Western KY Living? (Louisville, Owensboro, Bowling Green: lawyers, houses, transfer)

[Diamond Dee]

Just curious about the western part of KY times I visited I really like it around Land between the Lakes ,Murray even though its a college town it seemed pretty laid back.I want to know from the Locals what makes western Ky special for you?thanks.

[lovintexas]

Well, I'm a native and former resident of WKY, so maybe I can help you out.

I was born in Madisonville and raised for part of my life in nearby Webster County. Madisonville has its pros and cons. Let's examine the pros first:
-A steadily-growing (but slowly-expanding) economic, educational, and medical oasis in the middle of nowhere. Where it is far enough from Evansville, Owensboro, Clarksville, TN, Bowling Green, and Paducah, it is able to thrive on its own. Don't get me wrong: It's certainly no Houston, Dallas, or even Louisville, or even Evansville in terms of its "big city" amenities. But it offers enough so that one does not have a major need to leave town unless it is for upscale shopping.
-The Trover Foundation complex is huge. It has a 435-bed hospital (Regional Medical Center), equipped with a Cancer Center and Women's Health Center. Also, Trover Clinic is an eight-story clinic employing several hundred general and specialty practice physicians. This is all just off North Main near Downtown, and it makes Madisonville the healthcare hub of west Kentucky. Furthermore, Kentucky Tech (a branch of Kentucky's Education Cabinet) operates a Health Sciences Center, a small but thriving school that trains high school students in the health trades; from there, many recent high school graduates are already ready to become RN's.
-Madisonville Community College is a college with approximately 2,000 students secluded in the hills of North Madisonville. It also serves as a branch campus of Murray State's College of Education, and many locals (from Hopkins, Webster, Muhlenberg, and other counties) take advantage of the COE programs to pursue a 4-year teaching degree, without ever having to frequent Murray. MCC is also home to the Glema Mahr Performing Arts Center.
-Madisonville does not have a decrepit downtown area. It is well-preserved, albeit small. The Courthouse and its lawn are very well kept, the Public Library is there (although not the nicest facility in the world,) and there are plenty of cute little shops and locally-owned family restaurants that Madisonvillians frequent and are proud of.
-There aren't very many upscale, suburban USA stores in the area. Just your big boxes: Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Kroger, Sureway supermarket, and a totally lames excuse for a mall (although it does have Peeble's, Goody's, and a cinema 8.) Applebee's is the only alcohol-permitting, sit-down, national chain restaurant to my knowledge in M'ville; it also has Tumbleweed. Rumor has it that M'ville is really trying to attract Kohl's, Home Depot, O'Charley's, and other stores and restaurants to town, but that remains to be seen.

For all the nice little things the town offers, here are the cons:
-While downtown is not dumpy, most of the city is dumpy, poorly maintained, and has horrible streets.
-I have never seen a small town with such a confusing, non-sensible, unreasonable grid of one-way streets that go nowhere.
-For a small town, you will be appaled with the number of rude drivers that exist. People use the horn liberally and yell frequently at other drivers in this town. You'd expect it in Houston, Orlando, Washington, etc., but not a small Kentucky town.

For my closing notes, I'd avoid Webster County. Although, WebCo has one of the top 10 elementary schools in the state, Slaughters. Slaughters Elem. is a VERY strict disciplinary school (or at least it has been in the past,) but it has only 180 students, preschool through 8th grade, and many that graduate from there and, subsequently, the local high school, go on to become physicians, lawyers, dentists, etc. Slaughters, for a small town of 250, has a fairly intelligent and well-educated population; BUT, Webster County does have PLENTY of rednecks, so beware. Anyway, the county smells like chicken ****, and I'm NOT joking, either; the county is permeated with chicken houses and chicken farms.

Owensboro isn't so bad. I'd prefer a small town called Cadiz over anywhere in WKY; if you want more info, just give a shout out.

[Diamond Dee]

lovintexas-thanks for the info .

[DaninEGF]

Originally Posted by lovintexas

Well, I'm a native and former resident of WKY, so maybe I can help you out.

I was born in Madisonville and raised for part of my life in nearby Webster County.

Hi there

When did you live there? I was born and raised in Madisonville and graduated from MNHHS in 1984. My parents still live there....although they moved from west side of town (off Noel Ave) to the north side near the rolling skating rink just past the high school. You described the town very well...more stuff than I knew. I visit occasionally once every 2 years usually as my folks make the long trip up north occasionally to where I live. Madisonville was o.k. growing up. Moved away for my career and moved north because I could not stand the long humid summers. By the way, my father was raised in slaughters....small world.

As for recommending M'ville to anyone...I guess it is ok. I personally thought growing up in a dry county/city was a good thing....but know they needed to pass the law to get the city wet to attract the big city restaurants.

Dan

[Diamond Dee]

WAS Looking for more city specific info on Murray and Hazel and northern Tn area around Fulton and Hazel.you can only get so much from the chamber of commerce.any info on these areas would be helpful.

[Davart]

I live in western KY ... the real western KY, west of the lakes. What do you want to know? I was in Murray yesterday and will be there again today, along with Paducah and I was in Clinton and Fulton on Saturday. Are you wanting to know taxes, cost, lifestyle etc?

A quick tip the closer to the lakes you are the higher the cost of taxes, houses, and living. The closer to the River counties you are, the less the taxes, houses and living BUT you have less shopping and services.

Fulton is in Hickman county and Hazel is in Calloway they are about 25 miles apart. I'd have to really know what you are looking for to really answer your question.

[kentucky country mouse]

Originally Posted by Diamond Dee

Just curious about the western part of KY times I visited I really like it around Land between the Lakes ,Murray even though its a college town it seemed pretty laid back.I want to know from the Locals what makes western Ky special for you?thanks.

Consider Madisonville for a destination! I just read LovinTexas. Sounds like a commercial for Madisonville up to the comments on drivers. I've lived here over 30 years and have never been yelled at in traffic. In fact, I find most people quite polite when I'm trying to get in or out of a busy spot where there is no light.

[Diamond Dee]

thanks Davart-I found the info useful!I visited a few months back the murray,Hazel and Paris Tn. area and it really has its charm.only one question if I ever relocate to that part of the state how's the Health care field as far as Jobs.specifically for those who work in MHMR? anyone?

[Davart]

If you are looking for a college than consider Murray it has had and continues to have a top ranks 4 year college that most people can still afford to go to, for culture go to Paducah, there is the Lowertown Arts district, the Carson Performing Art Center, Market House Theater (plays and stuff) Maiden Alley Cinema (Indy and Oldie Movie) tons of shopping and eating along with city wide festivals. Both are close to the Land Between the Lakes (LBL), Reelfoot Lake, KY and Barkley Lake, Ohio, Mississippi, Cumberland, Clark, and Tennessee Rivers. There are state parks and wild life management area all over and tone of nature everywhere. Lots of small town goings on and festivals, and most people are laid back and welcoming.

As for LovinTexas comment about "Rednecks" I yet to be ANYWHERE in the country and I've been all over it, where I do not encounter rednecks, be it KY, TN, CA, WA, MA, and dare I say even TX. Most of what you'll find here is good ol' boys just trying to make a living. The term redneck has negative connotations and is often confused with good ol boys, but what do I know I've only lived here 40+ years.

[Davart]

Originally Posted by Diamond Dee

thanks Davart-I found the info useful!I visited a few months back the murray,Hazel and Paris Tn. area and it really has its charm.only one question if I ever relocate to that part of the state how's the Health care field as far as Jobs.specifically for those who work in MHMR? anyone?

Well not sure what MHMR is ... (Mental Health Mental Retardation?) I know I see a lot of want ads for health care professionals, my sister who is a RN (working on her ARNP) would know more about that then I she is not over here in these parts but her hospital is part of the same system and has looked at transfers so if she doesn't know she could find out lickity-split.

The entire area is nice, even Paris TN and while TN doesn't have a state tax they get you everywhere else. So that is something to look at and their schools are lacking if you have school age kids. Just FYI.