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From what I've seen, Meridian looks pretty average, considering the places I've lived. Having experienced towns such as:
Hopkinsville, KY
Cadiz, KY
Sierra Vista, AZ
Ft. Polk, LA
Longview, TX and
Jonesboro, AR
Meridian looks like just about any other town I've lived in, with the exception of Cadiz (which is where I grew up, and has a population under 3,000) and Ft. Polk/Leesville (which was truly horrible). Of all the places I've been, Meridian reminds me the most of Hopkinsville, and I'm guessing we'll be pretty comfortable there. They do seem to have a good art/music scene, with places like the Underground Music Exchange and Artists Co-Op and gallery, and some interesting history (there's a gypsy queen and king buried nearby?). We'll be looking for a place more out in the country so we have room to breathe (we're quite a family, with myself, my husband, our four kids, and eventually may have some extended family moving to the area as well), so I think Meridian sounds like someplace we'll be comfortable and happy raising our kiddos. Thanks for the info, both good and bad, and keep it up!
From what I've seen, Meridian looks pretty average, considering the places I've lived. Having experienced towns such as:
Hopkinsville, KY
Cadiz, KY
Sierra Vista, AZ
Ft. Polk, LA
Longview, TX and
Jonesboro, AR
Meridian looks like just about any other town I've lived in, with the exception of Cadiz (which is where I grew up, and has a population under 3,000) and Ft. Polk/Leesville (which was truly horrible). Of all the places I've been, Meridian reminds me the most of Hopkinsville, and I'm guessing we'll be pretty comfortable there. They do seem to have a good art/music scene, with places like the Underground Music Exchange and Artists Co-Op and gallery, and some interesting history (there's a gypsy queen and king buried nearby?). We'll be looking for a place more out in the country so we have room to breathe (we're quite a family, with myself, my husband, our four kids, and eventually may have some extended family moving to the area as well), so I think Meridian sounds like someplace we'll be comfortable and happy raising our kiddos. Thanks for the info, both good and bad, and keep it up!
When you do make the move you'll have to do a follow up on here and tell us your experiences with Meridian and if it's everything you thought it'd be. I'm curious to hear!
Joined the forum to research homes in CA and CO. Found the MS forum and this thread and had to put my two cents in.
My wife was raised most of her life in the area. She is a native Mississippian and I am also more or less a native (came here when I was 5). I spent ~23 years in Columbus, MS and my wife spent ~20 years in Meridian.
Meridian is dying. Look at the population statistics. Job growth was -0.2% (that's negative zero point two percent) last time I looked. Population has dropped by half in a couple of decades. The economy is weak and is mostly based on labor, government (Naval Air Station) and medicine. $10 an hour is considered a reasonable wage for non-professionals in the area. Minimum wage is the norm for most positions in general. The Bonita Lakes Mall is not a midsized mall, as someone else posted. It's a very small mall with only the most basic stores and services. There are very few job opportunities here outside of the fields I've mentioned. Even those are limited. There are a sizable number of folks who drive to the coast (Texas and Louisiana mostly) to work on off-shore oil rigs (referred to as working offshore) because it pays well.
Education here is a joke. Meridian Community College is a private school that does a pretty good job of training for nursing or other vocational fields, but most of the successful students leave the area. MS. State has a branch here but it seems to mostly serve military people trying to finish degrees etc. The class selection is very limited. It's also worth mentioning that highly educated people tend to be looked down on, particularly if you don't agree with the prevalent conservative Christian mindset.
There are two major hospitals: Rush and Anderson. Rush is not a good hospital and I would never trust my health to them. Anderson is only somewhat better. I know this from personal experience (several family members and myself have had to use the services of both hospitals, including ER and end of life situations), and I have a family member who has worked for Rush for 20+ years and this person won't use Rush but goes across the street to Anderson for health care.
There are no sidewalks that are safe to walk or bike on in Meridian. In fact it's absolutely dangerous to do so within city limits. This is NOT a pedestrian friendly place.
The roads in Meridian and the county in general are some of the worst I've ever seen, which is ironic considering how high vehicle taxes are. 8th street is terrible and is one of the main thoroughfares (hah I think thoroughfare is a generous description).
Crime is very high within the city limits of Meridian. The police tend to be clannish and will not shy away from protecting friends and family at the expense of others, or even in direct violation of the law. Not all the police in Meridian are like that, many are very good people who are doing their best, but it seems from the police officers I know personally that corruption is just a normal part of business. Lauderdale County sheriff's dept is worse. Bribery, including sexual favors, can get you off the hook for most misdemeanors in the county and the city, depending on the degree of corruption the police officer who is dealing with you is willing to engage in and who you happen to be related to. It ranges from none to any, with most falling in the middle somewhere. A friend of mine in the department has considered going to the Feds in order to have the policing duties taken over by the Federal Government (as was done in Oakland, CA not too long ago) due to the rampant corruption. His concern is that if he blows the whistle, he might end up missing. It's very easy to hide a body in the county.
The people in general are also clannish. Southern hospitality is alive and well, but as has been my experience in the south, it is usually quite superficial, especially towards outsiders. It's all about who your family is, who they know and who you grew up with.
The younger people who live and work within Meridian are a lot more progressive than those who are 35 years old and up. Older people here can be very judgmental, particularly about religion. Speaking of old people, there are A LOT of old people in the area. Anyway, if you are younger you would probably get along well with the downtown evening crowd hanging out at the Balcony at Weidmann's, or perhaps the newly revamped Brickhouse. There are some great people who go to drink and socialize at those places.
There are also a lot of extremely wealthy people in Meridian and the county, but they do not invest here, rarely spend significant money here and usually stick to themselves on their acreage. It's definitely a good ole boys network if there ever was one.
We just elected a new mayor, though I doubt he'll make much progress.
If you have any kind of hobbies, interests or whatever that requires shopping for specific and particular items you may be out of luck. I was recently looking for a Yakima cargo box for my vehicle and no one here even knows what that is. They don't in Jackson, MS either. There used to be a great hobby shop in town that had a good selection of RC car and airplane equipment but that closed awhile ago. you should expect to have to order online if you want anything that isn't related to farming, hunting or fishing.
Produce in Mississippi is mediocre. Perhaps I was spoiled by spending 7 years in California, but despite the agrarian society, the produce in MS just doesn't cut it. Same with the beef. There really aren't any decent butchers here, and meat quality is usually fair at best.
Dining is lame. The best in town is probably Weidmann's, which is the only fine dining in the area. It's really more semi-fine dining. The Rustler has good steaks but are WAY overpriced. I'd much rather spend the same money at a Ruth's Chris (and I consider Ruth's Chris to be only somewhat better than mediocre - you gotta love steaks seared at 1400F though). Everything else is either a garbage chain restaurant, such as Applebee's, or the somewhat better Olive Garden, or fast food. An exception would be San Marcos Mexican restaurant. Excellent Tex-Mex to be had there. In fact it's in my list of top 3 Mexican-style restaurants and I've visited hundreds of places around the world. There are also some very good burger joints within Meridian, but half the fun is finding places like that yourself. Otherwise there is very little that would interest even an inexperienced palate. There is nowhere with a good wine list, but a big part of that is the very restrictive blue laws in place in the state. The alcohol control board severely restricts the alcohol variety.
If you aren't fairly close to the city of Meridian you will need to get Satellite internet. It sucks. I hope you don't play any online games or like to stream videos.
The microclimate in and around Meridian is extremely hot and humid. If you are prone to acne you may have significant problems. My relative working at Rush sees hundreds of cases of heat stroke every summer.
The Riley Center hosts a lot of great concerts. Jewel was recently here, as was Babyface and various other great names. The tickets are usually reasonably priced as well, relatively speaking.
If you like outdoor recreation other than hunting, fishing, or riding 4 wheelers (quads), then you may be bored. Most of the land here is private, and what isn't is covered with ticks (watch out for Lyme Disease, I've gotten it here) and mosquitos. It's not like in CA or CO where you can just go somewhere and hike for hours into true wilderness. The only true wilderness in MS is privately owned and it is sorta legal to shoot trespassers. I've heard there is decent kayaking to be had but have not had the chance to check that out.
I would recommend that if you have a choice, move to Columbus or Starkville. Much more opportunity with a better, more vibrant community.
Meridian is dying. Look at the population statistics. Job growth was -0.2% (that's negative zero point two percent) last time I looked. Population has dropped by half in a couple of decades. The economy is weak and is mostly based on labor, government (Naval Air Station) and medicine. $10 an hour is considered a reasonable wage for non-professionals in the area. Minimum wage is the norm for most positions in general. The Bonita Lakes Mall is not a midsized mall, as someone else posted. It's a very small mall with only the most basic stores and services. There are very few job opportunities here outside of the fields I've mentioned. Even those are limited. There are a sizable number of folks who drive to the coast (Texas and Louisiana mostly) to work on off-shore oil rigs (referred to as working offshore) because it pays well.
Your facts here are barely half true. Job growth is down mostly due to the recession, the state of Mississippi still boasts a 10% unemployment rate and Meridian's was a tick higher at 11%, not bragging about it, but there are reasons that job growth is bad and it's not just the Meridian area.
Population from 2000-2010 increased from 39,000 to 41,000, the first population increase since the 1950's. Population in Meridian had been falling for four decades since its peak of 49,000 in 1960. I wouldn't call an 11,000 population decline anywhere close to half. And let's be honest here, people may be leaving the city, but they're only traveling 5 miles away and setting up their subdivisions in the county, they still live in Lauderdale county, which is why the county has seen positive and steady growth without incident for decades.
Economy here is weak, there's no denying that. Most cities Meridian's size offer a lot more than Meridian does. However, as long as the military installation serves this city Meridian will labor on. The Naval base is the largest provider of jobs, providing over 3,000 people in the area with employment. The Naval base is the most diversity you'll see in Meridian though, 9/10 people in the Meridian area were likely born and raised there.
Bonita Lakes Mall was actually a great mall at its opening. It replaced the aging and very much dated Value Fair Mall on 22nd Avenue. At its opening it boasted 5 anchor stores, and every slot in the mall was filled with a store. In present times the mall has fallen slightly, a few vacant store fronts and one empty anchor store. The movie theater, Sears, and Penney's keep the Mall alive for now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainCouple
Education here is a joke. Meridian Community College is a private school that does a pretty good job of training for nursing or other vocational fields, but most of the successful students leave the area. MS. State has a branch here but it seems to mostly serve military people trying to finish degrees etc. The class selection is very limited. It's also worth mentioning that highly educated people tend to be looked down on, particularly if you don't agree with the prevalent conservative Christian mindset.
Meridian Community College amongst community colleges is actually competitively ranked. Not saying it's an astounding school, but it serves the area well. A great program that Meridian has in place is 2 years of paid for tuition to Meridian high school graduates if they elect to go to college at Meridian Community College.
Let's be honest here, it's a community college that provides associates degrees for mediocre paying technical and medical jobs, it's obvious that the more ambitious students with loftier goals will elect to go somewhere else. The MSU college in Meridian is very small with an extremely limited degree selection, and you're right, it mostly serves local military.[/quote]
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainCouple
There are no sidewalks that are safe to walk or bike on in Meridian. In fact it's absolutely dangerous to do so within city limits. This is NOT a pedestrian friendly place.
The roads in Meridian and the county in general are some of the worst I've ever seen, which is ironic considering how high vehicle taxes are. 8th street is terrible and is one of the main thoroughfares (hah I think thoroughfare is a generous description).
Meridian to me is an overgrown town. The people have the same mindsets and day to day activities as those who would live in a town of 10,000 people. Sidewalks will not be prevalent in small southern towns. Sidewalks and bike lanes are going to be rare in the south period, regardless of the city. You can't tell me Mobile, Shreveport, or Savannah are much better in being bike and pedestrian friendly.
I will agree, city roads are terrible. Especially in the downtown area. However, the county roads, either due to less traffic, or perhaps better funding or up keep, are actually nice. All of the highways and interstates surrounding Meridian are well taken care of and for the most part smooth, only the city streets and roads will be rough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainCouple
There are also a lot of extremely wealthy people in Meridian and the county, but they do not invest here, rarely spend significant money here and usually stick to themselves on their acreage. It's definitely a good ole boys network if there ever was one.
This is very true. A drive around the neighborhoods surrounding the North Hills St. area or down the historic section on Poplar Springs, or through the subdivisions surrounding Marion and northern Lauderdale county, show that there are a lot of very wealthy people in the area. Meridian, and Mississippi in general is very much a two class system, the haves and the have nots. Of course there's the working class, and a very small middle class, but they are few and far between, and continuously shrinking.
With the extremely well to do subdivisions and old historic neighborhoods in Meridian you really don't see a commercial base or shopping outlet to service them, which as you put it, suggests that they do not spend or invest their money here. Most of them will travel, going to Hattiesburg or the suburbs of Jackson to do their shopping.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MountainCouple
I would recommend that if you have a choice, move to Columbus or Starkville. Much more opportunity with a better, more vibrant community.
Columbus is definitely a beautiful city, the second largest collection of Antebellum homes in the state after Natchez, very historic city and it seems to be in good shape economically, but there are better areas. Starkvile is very much the definition of your typical college town. The entire town lives, breathes, and revolves around the college, take away MSU and Starkville is nothing. The college does bring a sense of diversity to the state, about as diverse as you'll ever see it, but Starkville is still very much a small town.
I would recommend Southaven, Hattiesburg, Biloxi/Gulfport, or the northeast side of Jackson as the places that are on the upswing and will serve people the best economically. Meridian is not dying, but it does appear to be on life support, it will be interesting to see if it's able to make the necessary changes over the next 10 years and really propel it to where it ought to be, though I doubt this place will change much.
Sheesh... Other than the complaints about crime and corruption, every argument against Meridian seems to hinge on it being a small town. Well, surprise, surprise. It's a town of 40K people, with no university and no major industry. In other words it's the middle of effing nowhere. Why complain because it's not Chicago? If you want big-city amenities, then a small town will not make you happy.
A town of 40K people can't support very many businesses beyond the mainstream. Hobby shops? Fine dining? Macy's? There's not enough people to patronize these places to keep the doors open. That shouldn't be a surprise.
My family and I are getting ready to Meridian, MS, and I'm just looking for some information on what it's like there. We're used to small town living, so we understand that won't be much of a change. Just looking for some information on the area, etc. Are there any large homeschooling groups in the area (preferably secular )?
I think we have a few home schooling SUPPORT groups but no homeschooling groups best to my knowledge. Our population here is about 35k to 40k, standard mall and shops and things for a town this size. One person mentioned crime rates, I personally have lived in MS. 30 (on and off) out of 40 years, never had alot of problems through living here as far as crime. Nothing a twelve year old with a double barrel loaded with rock salt couldnt cure, because sometimes you might get in trouble killing someone who is just tresspassing. All childhood experiences and joking a side, it is so far just like every other town this size( thats not on the beach or has a college).Last but not least if you are a church goer and like doing church goer things with your family, you will have plenty to do!!!!
Joined the forum to research homes in CA and CO. Found the MS forum and this thread and had to put my two cents in.
My wife was raised most of her life in the area. She is a native Mississippian and I am also more or less a native (came here when I was 5). I spent ~23 years in Columbus, MS and my wife spent ~20 years in Meridian.
Meridian is dying. Look at the population statistics. Job growth was -0.2% (that's negative zero point two percent) last time I looked. Population has dropped by half in a couple of decades. The economy is weak and is mostly based on labor, government (Naval Air Station) and medicine. $10 an hour is considered a reasonable wage for non-professionals in the area. Minimum wage is the norm for most positions in general. The Bonita Lakes Mall is not a midsized mall, as someone else posted. It's a very small mall with only the most basic stores and services. There are very few job opportunities here outside of the fields I've mentioned. Even those are limited. There are a sizable number of folks who drive to the coast (Texas and Louisiana mostly) to work on off-shore oil rigs (referred to as working offshore) because it pays well.
Education here is a joke. Meridian Community College is a private school that does a pretty good job of training for nursing or other vocational fields, but most of the successful students leave the area. MS. State has a branch here but it seems to mostly serve military people trying to finish degrees etc. The class selection is very limited. It's also worth mentioning that highly educated people tend to be looked down on, particularly if you don't agree with the prevalent conservative Christian mindset.
There are two major hospitals: Rush and Anderson. Rush is not a good hospital and I would never trust my health to them. Anderson is only somewhat better. I know this from personal experience (several family members and myself have had to use the services of both hospitals, including ER and end of life situations), and I have a family member who has worked for Rush for 20+ years and this person won't use Rush but goes across the street to Anderson for health care.
There are no sidewalks that are safe to walk or bike on in Meridian. In fact it's absolutely dangerous to do so within city limits. This is NOT a pedestrian friendly place.
The roads in Meridian and the county in general are some of the worst I've ever seen, which is ironic considering how high vehicle taxes are. 8th street is terrible and is one of the main thoroughfares (hah I think thoroughfare is a generous description).
Crime is very high within the city limits of Meridian. The police tend to be clannish and will not shy away from protecting friends and family at the expense of others, or even in direct violation of the law. Not all the police in Meridian are like that, many are very good people who are doing their best, but it seems from the police officers I know personally that corruption is just a normal part of business. Lauderdale County sheriff's dept is worse. Bribery, including sexual favors, can get you off the hook for most misdemeanors in the county and the city, depending on the degree of corruption the police officer who is dealing with you is willing to engage in and who you happen to be related to. It ranges from none to any, with most falling in the middle somewhere. A friend of mine in the department has considered going to the Feds in order to have the policing duties taken over by the Federal Government (as was done in Oakland, CA not too long ago) due to the rampant corruption. His concern is that if he blows the whistle, he might end up missing. It's very easy to hide a body in the county.
The people in general are also clannish. Southern hospitality is alive and well, but as has been my experience in the south, it is usually quite superficial, especially towards outsiders. It's all about who your family is, who they know and who you grew up with.
The younger people who live and work within Meridian are a lot more progressive than those who are 35 years old and up. Older people here can be very judgmental, particularly about religion. Speaking of old people, there are A LOT of old people in the area. Anyway, if you are younger you would probably get along well with the downtown evening crowd hanging out at the Balcony at Weidmann's, or perhaps the newly revamped Brickhouse. There are some great people who go to drink and socialize at those places.
There are also a lot of extremely wealthy people in Meridian and the county, but they do not invest here, rarely spend significant money here and usually stick to themselves on their acreage. It's definitely a good ole boys network if there ever was one.
We just elected a new mayor, though I doubt he'll make much progress.
If you have any kind of hobbies, interests or whatever that requires shopping for specific and particular items you may be out of luck. I was recently looking for a Yakima cargo box for my vehicle and no one here even knows what that is. They don't in Jackson, MS either. There used to be a great hobby shop in town that had a good selection of RC car and airplane equipment but that closed awhile ago. you should expect to have to order online if you want anything that isn't related to farming, hunting or fishing.
Produce in Mississippi is mediocre. Perhaps I was spoiled by spending 7 years in California, but despite the agrarian society, the produce in MS just doesn't cut it. Same with the beef. There really aren't any decent butchers here, and meat quality is usually fair at best.
Dining is lame. The best in town is probably Weidmann's, which is the only fine dining in the area. It's really more semi-fine dining. The Rustler has good steaks but are WAY overpriced. I'd much rather spend the same money at a Ruth's Chris (and I consider Ruth's Chris to be only somewhat better than mediocre - you gotta love steaks seared at 1400F though). Everything else is either a garbage chain restaurant, such as Applebee's, or the somewhat better Olive Garden, or fast food. An exception would be San Marcos Mexican restaurant. Excellent Tex-Mex to be had there. In fact it's in my list of top 3 Mexican-style restaurants and I've visited hundreds of places around the world. There are also some very good burger joints within Meridian, but half the fun is finding places like that yourself. Otherwise there is very little that would interest even an inexperienced palate. There is nowhere with a good wine list, but a big part of that is the very restrictive blue laws in place in the state. The alcohol control board severely restricts the alcohol variety.
If you aren't fairly close to the city of Meridian you will need to get Satellite internet. It sucks. I hope you don't play any online games or like to stream videos.
The microclimate in and around Meridian is extremely hot and humid. If you are prone to acne you may have significant problems. My relative working at Rush sees hundreds of cases of heat stroke every summer.
The Riley Center hosts a lot of great concerts. Jewel was recently here, as was Babyface and various other great names. The tickets are usually reasonably priced as well, relatively speaking.
If you like outdoor recreation other than hunting, fishing, or riding 4 wheelers (quads), then you may be bored. Most of the land here is private, and what isn't is covered with ticks (watch out for Lyme Disease, I've gotten it here) and mosquitos. It's not like in CA or CO where you can just go somewhere and hike for hours into true wilderness. The only true wilderness in MS is privately owned and it is sorta legal to shoot trespassers. I've heard there is decent kayaking to be had but have not had the chance to check that out.
I would recommend that if you have a choice, move to Columbus or Starkville. Much more opportunity with a better, more vibrant community.
Along with Lauderdale County and the city of Marion, Meridian is served by the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, which was formed in 1996 by a group of business leaders from the area.[SIZE=2][70][/SIZE] While as of April 2010, the city's civilianlabor force was only 15,420 people,[SIZE=2][71][/SIZE] there is a population of 232,900 in a 45-mile (72 km) radius and 526,500 in a 65-mile (105 km) radius, of which 104,600 and 234,200 people respectively are in the labor force.[SIZE=2][40][/SIZE] The city thus serves as a hub of employment, retail, health care, and culture activities.[SIZE=2][72][/SIZE] Eighty percent of Lauderdale County's workers reside in the county while 90% live within 45 miles
Thats right 104 thousand with a t and 234 thousand with a t is in the LABOR FORCE!!!!!!!
Not bad for a town with a popualtion of only 35 or 40k I would say.
and dont forget we are a CERTIFIED retirement community!!!!
Along with Lauderdale County and the city of Marion, Meridian is served by the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, which was formed in 1996 by a group of business leaders from the area.[SIZE=2][70][/SIZE] While as of April 2010, the city's civilianlabor force was only 15,420 people,[SIZE=2][71][/SIZE] there is a population of 232,900 in a 45-mile (72 km) radius and 526,500 in a 65-mile (105 km) radius, of which 104,600 and 234,200 people respectively are in the labor force.[SIZE=2][40][/SIZE] The city thus serves as a hub of employment, retail, health care, and culture activities.[SIZE=2][72][/SIZE] Eighty percent of Lauderdale County's workers reside in the county while 90% live within 45 miles
Thats right 104 thousand with a t and 234 thousand with a t is in the LABOR FORCE!!!!!!!
Not bad for a town with a popualtion of only 35 or 40k I would say.
and dont forget we are a CERTIFIED retirement community!!!!
This ties into a few factors. Small cities with more elderly or retired folk are more apt for home burglaries, because people presume that the elderly are the easiest to rob. Meridian is also served by a Naval air station, so many of the retirees are retired military veterans who stay close to the base and use its cheap Commissary (Grocery store).
Quote:
Originally Posted by JacksonPanther
Sheesh... Other than the complaints about crime and corruption, every argument against Meridian seems to hinge on it being a small town. Well, surprise, surprise. It's a town of 40K people, with no university and no major industry. In other words it's the middle of effing nowhere. Why complain because it's not Chicago? If you want big-city amenities, then a small town will not make you happy.
A town of 40K people can't support very many businesses beyond the mainstream. Hobby shops? Fine dining? Macy's? There's not enough people to patronize these places to keep the doors open. That shouldn't be a surprise.
This post also hits the nail right on the head. Meridian is the largest city in 100 miles in any direction. East you'll go nearly 100 miles till you hit Tuscaloosa, west is 100 miles to Jackson, and south is 100 miles to Hattiesburg. The next largest town in the 90 mile span around Meridian is probably Philadelphia, which doesn't even crack 10,000 people. Mississippi in general is a very rural state and will not have all the big name box office retail outlets people from more populated areas of the country are used to.
There are other cities comparable in size to Meridian or smaller that sometimes have more amenities, but in almost every case you will find a huge factor that contributes to the increased business presence. Hattiesburg has a lot more to offer in the commercial area, but this is due largely in part to the presenec of the University of Southern Mississippi, the same goes for Tuscaloosa and Starkville.
Meridian is even a step up over a few other cities in the state. Vicksburg on the opposite end of the state still along the same I-20 interstate has no mall and now no longer has a movie theater, Meridian, a city roughly the same size with less than half the tourist appeal of Vicksburg has both a mall and movie theater.
Meridian is just a typical town for Mississippi, it has room for improvement, yes, but no huge motivator to spur it forward.
Well, we've been here for about a week now. We're actually living in Newton, instead of Meridian, and I must say that so far, we love it. Meridian has a great mix of things to do, including the "Painting With a Twist" classes, Music Underground, and there are great parks for the kids to play in (Dentzel Carousel, anyone?).
As a writer, I love the history of the town. The fact that the roads in Meridian are very much "you can't get there from here" being due to the original two city founders feuding much like the Hatfields and McCoys is very interesting. Gypsy royalty burial ground? Awesome. Civil rights events and murders? Extremely interesting. Meridian is quite a gem of history.
When moving my main concern was the people: would they be open and friendly or reserved and stand-offish. Votes on the forum seemed to favor the former, but I haven't found that to be the case at all. People have been very friendly and open, and quite welcoming. Whether that's because we're living in Newton and not Meridian itself, I'm not sure. I do find it funny that there are three essential questions that seem like they *must* be answered in a satisfactory manner before the neighbors would open up:
"Where are you from, both most recently and originally?" (Arkansas, and originally small-town western Kentucky)
"What does your husband do?" (He's opening a business in Meridian)
"How long do you plan on staying?" (As long as possible, preferably forever)
Seems that our answers have been quite satisfactory to the people here, and we've been welcomed pretty openly by our neighbors, and anyone else we've met.
Well, we've been here for about a week now. We're actually living in Newton, instead of Meridian, and I must say that so far, we love it. Meridian has a great mix of things to do, including the "Painting With a Twist" classes, Music Underground, and there are great parks for the kids to play in (Dentzel Carousel, anyone?).
When moving my main concern was the people: would they be open and friendly or reserved and stand-offish. Votes on the forum seemed to favor the former, but I haven't found that to be the case at all. People have been very friendly and open, and quite welcoming. Whether that's because we're living in Newton and not Meridian itself, I'm not sure. I do find it funny that there are three essential questions that seem like they *must* be answered in a satisfactory manner before the neighbors would open up:
and we've been welcomed pretty openly by our neighbors, and anyone else we've met.
Glad to hear you're settling in.
Tell us a ittle more about Newton. Wikipedia says its about 55/45 Black to White. Is your neighborhood integrated? Are you meeting and gaining friends both Black and White? Do the blacks and whites appear to be on equal footing economically?
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Thanks for the info, both good and bad, and keep it up! 
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