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LOL the Hillsdale powers that be probably will be angry if they saw this thread, they were so busy denying what was happening to our town. Everyone knew it. There was even a newspaper editor fired for daring to say in an editorial HEY THIS PLACE IS IN TROUBLE!
I lived in Hillsdale for almost 10 years. I had moved from Chicago [grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan] and wanted small town life. I never lived in small town before but loved it. People were very friendly. Pretty parks, pretty nature, just nice. Even though I am disabled and lower income felt welcomed and accepted. {was married so lived on his income too, so not in disability housing back then} There was no more street crime, sure there were a few drunks, but no longer did I have to worry about gangbangers and getting jumped in the street or the fear of Chicago. But it wasnt just the absence of the negative, there were many good things there too, and I have fond memories.
That said, there was community there, nice shops, lovely little towns out of Hillsdale like Allen where I would go looking for antiques and Jonesville too which had nice pleasant shops and things to do. Hillsdale had a nice bookstore, coffeshop and other places that served as my hangouts. I also was in a good country church. I felt calm, cool and collected there. The town was small, this would not be for everyone but many people knew each other, but they werent down on newcomers, probably cause of the influence of the college even though the college was not as involved with the rest of the town.
But some will ask what do you mean the town has died? Well I had to move out in 2007 to where I am now where husband got job which he lost in 2 months. In St. Joe. Even acouple years before I moved, I was seeing the constant back end of friends who couldnt get jobs, or survive in HIllsdale, some were even long time residents who had family there, factories closing all over the place, and just people facing down and out poverty. The year before I moved there was 11 empty houses down the street from my apartment complex. Some people tried to get businesses started and more, but it was like nothing could get going so many people were out of work. I did volunteer work so saw some stuff up front. Oh the place where I volunteered disappeared too.
I went back for a visit 6 months after I moved, and since husband lost job here, considered moving back, but we drove down the street and to our horror, I burst out in tears, to see the proponderance of FOR SALE signs in yards and for rent, and we drove up to our old apartment building and to my horror I realized maybe one out of the 12 apartments was the only one rented. We would have our visit, some people would tell us, how bad things were getting, but we had fun with friends and then went home.
Over the last 18 months since Ive left, just about everything has shut down. The coffeeshop, bookstore are long gone: closed just two months ago. KFC chicken gone, one other large restaurant gone, second coffeshop gone. {businesses closing like crazy}, doctors leaving, friends clearing out and the ones left talking about it....My country church of 120 members, wiped away! Totally GONE. Places I volunteered gone. So there was no going back.
Now I know towns ebb and flow, but what was weird about all this is NO ONE TALKED ABOUT IT in any official capacities. Newspaper nope. Chamber of Commerce, nope. Some people I knew were politically involved and saying hey we got to do something here...but there was just more infighting and as I left or right before I did, they elected an 18 year old mayor.
Just wondering if anyone else has gone through anything similar to this, and how many MICHIGAN TOWNS is THIS HAPPENING TOO, and NO ONE TALKING ABOUT IT?
I have to make sure wherever I go is nice but not dying, I just dont want to go through this again. It is depressing. BTW we never wanted to move in first place.
I worked in Hillsdale County for about five years. I loved it and the surrounding towns like Jonesville, Litchfield and North Adams. Haven't been back in a while - sorry to hear about that. I'm surprised that it could happen with the college there. Good luck.
Yeah it was pretty bad. The college really doesnt have much to do with the town, nor does it help the local businesses much except perhaps a few pizza places.
Well I found out more stores have closed in Hillsdale, even the Hallmark store now. I wont even have a town left to go visit at the rate this is going.
LOL the Hillsdale powers that be probably will be angry if they saw this thread, they were so busy denying what was happening to our town. Everyone knew it. There was even a newspaper editor fired for daring to say in an editorial HEY THIS PLACE IS IN TROUBLE!
I lived in Hillsdale for almost 10 years. I had moved from Chicago [grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan] and wanted small town life. I never lived in small town before but loved it. People were very friendly. Pretty parks, pretty nature, just nice. Even though I am disabled and lower income felt welcomed and accepted. {was married so lived on his income too, so not in disability housing back then} There was no more street crime, sure there were a few drunks, but no longer did I have to worry about gangbangers and getting jumped in the street or the fear of Chicago. But it wasnt just the absence of the negative, there were many good things there too, and I have fond memories.
That said, there was community there, nice shops, lovely little towns out of Hillsdale like Allen where I would go looking for antiques and Jonesville too which had nice pleasant shops and things to do. Hillsdale had a nice bookstore, coffeshop and other places that served as my hangouts. I also was in a good country church. I felt calm, cool and collected there. The town was small, this would not be for everyone but many people knew each other, but they werent down on newcomers, probably cause of the influence of the college even though the college was not as involved with the rest of the town.
But some will ask what do you mean the town has died? Well I had to move out in 2007 to where I am now where husband got job which he lost in 2 months. In St. Joe. Even acouple years before I moved, I was seeing the constant back end of friends who couldnt get jobs, or survive in HIllsdale, some were even long time residents who had family there, factories closing all over the place, and just people facing down and out poverty. The year before I moved there was 11 empty houses down the street from my apartment complex. Some people tried to get businesses started and more, but it was like nothing could get going so many people were out of work. I did volunteer work so saw some stuff up front. Oh the place where I volunteered disappeared too.
I went back for a visit 6 months after I moved, and since husband lost job here, considered moving back, but we drove down the street and to our horror, I burst out in tears, to see the proponderance of FOR SALE signs in yards and for rent, and we drove up to our old apartment building and to my horror I realized maybe one out of the 12 apartments was the only one rented. We would have our visit, some people would tell us, how bad things were getting, but we had fun with friends and then went home.
Over the last 18 months since Ive left, just about everything has shut down. The coffeeshop, bookstore are long gone: closed just two months ago. KFC chicken gone, one other large restaurant gone, second coffeshop gone. {businesses closing like crazy}, doctors leaving, friends clearing out and the ones left talking about it....My country church of 120 members, wiped away! Totally GONE. Places I volunteered gone. So there was no going back.
Now I know towns ebb and flow, but what was weird about all this is NO ONE TALKED ABOUT IT in any official capacities. Newspaper nope. Chamber of Commerce, nope. Some people I knew were politically involved and saying hey we got to do something here...but there was just more infighting and as I left or right before I did, they elected an 18 year old mayor.
Just wondering if anyone else has gone through anything similar to this, and how many MICHIGAN TOWNS is THIS HAPPENING TOO, and NO ONE TALKING ABOUT IT?
I have to make sure wherever I go is nice but not dying, I just dont want to go through this again. It is depressing. BTW we never wanted to move in first place.
Loong post.
The state is dead. Face it. Grandholm screwed up big time, the "big 3" screwed up, unions were selfish. Unemployment is at (they say) 10.7 %.
Predictions are up to over 12%.
The Wayne county Sheriff just put a stop to foreclosures. Won't allow the power company to issue shut off notices. But the ex mayor is getting out of jail. He's gonna bail to Texas asap......his girlfriend is still in jail.
Well I found out more stores have closed in Hillsdale, even the Hallmark store now. I wont even have a town left to go visit at the rate this is going.
Loong post.
The state is dead. Face it. Grandholm screwed up big time, the "big 3" screwed up, unions were selfish. Unemployment is at (they say) 10.7 %.
Predictions are up to over 12%.
The Wayne county Sheriff just put a stop to foreclosures. Won't allow the power company to issue shut off notices. But the ex mayor is getting out of jail. He's gonna bail to Texas asap......his girlfriend is still in jail.
I think the whole country is dead or dying. I ask friends about THEIR state...OREGON, OHIO, etc, they say things are BAD, and EVERYWHERE is BAD. I beleive the unemployment rate is more at a quarter right now, they only count those who are on the unemployment but that is only 6 months.
That wayne county sherriff sounds like he is a man with morals. People can die if thrown into the street.
I suspect you have a "glass is half empty" view of things.
The whole country isn't dying. We're going through a recession. We went through a depression in the 30s and exploded with middle class affluence in the 50s. We went through a recession in the 80s and exploded with wealth in the 90s.
Many small towns fade away. Just go to the Upper Peninsula and you'll see all sorts of ghost towns that rose for a purpose and faded when that purpose ended.
Perhaps your problem is a desire for permanence in a world that provides none. The cities of Detroit and Flint more or less rose and collapsed as well as economies and lifestyle choices shifted.
I'm not trying to sound harsh, but the notion that things can or should be stable just isn't part of our reality.
I suspect you have a "glass is half empty" view of things.
The whole country isn't dying. We're going through a recession. We went through a depression in the 30s and exploded with middle class affluence in the 50s. We went through a recession in the 80s and exploded with wealth in the 90s.
Many small towns fade away. Just go to the Upper Peninsula and you'll see all sorts of ghost towns that rose for a purpose and faded when that purpose ended.
Perhaps your problem is a desire for permanence in a world that provides none. The cities of Detroit and Flint more or less rose and collapsed as well as economies and lifestyle choices shifted.
I'm not trying to sound harsh, but the notion that things can or should be stable just isn't part of our reality.
Yeah I am worn out, so do have some depression [health problems, impending divorce] So Ill admit it.
You are right about me having a desire for permanence in a world that provides none. I have never been a person to embrace change well. I gues it is my type of personality. I do enjoy things about places I move to, even parts of St. Joe are growing on me now though I may be leaving soon, but then I miss old people and even places so much.
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Welcome to City-Data.com forum! Make sure to register - it's free and very quick! You have to register before you can post and participate in our discussions with 700,000 other registered members. User profiles and some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your free account you will be able to customize many options, you will have the full access to over 15,000 posts/day about local topics and you will see fewer ads. 
Hillsdale: The Town I loved, the Town that Died
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