Escanaba...What's the scoop? (Marquette, Traverse City: relocate, job, hospital)

[Hanne]

jeeg! Thanks for the great post......how great to hear from someone who has already gone through the process of choosing a new town. It'll be hard to beat Marquette, but we'll have to give Escanaba a look anyway. Marquette swept us away, too. It reminded me a little bit of Boulder, 30 years ago.

You mentioned coming across some areas that "made you wonder".....can you say where or why?

Thanks again!
Hanne

[Snootylooter]

Hanne,
I have had the opportunity to live in several places in the US (husband military & consultant). One place we enjoyed was Denver area. I am very intrigued that you say Marquette "reminded me a little bit of Boulder, 30 years ago." I absolutely love Boulder, but you have to be rolling in the big cash to be able to live downtown there now. I wish, wish, wish, I could of bought a big old home on Walnut St. in Boulder 30 years ago! I will be visiting Marquette, for the first time, soon. It will be great fun, now, to see if I can see old Boulder there! Thanks!!

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by Hanne

You mentioned coming across some areas that "made you wonder".....can you say where or why?Hanne

Those places are mainly just isolated little burgs usually at least an hour or so drive from anything resembling a city. I chose the words "made me wonder" because I honestly don't stay around long enough to find out what the people are actually like. Could just be that they aren't used to seeing strangers in the middle of nowhere? I have a tendency to turn on roads at random always trying to find the least used looking road and seeing where it takes me. I don't really recommend others do that unless you're well equipped because I've gotten myself into some hairy situations! LOL

[us2indaup]

I just want to clarify my earlier post. The people we've met while travelling around the U.P. have been friendly without exception. It was when we first moved to Munising in 1990 that we encountered a bit of an attitude. Munising is, like Jeeg said, an isolated community an hour away from Marquette, and 17 years ago it was much more insular than it is today. It wasn't anything blatant, just little remarks like "well, thats how we do things around here" or "Surely you can afford that, with your job" - that sort of thing.
All in all, Yoopers are friendly, helpful people to strangers, and to newcomers if they don't feel threatened.

[MidniteBreeze]

Regarding racism:

Several years ago I remember reading about how the KKK was planning a rally in the Ironwood area. Apparently they thought the "backwoods" of NE WI and the western UP would be prime recruiting territory as it IS isolated and there aren't many minorities there (aside from Native Americans.)

I was tickled to read later that only a handful of people showed up at the rally (and the ones the paper interviewed had said they went out of pure curiosity more than anything) while the rest of the town had a "peace" rally at one of the city parks where families came out to picnic and just enjoy a nice wholesome afternoon.

Pretty impressive for a bunch of "backwoods hicks"

[jeeg]

Originally Posted by us2indaup

All in all, Yoopers are friendly, helpful people to strangers, and to newcomers if they don't feel threatened.

Exactly, leave the attitude at the border or the bridge

My wife works with the public on a daily basis and she has said on several occasions that usually the people coming into her workplace with an attitude have just moved in from out of the area. We've been here long enough already to witness a few of them leave already due to us "unfriendly hicks"..... No, just drop the attitude and you'll find lots of wonderful people here!

What is that old real estate adage?? (This won't be exactly correct because it's coming from my memory)

A couple walks into a rural real estate office and asks the gentleman working if this is a nice friendly place to live?
The realtor replies "Well what were the people like in your previous neighborhood?"
The couple replied "Oh they were terribly unfriendly, nosy, small minded bigots!!"
The realtor said "Sorry folks, you'll find the same here. Best to move on"

Later another couple walks in and asks the same question to which the gentleman replied asking about their old neighborhood.
The couple said "Oh it was wonderful!! The people were so warm and friendly and a joy to be around! We really hated to leave there!"
The realtor smiled and said "Welcome to your new home!"

All about attitude

[jeeg]

us2indaup -

I really hope you don't my previous post as saying you had poor attitudes. Was not my intention at all and didn't even see it could be taken that way until my wife just pointed that out (I think we're talking about apples & oranges anyways)! Just wanted to clarify

[Hanne]

Snootylooter, let me know what you think of Marquette. That Boulder comparison was based on a quick general impression from our last month visit to Marquette. It seemed that there was a good mix of people, not just the wealthy.....and that there really was a vibe that much of the focus was on outdoor activities, with an arts community as well. I spent a couple of summers in the Boulder area in the late 70's and loved it.....but I'm not sure what it's like now.
Jeeg, I love to explore like that, too.
Midnightbreeze and 2indaup, those are helpful clarifications. I'm not detecting a problem at all. So much of local attitudes encountered depended on the actions an attitudes of the visitor or newcomer. We may appear to "have chips..." to some, because we live in a gorgeous area that has been "discovered" by people who are moving in and spoiling those qualities that made this area special in the first place. In other words, we aren't the types to move in towing behind us big city expectations or demands regardless of where we decide to move. That sort of bluster does tend to bug the locals. <g>
Hanne

[us2indaup]

Originally Posted by jeeg

us2indaup -

I really hope you don't my previous post as saying you had poor attitudes. Was not my intention at all and didn't even see it could be taken that way until my wife just pointed that out (I think we're talking about apples & oranges anyways)! Just wanted to clarify

Oh no, I didn't take it that way at all
I do know what you mean, though. I worked for several years in gas stations in tourist towns in the U.P., and have more than once encountered tourists who actually came right out and said that if it weren't for them, we Yoopers wouldn't have jobs at all!! Snowmobilers seem to be the worst. Not stereotyping, just my personal experience.

[Merlianne]

My husband is newly retired and we're looking for a place to move. We now live in southwest Colorado and love it here (the mountain ranges are gorgeous and the weather is mild) but it's getting expensive. So we're looking for a place with acreage, wildlife, and nice house in a small town. I was born and raised in Michigan (near Mackinaw) but he's never been east of Denver. This spring we're going to visit the U.P. and I hope he loves it like I do.