the village library well-funded, with many and diverse books?

That's all I can think of right now.

1. Commercial
2. Try the Herald Leader in Lexington perhaps others no my field.
3. Not sure, I assume fine never heard reports of riot or lock downs.
4. Not my neck of the woods but I'd guess $4000 and up an acre. Realtor.com for land prices.
5. Should be fine, there are dry spells but rarely last long.
6. No
7. No
8. Not likely
9. Rarely
10. Sorry, classified.
11. Nope, but you will be asked often.
12. I'm Methodist, more are pretty nice folks.
13. It's college town likely not.
14. The Governor a Republican. So like him, some don't.
15. Hot and Black
16. Yes, we even have running water and electricity.
17. Not sure don't live there.
18. Yes
19. Not me.
20. I wouldn't tell anyone around there, stay in the sports closet.
21. Most do to some degree, not real big in many areas.
22. Great
23. Very
24. Very rarely.
25. Yes
26. College town there might be.
27. Nope it's Dry if I recall right.
28. Similar
29. Good
30. Yes
31. No
32. Village? We have towns. Not sure, likely good.
33. Surely not ....

Any one from or near there chime in ... I'm way over in the west but I have family near there, doesn't really qualify me as an expert.

[blbrison]

Davart, you are awesome! Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

[Gordonstoun]

I'm a graduate of Berea College, and lived there off and on for a few years after graduation. My mother and sister still live there. I don't agree completely with Davart's answers, so I'll post mine here.

Originally Posted by blbrison

Hi guys--this thread seemed like a good place to ask questions about Berea =)

I noticed on Google maps that train tracks roll through town--are they commuter or commercial rails? I'm currently working as an editor in Houston, TX, and I would hope to find a job along a similar line in the area. What are some local newspapers/publications that I could contact? Also, how do the college and the town get along? How expensive is land? (I need elbow room after all these years in the massive suburb that is Houston) What's the water situation like? There has been much inmigration of people to the area, and Berea is experiencing water shortages. This will be a big issue in the next few years. Drought? Plague? Earthquakes? I experienced one when I lived there...magnitude 5....but normally the are quite rare. Tornadoes? Nuclear weapons? No, but between Richmond and Berea is the Bluegrass Army Ordinance Depot, which contains one of the Nation's largest stockpiles of nerve gas (and which is a subject of much local contention).Will I be strung up if I don't go to church? When I do make it to the Methodist church, are people pretty welcoming? Will I get spat upon if I mention that I'm not particularly fond of the job the ole Prez is doing? No, you will probably be invited to dinner, as the town is populated by a bunch of professors with radical-left political leanings. Warning--it is hard for sensible people to have converstions with such folks without becoming annoyed. Will I get odd looks when I do reveal my Republican side? What about coffee? I need coffee! There are several good locally owned coffee shops (No Starbucks). And internet. Is the internet fast and readily available? There are several internet providers, all of whom are incompetent. My mother constantly has trouble with local ISPs, and has had to change providers on several occasions. What's the social scene like? OK, especially if you like drinking coffee with doddering old leftist professors with incipient senile dementia. The college provides a venue for much cultural activity--lectures (many great speakers appear at Danforth Chapel), concerts, plays, folk dances, senior-citizen trips to Europe led by professors, etc. Is there bluegrass? Absolutely. This is one of the best places anywhere for exposure to bluegrass and traditional music. That was what I loved best about living there. I LOVE bluegrass! Can anyone teach me some fiddle or mandolin? You should be able to find someone. How problematic is it that I'm a Vols fan? (Nashville born and raised) Does the community recycle, or at least have recycling facilities? What is the hunting like? Forget it. There is hardly any huntable game around (except squirrels, which are in abundance), and access is very difficult. That's one of the reasons I left. Is the soil fertile? Very fertile to the north and west of town, somewhat less fertile to the south and east, but still better than a lot of places. More sloping areas to the south and west of town are very shallow to acid shale. Can I sled in the winter? Yes, many excellent places for that activity are on campus. Students swipe cafeteria trays and use them for sleds. Will I bake in the summer? No. Is there an active hiking community in the town? Yes...in fact, Berea College has a 7,000 acre forest to the east of town, that is all hills and cliffs, with many well-marked trails. The Berea College forest is spectacular, and if you move there, you'll spend every weekend hiking in the forest, like I did when I was there. Is there a bar in town with a hitching post? Berea is dry. There is no legal liquor anywhere in town. Richmond, 10 miles to the north is wet, and is the first wet town coming north from Tennessee (about 100 miles); so every third building in Richmond is a liquor store or bar (none with hitching posts). This gives Richmond the appearance of being tawdry (which, in fact, it is). (I've always wanted to live in a place that enabled me to ride into town on my horse but that may be a pipe dream) How does the area compare with Middle Tennessee? Are the roads good? Roads are very good. Is it a place I can raise my (future) kids? One of the best places in the U.S. to raise children (assuming your children don't like to hunt). I've never gotten used to locking doors--will I get robbed? Not much crime at all. Is the village library well-funded, with many and diverse books? The college library is open to the general public (as small-college libraries go, it's not bad); and the city is building a large new municipal library.

That's all I can think of right now.

[cynthiann]

Does anyone know who owns Flat Lick Falls in McKee? I wanting to get permission for a group of photographers to come take pictures.

[flybob63]

I noticed a lot of people saying the hunting is poor in this area.....Why is this so????

I am interested in this area myself, but need good hunting close by.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by flybob63

I noticed a lot of people saying the hunting is poor in this area.....Why is this so????

I am interested in this area myself, but need good hunting close by.

Madison County isn't very wooded for one thing. Also, there's so much sprawl in Madison County now. Hunters tend to go to Adair County and areas in Western Kentucky.