Escanaba...What's the scoop? (Detroit, Grand Rapids: real estate, vacation, jobs)

[bryan61]

Ive lived in the Escanaba Gladstone area for 30 years and I'd have to say this all is a good comparison. The extra snow is Lake effect which breaks off at about Trenary. I can appreciate the ruggedness of Marquette but I think I would get sick of driving through that hilly town all the time (especially in the winter). Delta county is farmland in the south and forest in the north. Lots of shoreline because of the Garden and Stonington Peninsulas and many major rivers that empty into the lake. I drive rural transportation and get out in the woods quite a bit. I see deer and turkey every day. Beautiful group of swans all summer on little bay De Noc, ducks, bald eagles, fox, cyote ive seen cougars, wolves and every once in a while a bear. Seeing wildlife like that goes for most of the UP though.

[Hanne]

Bryan61, where would you say is the best place in this area (Escanaba) to live? (And why?) The city itself, or a nearby outlying town or area? What's Gladstone like?
Thanks,
Hanne

[bryan61]

Ive lived in Gladstone the whole time ive been up here. I'd say Gladstone and Escanaba are pretty much the same because they are so close you really have access to both. Gladstone is smaller and if you have enough money there are some nice developments on the bluffs edge. Theres a huge bluff a couple hundred feet over Lake Michigan between Esc and Gladstone and the views of little bay De Noc are breathtaking. Then you have the older homes in town and the nice older places on Lake Shore Drive in both towns. The bluff and LSD properties can be pricey from $150,000 and up, older homes in town can be found from $50,000 and up. You can get waterfront out of town 100 to 200 feet with a simple 3 BR ranch for less than $200,000. The Nicer the house the more you pay

My wife is graduating from college soon and I think we might be leaving the area. If we can work it out to stay we will but the economy in this area and the UP in general isnt the best. If I were going to stay I would sell my properties in town and get some acerage in the outlying areas. Bark River, Cornell, Shaeffer, Perkins, Rapid River, Stonington, Rock. You can still pick up land for less than $2000 and acre. I saw a place between Rock and Perkins with 20 acres of hardwoods and a small executive two story probably about 30 years old listed for $128,000.

[bryan61]

As far as the culture and life style I'd have to agree with an earlier post that these are very midwestern like small towns. Escanaba has a mall and the state fair where theres big time competition in the 4H livestock shows, all the barns are packed. The walleye circuit makes 2 to 3 stops in the area I think twice in Gladstone and once in Esc. Camping Fishing Hunting, kayaking, snowmobiling, skiing are all outdoor activities that the UP provides.

If I had to describe the culture and political attitude of the community I'd say this. I drive rural transportation and I haul alot of kids back and forth between all the schools in the county because the people have decided on school of choice. What this means is you can go to any school you want taking your funding with you as long as you provide your own transportation. All of the schools are pretty equal so it isnt like everyone wants to go to a certain school leaving the other schools with low attendance. But if a kid moves from Escanaba to Rapid River they can continue at their old school with their friends and surroudnings they are familiar with. People around here are very practical and expedient when it comes to our own. We pay closer attention to local politics than the national scene and expect things to be done in the best interest of us yoopers. We dont care much for the fact that state politics are dictated to us by the trolls below the bridge A stong sense of community, tight knit, everyone knows everyone and would give each other the shirts off their backs.

[Hanne]

Bryan61, I hope you don't have to leave the area if you don't want to. I get the impression that much of the state has problems with finding good employment, except for a few pockets here and there.

I think we might really like the area based on your descriptions. You said, "We dont care much for the fact that state politics are dictated to us by the trolls below the bridge" It's hard to imagine such different cultures and interests rolled into and governed as one state.

How are newcomers looked upon? Might it be hard to fit in at all? And here's probably a wierd question........we have horses and are undecided if it would be reasonable to continue having them after we move up. Do many people in the area have horses? Do you know any forums or ??? where I could talk with people who might know about life with horses up there?
Hanne

[kristinamich]

does any one know of any housing rental agents in the iron mountian area? my husband and i are moving there from west palm beach, FL and would like to get a jump on findig housing before we go up there.

[Southernkomfort27]

Originally Posted by Hanne

Southernkomfort, here you go.....

Pasties Michigan style

4 cups flour

salt 1 1/4 cups lard, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch bits

10 to 12 tablespoons ice water

2 pounds top round steak trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch cubes

5 medium potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 medium turnips, scraped and cut into 1/4 inch cubes (I used a big honkin' rutabaga, instead)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (I used more)

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (I used more)

In large, chilled bowl combined flour, 2 teaspoons salt and lard. Working quickly, rub flour and fat together with fingertips until it looks like flakes of coarse meal. Pour in 10 tablespoons ice water, toss together and gather dough into a ball. If dough crumbles, add up to 2 tablespoons more water, a teaspoonful at a time, until the particles adhere. Divide dough into 6 equal balls, dust them with flour, wrap in waxed paper and chill 1 hour.

Combine beef, potatoes, onions, turnips, 1 tablespoon salt and pepper and mix well. On lightly floured surface, roll out one ball of dough at a time into a rough circle about 1/4 inch thick. Using a plate or pot lid about 9 inches in diameter as a guide, but the dough into rounds with a pastry wheel or sharp knife. Place about 1 1/2 cups mixture in center of round and spread to make a center strip. Fold one side of the round over that and press edges together snugly at one end. Starting from the sealed end, press the two edges of the round together to encase the filling securely and form a double-thick band of dough about 1/2 inch wide along the seam across the top. With your fingers crimp together. Carefully transfer with large spatula to un-greased baking sheet. Repeat the process with remaining dough and filling. Cut small slashes on tops. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven about 45 minutes or until pasties are golden brown. Make six 9 inch pasties.

This was a first attempt and here is a wierd thing.....I had quite a bit of filling left over so I put it in the freezer for the next go-around. I don't think I rolled the dough out thin enough. Good luck!.....I'm not much of a cook but these turned out really good (Taste wise, they were pretty warped looking but that's the fault of the cook,too).

Thank you! These look good. I always have filling left over too...maybe it grows!

[bryan61]

Hanne

The downstate economy is ruled by the auto industry. The ripple effect is negligent by the time it reaches here so we operate in a business environment that caters to corporations we dont have. As a rule I like the folk below the bridge they are very much like yoopers in their independnce and love for the natural beauty of Michigan.

I think new people in the UP are recieved based on what they want. I dont see any hassles at all. Whether you are out going and social or quiet and to yourself people respect others in general.

I see horse ranches everywhere and up for sale in RE listings. Fenced off Acerage stables tack rooms. I drop a bunch of kids off whos parents run a store that specializes in all of that. And the fair has a pretty eloborate eqestrian competition. As far as contacts I dont have any off hand but i'll look around

[trinkit]

Originally Posted by Hanne

I think we might really like the area based on your descriptions. You said, "We dont care much for the fact that state politics are dictated to us by the trolls below the bridge" It's hard to imagine such different cultures and interests rolled into and governed as one state.

How are newcomers looked upon? Might it be hard to fit in at all?

I don't know what your age bracket is or what you intend to do (financially) if you move to the UP, but I DO know from experience that anyone from the lower Peninsula is looked on as a troll or a fudgie. My ex and I had 6 acres on the bay just outside of L'Anse (Skanee) and we planned to move there. His family was from the area (Fredrickson's and Salisbury's) so HE was accepted but I was not. I loved the area in the winter being that I like winter sports better than summer ones. (Last I heard my ex moved back up there.) The only thing to do is hunt, fish and drink. Most men treat their wives like 2nd class citizens.

The "Wisconsin influence"? Most of the supplies for the stores come from Wisconsin, as do many of the tourists.

[Hanne]

Bryan61, I don't see how we'd have a problem amongst people who appreciate the same things we do (nature and outdoor activities)....we're pretty down to earth types. Neither of us is from the area where we live now, and we've made great lives here. I've seen some threads where people refer to clique-mentality areas and I have a hard time believing it'd be difficult moving to places that are so called "like that".

And thanks for the info. on your horse sightings! I'll google and see if I can come up with anything.

Trinkit said, "His family was from the area (Fredrickson's and Salisbury's) so HE was accepted but I was not."

Why do you think that was? It's hard for me to understand comments like that.....but maybe I'm being naiive. I just haven't come across that.

Also from Trinkit "Most men treat their wives like 2nd class citizens."

Yikes!!! What's up with that????