Looking for advice about where to live (Louisville, Bowling Green: fit in, good schools)

[Wanttocomehome]

To try to keep this fairly concise, I am hoping for some suggestions about places where my family might be able to fit in. I was born in Madisonville and still have a large number of relatives there (as in both sides of my family -- both parents, all 4 grandparents and 6 out of 8 great grandparents from Hopkins County) ... but I was raised elsewhere. I would ordinarily prefer to live somewhere:

1. liberal/progressive
2. no confederate flags, no Klan
3. no crystal meth
4. fairly small town (when I go to the grocery store, I pretty much know everyone there)
5. some fine arts (husband is classical musician)
6. can be agnostic and/or join a Unitarian church without having to discuss and explain and defend it repeatedly
7. at least one school, whether private or public, that offers a strong curriculum in both liberal arts and the maths and sciences, without overworking and stressing out the children. And still gives the children opportunities for physical activity (i.e., recess and PE). But is more of a liberal, allow the child to work at his own pace type of environment. OR has a fairly sizable home-schooling or unschooling community that is not dominated by conservative Christians.
8. A community that values the outdoors and nature, and a place that makes those things fairly easily accessible.

As long as I am inventing a dreamtown, I might as well also ask for a rcollege and a used bookstore and a coffeeshop where people like to play chess, at least some people who like to talk about philosophy and don't care if you're a little weird, a community chorale that likes to sing madrigals and needs a good soprano, maybe some people who like to read ancient greek on the weekends, people who don't like to watch American Idol but who do like Doctor Who and maybe even Heroes, but also I still want people like my old Granny whom I lost a few years ago ... who did worry I might be going to hell but loved me anyway and didn't judge, who baked me blackberry cobbler and made me soppin gravy and biscuits even when I showed up at 2 in the morning, who was pentacostal but thought it was okay if you weren't, and gave me her Bible, and my other Granny, also gone, who made me sweet tea and told me to take better care of my husband and gave me her Bible too.

So if you have any ideas where I can go, please let me know.

[oneluckymug]

I'm pretty sure you are looking for makebelieveland.

Most of what you want would be satisfied in and around the area of Asheville, NC

It's about 5 hours 45 minutes from Madisonville (am in Asheville now and in-laws live in Dixon (20 minutes from madisonville)

[Wanttocomehome]

oneluckymug, LOL, thanks for the tip. Yes, I think about Asheville a lot. But I really do want to live closer to my relatives. Do you have any ideas about what might be the best compromise areas? I have a cousin in Bowling Green who is very happy there and I have wondered if I could make that work. another cousin in paducah but it doesn't seem right to me, although I don't really know anything about it. yes I know I'm looking for makebelieveland but maybe can compromise on some things, like the size of the town and the bit about ancient Greek ....

[Marie Christmas]

Originally Posted by Wanttocomehome

To try to keep this fairly concise, I am hoping for some suggestions about places where my family might be able to fit in. I was born in Madisonville and still have a large number of relatives there (as in both sides of my family -- both parents, all 4 grandparents and 6 out of 8 great grandparents from Hopkins County) ... but I was raised elsewhere. I would ordinarily prefer to live somewhere:

1. liberal/progressive
2. no confederate flags, no Klan
3. no crystal meth
4. fairly small town (when I go to the grocery store, I pretty much know everyone there)
5. some fine arts (husband is classical musician)
6. can be agnostic and/or join a Unitarian church without having to discuss and explain and defend it repeatedly
7. at least one school, whether private or public, that offers a strong curriculum in both liberal arts and the maths and sciences, without overworking and stressing out the children. And still gives the children opportunities for physical activity (i.e., recess and PE). But is more of a liberal, allow the child to work at his own pace type of environment. OR has a fairly sizable home-schooling or unschooling community that is not dominated by conservative Christians.
8. A community that values the outdoors and nature, and a place that makes those things fairly easily accessible.

As long as I am inventing a dreamtown, I might as well also ask for a rcollege and a used bookstore and a coffeeshop where people like to play chess, at least some people who like to talk about philosophy and don't care if you're a little weird, a community chorale that likes to sing madrigals and needs a good soprano, maybe some people who like to read ancient greek on the weekends, people who don't like to watch American Idol but who do like Doctor Who and maybe even Heroes, but also I still want people like my old Granny whom I lost a few years ago ... who did worry I might be going to hell but loved me anyway and didn't judge, who baked me blackberry cobbler and made me soppin gravy and biscuits even when I showed up at 2 in the morning, who was pentacostal but thought it was okay if you weren't, and gave me her Bible, and my other Granny, also gone, who made me sweet tea and told me to take better care of my husband and gave me her Bible too.

So if you have any ideas where I can go, please let me know.

Virginia!

[mdawg]

Bowling Green is a nice town, it would probably be worth checking out. They seem like they are really developing a lot of the area and building a lot of new things. Its close to Nashville and around 2 hours away from Louisville. Of course, you could live on the outskirts of Louisville like Pewee Valley, Crestwood etc. When I lived in the east end of Louisville and went to my local Kroger, I could always count on seeing at least 2 or 3 of my friends. Louisville is a big city that thinks its a small town.

[Wanttocomehome]

But I thought Louisville was several hours away from Hopkins county? plus I am tired of big city. I really need somewhere smaller, I think.

[mdawg]

Yeah its about 2 1/2. It is a big city but it doesn't really feel like it imo. You're going to be hard pressed to find a liberal/progressive area in KY that has a good arts scene that isn't a larger city or near one.

[oneluckymug]

Originally Posted by Wanttocomehome

But I thought Louisville was several hours away from Hopkins county? plus I am tired of big city. I really need somewhere smaller, I think.

I don't want to put a big insult into an area you grew up (remember my wife grew up there as well).....but within 1 hour of Madisonville in every direction....there are basically no good schools (some average but mostly bad bad bad) and massive drug problems. Being these are two of your requirements....may have to look farther out. Looking at greatschools.net really puts into perspective how bad the schools in the area are. My wife wanted to move back to the area but after researching for years all of the schools in the area, we will be living 4 hours north in Illinois.

[bw87a]

i would say danville might be worth checking out, but that's really not too close to hopkins county.

[kygman]

Come on down to Trigg County. Good schools. We're 10 miles from the Land Between the Lakes, plus Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. If you want to find a church, between here and around Hopkinsville, you can find Just about any type. As for people bothering you about not going, the only one who gets after me for not going is my mother in Mayfield. lol Lots of friendly people around. For some of the fine arts part, like the classical music, Murray State University is 30 miles away. Cadiz has a small hiking trail along the Little River. Come and check us out!
Just between you and me, I think American Idol is a waste of TV air time! Think that about just about all reality TV.