Need some input on Columbus, Mississippi (Tupelo, Starkville: for sale, apartment complexes, crime)

[fayechilds]

Do the people of Columbus attend Gospel Stage Plays ?

[Frisbee761]

This person in Columbus is not familiar with that particular term, but it seems fairly obvious as to what it is. If we have them here, they are not labeled as such - but - many churches in the area have seasonal productions (Easter, Christmas, etc) incorporating drama, orchestra, and monologues.

[Southern Dreams]

Hello Everyone
I may be relocating to Columbus, MS area from Tacoma, WA due to a job transfer next year. Any information regarding Columbus would be great including where to live, elementary and high schools. I work in The HealthCare industry. What are the names of The HealthCare Organizations? How realistic would it be to commute from Columbus to Tuscaloosa everyday?

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by Southern Dreams

Hello Everyone
I may be relocating to Columbus, MS area from Tacoma, WA due to a job transfer next year. Any information regarding Columbus would be great including where to live, elementary and high schools. I work in The HealthCare industry. What are the names of The HealthCare Organizations? How realistic would it be to commute from Columbus to Tuscaloosa everyday?

Is your intent to live in Columbus and work in Tuscaloosa, or vice versa?

[whoknows]

What difference does it make on which direction....the gas will kill you!

[Frisbee761]

I suppose it's realistic if you're a go-zillionaire and can afford the gas (appr. 120 mile round trip, depending) and if you have no family, since you'll be on the road for about 2.5 hours every day.

Can't help you much with names of HealthCare orgs - sorry.

If you'll read the history on this series of posts, you'll see all kinds of arguments on where to live, where to send your kids to school, etc. There is a large population of well-educated, loving, non-prejudicial, happy, reasonable folks here. And we can be polite to just about anybody.

[Southern Dreams]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

Is your intent to live in Columbus and work in Tuscaloosa, or vice versa?

My husband would be working in the Columbus area. My intent is to live as close to Tuscaloosa as possible, because we want to be near a big city. Tuscaloosa seems to be the nearest biggest city to Columbus. Commuting 30-40 mins one way with no traffic congestion is not a problem. Is there any traffic problems between Columbus and Tuscaloosa? Any towns in between Columbus and Tuscaloosa someone would recommend to live???

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by Southern Dreams

My husband would be working in the Columbus area. My intent is to live as close to Tuscaloosa as possible, because we want to be near a big city. Tuscaloosa seems to be the nearest biggest city to Columbus. Commuting 30-40 mins one way with no traffic congestion is not a problem. Is there any traffic problems between Columbus and Tuscaloosa? Any towns in between Columbus and Tuscaloosa someone would recommend to live???

There are a few small AL towns between Tuscaloosa and Columbus, but I would not recommend living in any of them. The first town you come to in the Tuscaloosa metro area is Northport, AL (just west of Tuscaloosa). It is a nice town and a lot of Bama professors live there. However, it's still about 55 miles from Northport to the east side of Columbus. Most of the highway (US 82) is 4-lane with a 65 mph speed limit, but there are a couple of 2 lane sections which go through small towns with 35 mph limits and notorious speed traps; they will cause the total drive time to exceed 1 hour.

[Southern Dreams]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

There are a few small AL towns between Tuscaloosa and Columbus, but I would not recommend living in any of them. The first town you come to in the Tuscaloosa metro area is Northport, AL (just west of Tuscaloosa). It is a nice town and a lot of Bama professors live there. However, it's still about 55 miles from Northport to the east side of Columbus. Most of the highway (US 82) is 4-lane with a 65 mph speed limit, but there are a couple of 2 lane sections which go through small towns with 35 mph limits and notorious speed traps; they will cause the total drive time to exceed 1 hour.

Thank you for your response. This information is helpful.

[Southern Dreams]

Originally Posted by Atlmystique

Frisbee761, I am in the same boat as you...definitely upset about my hometown being trashed. I am a 26 year old African American woman who was born and raised in Columbus, MS (relocated to GA in 2000) so to hear someone speak poorly about Columbus made me want to chime in. I am a product of the public school system (Columbus High School class of 1999), honor student from K-12, scholarship offers from prestigious schools all across the country so I am definitely still supportive of the public school system. I have friends that went to Caledonia, New Hope, West Lowndes, Victory Christian, and the ever popular Heritage Academy and their AP coursework definitely did not compare to mine at CHS. The Mississippi School for Math and Science is a great school for kids that excel in math and science so if your kids have a thirst for either, I would suggest MSMS. Can the public school system stand a boost? Definitely. Columbus Municipal and about a million other school districts across the country. It bothers me to no end how some people are so quick to blame poor schools when 2 students can be in the same regular or AP class and one can excel and the other struggles. Sometimes you have to look at the student and think about how they can improve. Just because your child goes to public schools does not mean they are just doomed to fail. That kind of mentality will never help them succeed in even the best schools.

I lived in MS for 18 years, grew up on the north side of town near Hunt Intermediate (Hunt High School for those that remember) and had plenty of white friends at school and I can honestly say I have never experienced just blatant in your face racism. There are definitely very rude, racist and ignorant people in Columbus both black and white and that is everywhere you go. I live in Atlanta now and there is just as many racist and ignorant people as the next city, but don't generalize everyone for the mistakes of a few. Like Frisbee761 said, there is a very large religious community that will embrace you. My home church burned down a couple of years ago and while the congregation was dealing with finding another place to hold service, some of my family members started attending First Assembly Church which is a white church. The congregation was so welcoming and inviting to my Black family as if they had always belonged there. My aunt still takes her kids to Super Church (children's ministry) at least once a month because they love the experience and friendly members.

Columbus is a good town with good people and I still come home at least once a month to visit because even though I moved away, Columbus will always be my home. Steer clear of the closed minded, ignorant people. Yeah, there are some dirty stores there and have been for years and I can name countless dirty stores, restuarants and neighborhoods in the large metropolitan city of Atlanta. Columbus does not have all the glitz and glam of larger cities but its growing and changing but will still hold try to hold on to the small town southern ways.

I'd like to talk to you to get more information from you. I have family in Columbus, but I don't know them. My grandma was born in Columbus in 1934, but she moved north to Indiana over 50 yrs ago along with her parents. She was one of 11 sibilings (one of three girls). One of her sisters did stay behind in Columbus. Please send me a direct message so we can talk more.