Searching for Charm & Community in MD (Frederick, Waldorf: real estate, renters)

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by cancan

Not to step on any toes but just my 2 cents on the suggestions so far.

Calvert or St.marys - calvert looks like Northern Virginia now nothing quiant about it. St Mary's still has some rural attributes but I wouldnt go there in a zillion years. (Lived there)

I think you are grossly exaggerating these areas... Calvert county is nothing like NOVA, not even close. Yes the area has changed a lot but it is still much less crowded than a lot of other areas in MD. You must have lived out this way 50+ years ago... There is still a nice sense of community in these areas not to mention the schools are top notch. Why do you hate St. Mary's county? I recommend this area because it is more on the rural side but has a lot of the convenience of more populated areas without the congestion or crime...

[cancan]

I grew up in calvert, there is hardly a field left and no real towns to speak of anyway. To me it looks like NOVA....it used to be a beautiful place. Sorry thats my honest opinion.

St. Mary's is going the same way, I dont hate it in the strictist (sp) sense of the word but the people down there are really not pleasant. the western side of the county is better than the eastern side. Lexington park is a dump . Sorry just my honest take from having grown up down in those areas and worked there for many years. My brother lived in LP for 15 years and he is so happy to be out of there.

Gross exaggerations , No not really.

The person asked for a town with mainstreet and farmers markets ........where in calvert has this? where in St. Mary's? Quaint houses and a sense of community???? where in those two counties does that exsist?

My mother still lives in Calvert and my blood pressure goes up every time I drive over that way. More folks that dont give a darn about anyone especially when they are in their cars and middle class kids that have little respect for anything. Crime is pretty bad in St. Mary's too, open air drug markets in LP.

[cancan]

PS and no it wasnt 50 years ago, I am 42 and lived there all my life until 12-15 years ago when I had to leave .....20-30 years ago it was undiscovered almost, but really that was the beginning of the end of it for me.

PSS.... RT 4 and RT 5 are a unGodly mess if you have to commute into the District.

[cgordon]

I'm enjoying Frederick a lot, has most or all of your requirements except the commute problem, but someone addressed that above. Don't have kids, so can't speak to how well the town is set up for them.

Mexican gangs? Really? There's a significant Hispanic pop. here, but I have seen very little gang activity.

All in all, despite a recent 'crime wave' (which, IIRC consisted of about six incidents over one weekend), it's a pretty peaceful town.

As with any place, your respective peace and safety are going to equal the thought, care and way you conduct your life and business ...

[cancan]

Gangs are an emerging problem in Frederick, but insufficient information exists to determine the actual levels of gang crime. Police estimate that as much as 20% of the crimes in the County can be attributed to gang activity. Gangs are involved in drugs, destruction of property as well as assault and attempted murder.
The major gangs are the Bloods, Crips, several Neighborhood gangs and possibly Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). The Bloods are an increasing threat and total 30+ members in local sets such as the C.M.G., Cobraz and T.A.S. The Westside Crips is a predominantly black gang, totals approximately 40+ members and is engaged in drug trafficking in Frederick. In addition to the Bloods and Crips there are a number of local, neighborhood-based gangs or crews in Frederick, including the PA Mob, ,B6, Amber Meadows Crew, Kash Money Gang and White Soxs. The largest of these has approximately 40 members. The local crews are responsible for street-level drug sales and nuisance crimes but are not well organized. Violence associated with these gangs is generally a result of internal conflicts that occasionally has resulted in assaults and shootings. There are a number of youth gangs in County neighborhoods and schools such as the Juice Crew and Newport Crew. These crews are predominantly Caucasian high school students. MS-13 is a dominantly Latino gang that has a high visibility in the Washington, D.C., suburbs and has been linked to gang rivalries, assaults, auto thefts, and robberies. The Latino population in Frederick and the surrounding county is growing. Police are concerned about increasing indicators of MS-13 activity as seen in graffiti and reported sightings of men with MS-13 tattoos. Altercations between police officers and MS-13 members have been reported. While the number of MS-13 members in Frederick is not known, given the increasing indications of their presence and the level of MS-13 crime in nearby areas, MS-13 is of concern in Frederick.

MD Gangs - Gang Activity and Resources By Location

There was a big bust out there a year or so ago , it was all over the news. Gang was called MS13 which is known to be one of the most wide spread and violent gangs there is. There reach spreads all over the country and in mexico.

Im not trying to bash anyones hometown just give the OP real world info on the area's suggested, Good as well as bad.

[vivo]

here's a list of 2008 MD farmers mkts

Farmers' Market Directory

[tercel95]

Cancan I'm not here to argue I here some of what you're saying but I will share a brief history of my experience in MD having lived here my whole life, although not quite as long as you I am only 21... I grew up in montgomery county, short time in Silver Spring most of the time in Olney. In that time my house was broken into, someone stole my power wheels when I was like 8, I have been jumped, robbed, stabbed (not seriously though). I was a rough kid in my younger years, there was easy access to drugs in those areas and violence was a serious issue at my high school there... I moved to Calvert County in 2002 and hated it at first. As a young teenager there was nothing to do but once I got my license it wasn't a big deal. I felt so much safer in that area. The high school I went to down here was great it is ranked as one of the top high schools in the state. I do admit the drivers are a bit crazy down here but still beats living near the city. Since I moved out of my parents house I have lived in Great Mills and while all of the crime is right down the street, for the most part it stays in that area. While there isn't really a main street the farmers market in Charlotte hall is nice...

There are plenty of nice houses with lots of land in a rural setting in Southern St. Mary's county. While the rest of the area has gotten much more populated that area mostly stays the same.

I do agree the Mt. Airy is also a nice area though. I still stand by my reccomendation for SOMD though, while its not quite the best kept secret it used to be, I think it is still a very nice place compared to other parts of MD. Although I must admit I lack familiarity with the Eastern Shore or Western MD...

[cancan]

I don't disagree with you tercel on that post but Calvert and St.Mary's don't have what the OP stated she wanted in a new place, nowhere even close. and the drive into the district from those places is terrible. RT4 and RT 5 are a mess at rush hours and nowadays even beyond rush hours.

I am just giving pertinent suggestion based on the OP's specs. Based on those specs Chestertown, Centreville and Mt. Airy (western shore) are my best suggestions in that order.

PS. to the OP, in an easy afternoon you can check out the Eastern Shore towns and get the flavor of the area. Centreville, Chestertown, Sudlersville and Millington can all be done in a leisurely afternoon. The are all located off a lightly used 4 lane highway (301N).

[tercel95]

Agreed route 4 can be rough during rush hour times. Out of curiosity how long does it take to get to DC from where you are recommending?

While not having much exprience with the Eastern shore, when someone says I want to live in MD but away from the city, the first thing that comes to mind is SOMD.

I still don't see the relation to NOVA though, I hate virginia... but I suppose most of that comes from being a native of MD... Did you leave because it just became too crowded? I hear what you are saying though my Mom bought her house down here about 20 years ago. We used to have a boat and go trolling out by the gas dock all of the time. Now it is a nightmare to try and launch a boat if you trailer your boat back and forth... I am from a more urban area so to me this is like living on a farm, but from your perspective it is probably like living in a city... How many other places in MD do Amish horse & buggies cause traffic jams???

[cancan]

From Queen Anne county takes maybe 1hr 15 to get into DC. Rt 301 (lightly used here) to Rt 50 (much better road than RT 4 RT 5 and RT 301 SoMd). Only difficutly is the bridge on Fridays in the summer. Annapolis is 35-45 from central Queen Anne county (where i am).

SoMd comes to alot of peoples minds that is why its gone the way it has. I say NoVa cause all the McMansions and sprawl that has gobbled up everything that was quaint and rural about SoMd, especially Calvert. Big thing that doesnt match up with OP specs is there are no town centers really and no community feeling. Tercel if you would ever like to see a quaint maryland town drive up thru Centreville and Chestertown.....Chestertown is easily arguable as the nicest small town in the state.

We still have a few Amish farms in Kent and Queen Anne counties but most are just over the line in Delaware. I now live between Centreville and Chestertown (Church Hill) and Dover De is 35 minutes away with tax free shopping and within hour 20 of the beaches by traveling thru Delaware.

Yes i left Calvert becuase the quality of life went south there IMHO. PS i started my exsistance in PG county but left there at a young age with my parents to move down near my Grandparents farm in Lower Marlboro.