if you could choose: Springfield, Rolla, West Plains (Northwoods: to buy, live in)

[whatzaname]

I've lived in WP & Live in Sgf, lived an hour south of Rolla growing up so have some familiarity. I would vote West Plains IF night skies that are dark enough to see stars matters to you. Assuming work is not a concern. The area is beautiful and the float rivers and camping are amazing. Because WP is sort of the big town for its immediate area, it has enough 'stuff,' including a hospital and lots of doctors. Rolla has some 'stuff' too, but it seems to me that WP's downtown has survived, with character, despite WalMart. Hopefully that will remain the case in the future! Schools are fine, involved but not over-involved parents make the biggest difference anyway. We moved away after my daughter's kindergarten year, but I recall her teacher and the experience fondly. Springfield schools...not quite as fondly, though we all survived and many great friends were made. No idea about Rolla in that regard. My only concern in West Plains was that I sometimes sensed more racism there than is publicly displayed here. I can't say the whole town felt that way, but concern about being a little *too* isolated for my young children was one of the reasons I moved to Springfield (LOL this was before we had internet, and I didn't realize Springfield was only marginally more diverse...)

[linicx]

I would choose Carthage. It has the advantages of the small town living with 5 colleges, large mall, metroplex, strip malls, tons of restaurants, a couple of great used book stores, cheap groceries, and its all within 20 miles. Plus its about 45 miles from the largest lake in the area. And, if you like Civil War history, you're in the heart of it. .

[libertyme]

I agree...are these your only choices???
Sorry to dog on Rolla-I taught school there, know some really nice people there, and still am in town once a week.
The problem with Rolla(besides the mediocre schools/gang/drug problems/dragging their feet to get anything good to come to town(target, starbucks, grocery, etc..) is that it is BORING! Sorry but it is true.
IF you visit, just for fun, set your watch and see how long it takes you to spot somebody in a St. Pat's t-shirt. The way we do it is the first person who spots one gets a dollar. That is the only fun thing about visiting Rolla. Ok that and Slice of Pie. Get the Dutch Apple or the Toll House. Amazing! But sadly, you can't move to a place just for the pie.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by libertyme

I agree...are these your only choices???
Sorry to dog on Rolla-I taught school there, know some really nice people there, and still am in town once a week.
The problem with Rolla(besides the mediocre schools/gang/drug problems/dragging their feet to get anything good to come to town(target, starbucks, grocery, etc..) is that it is BORING! Sorry but it is true.
IF you visit, just for fun, set your watch and see how long it takes you to spot somebody in a St. Pat's t-shirt. The way we do it is the first person who spots one gets a dollar. That is the only fun thing about visiting Rolla. Ok that and Slice of Pie. Get the Dutch Apple or the Toll House. Amazing! But sadly, you can't move to a place just for the pie.

If you consider target or starbucks to be a good thing

[Bluff_Dweller]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

If you consider target or starbucks to be a good thing

Neither one excites me enough to visit either much less drive any distance. My last Starbucks black coffee was with my wife when she shopped Barns & Noble in Spg. Since she has been gone 4 years, I doubt Starbucks will ever get another dime from me.

If I were younger, I would probably pick Rolla. Since I have lived closer to 80 years than 70 years at 45 miles south of SPG., My roots are here.

And for GrannetStater's information, I am as far north as I wish to be, even K.C. or ST. Louie is out of the running.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by Bluff_Dweller

Neither one excites me enough to visit either much less drive any distance. My last Starbucks black coffee was with my wife when she shopped Barns & Noble in Spg. Since she has been gone 4 years, I doubt Starbucks will ever get another dime from me.

If I were younger, I would probably pick Rolla. Since I have lived closer to 80 years than 70 years at 45 miles south of SPG., My roots are here.

And for GrannetStater's information, I am as far north as I wish to be, even K.C. or ST. Louie is out of the running.

You can't find any regular coffee places anymore, they are all ate up with trying to be like starbucks and charge you 2.50 for a regular black coffee. Speaking of coffee, time to brew me some up. I have a lot of work to do here tonight in ole Boringtown aka Rolla. I would like it more up here if I actually lived outside of town but when you are a college student you deal with what you have to.

And I heard that about STL and KC being too far north. I freeze my tail off here and it's in south central MO. I think it is the wind in the wintertime more than anything. I don't think Southeast Missouri gets as much wind as Rolla and it sure as heck doesn't get as cold in the wintertime, especially when you talk about wind chill.

As I stated earlier, West Plains would be my choice. It is the smallest of the three, the most rural, the most isolated and has very few people from other parts of the country moving there. (Although I suppose I may be called a foreigner in the camp if I were to move there too)

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by libertyme

The problem with Rolla(besides ... dragging their feet to get anything good to come to town (target, starbucks, grocery, etc..) is that it is BORING!

You're bored with our town because we don't have a Target or Starbucks? I don't understand that. As I've said on this forum before, I don't have time enough to do all the interesting stuff that I'd like to do. I don't have time to get to all the activities up at the University that open to the public. I don't have time to go to all the public school activities that are open to the public. There's plenty of home-town stuff to do on the weekends. Weekends are great, because most of the folks like you clear out of town to go to St. Louis. I think people who find it boring here are people who lack curiosity and creativity.

Originally Posted by libertyme

IF you visit, just for fun, set your watch and see how long it takes you to spot somebody in a St. Pat's t-shirt.

Good grief, why are you making fun of university students who enjoy their annual bash? And the townspeople who enjoy the parade and concert? We like the campus and enjoy the students. I guess we're not as sophisticated as you.

Originally Posted by libertyme

Sorry to dog on Rolla-I taught school there, ... The problem with Rolla(besides the mediocre schools

I think the schools have improved. Do you think, perhaps, your leaving has something to do with that?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

You can't find any regular coffee places anymore, they are all ate up with trying to be like starbucks and charge you 2.50 for a regular black coffee. Speaking of coffee, time to brew me some up. I have a lot of work to do here tonight in ole Boringtown aka Rolla. I would like it more up here if I actually lived outside of town but when you are a college student you deal with what you have to.

And I heard that about STL and KC being too far north. I freeze my tail off here and it's in south central MO. I think it is the wind in the wintertime more than anything. I don't think Southeast Missouri gets as much wind as Rolla and it sure as heck doesn't get as cold in the wintertime, especially when you talk about wind chill.

As I stated earlier, West Plains would be my choice. It is the smallest of the three, the most rural, the most isolated and has very few people from other parts of the country moving there. (Although I suppose I may be called a foreigner in the camp if I were to move there too)

You think KC and STL are too far north I live in Madison, WI so you must think it is the North Pole here! I do agree that the wind in winter is not as fun, but I will take it over 100F and humidity.

[GunnerTHB]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

You think KC and STL are too far north I live in Madison, WI so you must think it is the North Pole here! I do agree that the wind in winter is not as fun, but I will take it over 100F and humidity.

Well I'm the opposite of you. I'll take 100 and humidity over -10 and 30mph wind any day of the week as long as I have water to stay hydrated. I guess I'm just used to SE Missouri...our average snow events don't usually top 4 inches. The only good thing about winter is going out and playing in the snow with my truck. Now that can be some fun.

It's all relative. I'm sure Madison's winter isn't horrible compared to several places in the U.S.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by GunnerTHB

Well I'm the opposite of you. I'll take 100 and humidity over -10 and 30mph wind any day of the week as long as I have water to stay hydrated. I guess I'm just used to SE Missouri...our average snow events don't usually top 4 inches. The only good thing about winter is going out and playing in the snow with my truck. Now that can be some fun.

It's all relative. I'm sure Madison's winter isn't horrible compared to several places in the U.S.

The average annual snowfall here is a paltry 50 inches, so definitely not the Snowbelt like Michigan. I do have easy access to the Northwoods which is very nice. If you look on google maps my favorite spots are the Eagle River chain of lakes in Eagle River and St. Germain area, Vilas county- close to the UP of Michigan. Now that place is cold and is more Canadian in feel than a good chunk of Ontario! It's an interesting place to visit, though.
I've dealt with the heat and humidity as I am from KC. The worst was 108F with a heat index of 118F. At that point I realized I didn't like the heat and humidity at all and looked for places that featured a milder climate.