Fulton/Millersburg (Columbia, Jefferson City, Cuba: rent, houses, neighborhood)

[TinaBlue]

My husband and I will be moving to Missouri after the first of the year. We're looking at the Fulton/Millersburg area (and possibly Jefferson City). Fulton will be closest to work for him.

Does anyone know what's in Millersburg? I know that it's just a small unincorporated area...but is there a gas station? any shops? What kind of people live there? (families? retirees?) Any information would be great!

Thanks!

[afk211]

Hi! I live in Columbia, but my husband was born and raised in Jefferson City and worked in Fulton for a brief period. I don't actually know if there is an actual town of Millersburg. There is an exit off I-70. I don't think there are any shops or restaurants - you would have to go to Columbia (or Fulton) for that. Fulton seems to be a typical small town - they have several restaurants and a Walmart - parts of the downtown area are charming. Jefferson City is growing a lot right now - I would much rather live there than in Fulton (or Millersburg), but I prefer living close to shopping and restaurants, and Jeff City has many.

Have you thought about Columbia? I know, I know... I'm biased. Whatever your choice, welcome to Missouri!

[julesevar]

i have lived in mid-MO most of my life and have never once stopped in Millersburg for anything that I can remember. Fulton is a small city with two historic colleges - Westminster and William Woods, besides that I'm not sure what else they have to offer. I am from Jefferson City and it's a 20 minute drive to Fulton, it's the state capitol and is pretty conservative... not too much to do. Columbia has the most to offer in terms of entertainment and dining in Mid - MO.

[TinaBlue]

We think Columbia is just going to be too long of a commute from my husband's work. JC is even a little far, but we may consider it if we can't find a house we like in the Fulton area.

[aragx6]

where exactly is your husband working? In Fulton or outside of it?

[pedro24]

Tina,

I live in Jeff City but my wife is from Fulton and most of her family still lives there. I didn't grow up in mid-Missouri, but I've enjoyed living here for the last five years. Fulton is a nice small city (about 12,000 residents) and, as mentioned in another post, has two private colleges. While there are many more shopping and dining options in Columbia and Jeff City, both are close enough to head to on any given day. Also, Fulton has a couple of really good local restaurants downtown. Bek's is located in a restored downtown building and has a very fun atmosphere, coupled with good food and great coffee and beer selections. Vila's (I believe that's the name) is a Cuban restaurant (there are only two in Missouri) and is just a few steps up the street from Bek's. Fulton also has a new movie theater (8 screens) and a new bowling alley, both of which are as nice or nicer than anything in Columbia or Jeff City. Another place you might consider is Holts Summit, basically a suburb on the north side of Jefferson City.

[cyrano]

hmmm...Fulton closest to where your husband works? Could it be the nuclear power plant? My stepson is an engineer there and he commutes from the east side of Columbia, but then he's in his early 20s and Fulton seemed a little sleepy for him. The housing in Columbia is creeping eastward, out Lake of the Woods area and even beyond that. A lot of the older engineers there live in Fulton.

I go to Fulton for my work about 4x/year and it's a nice little town. The colleges really help-- the Christopher Wren church on the campus at Westminster is a glorious little gem. I don't know about housing availability in Fulton.

Millersburg? Wow, I have no idea. If you really want or need something that small or that's what you're used to or know you like, then sure, look into it.

I work in Jeff. There's definitely more to do in Columbia, and far more dining selections, but Jeff has a nice little vibe to it, and to some extent, it's bigger than its population, a function of being the state capitol and requiring a certain level of functionality greater than other towns its size, and also from being the market town for a fairly large rural area to the south and west of town. I think housing is ridiculously cheap there, but you have to select your neighborhood carefully-- there are area that have long been known for being iffy to the point of dangerous. But by comparison, Columbia can come off as snooty and a little full of itself-- and I live there.

The whole game changes if you have kids or are planning on having them. Then Jeff (IMO) falls to the bottom of the list unless you guys are going to make enough money to afford private school and are either Catholic or are ok with your kids going to Catholic school. God bless the Jeff City public schools, they do try, but most of the parents I know who live in Jeff find some way to send their kids into the Catholic system. Columbia, on the other hand, has great public schools. Dunno about Fulton.

[kealoha]

Millersburg has a gas station/convenience store (they used to have a small snack bar type dining area but I'm not sure that is still there), a feed store, and a restaurant called i beleive Owl Creek Grill. I can't categorize the residents of the area. It is popular because it is in the country but close to Columbia. In my opinion the sprawl of Columbia is getting a little too close to Millersburg. Several really beautiful areas, where one used to see flocks of wild turkeys and deer, have just been turned into developments with houses that look too big for the lots to me. A few years back, I found that the housing prices in Millersburg were higher than in Fulton.

If you like small towns, I think Fulton has a lot to offer. Depending on where your husband will be working, you may want to look all over Callaway County, not just in Fulton and Millersburg. If schools are an issue, the South Callaway district is generally regarded as most desirable. I think the Fulton schools are considered good as well.

We definitely have four seasons of weather here in central MO. Just had a significant ice storm and now are getting snow, predicted to be 3-6" total and the low tonight is supposed to be 15.

Good luck with your move. Are you planning a pre-move visit to the area?

[TinaBlue]

Pedro, Cyrano, and Kealoha -- Thank you so much for the great info!!

My husband is getting a job offer from the power plant very soon -- if it's acceptable, that's where he'll be working come January.

We're coming from a city a bit smaller than JC, so it's not that we're looking for a small town. DH would like to be 30-40 minutes from work, so that leaves us with Fulton and the small towns around it. JC would probably be closer to an hour commute (at least according to Google Maps).

We have a one-year-old daughter, so schools are important, but we'd consider private school if we had to.

We won't be able to visit beforehand, but DH drove around a little when he went out there to interview, and he liked what he saw.

[TGS]

I don't think that Jefferson City would be an hour commute (30-40 minutes is about right), but Fulton is definitely closer. Hermann is also about 40 minutes away.

Since it is a nuclear power plant, it is located in a pretty rural area by design. You might check out some of the rural homes, which are pretty inexpensive. The South Callaway school district is very well funded and is one of the best districts around. You would still be a short drive to any of the local towns.

If you have to live in a city, then Fulton is a pretty good little college town. It is a little sleepy, but you are close to Columbia, which is pretty lively. Jefferson City is OK. The Jefferson City public schools are pretty good, despite what the other poster said, but the town just is a little too conservative for me. Hermann is in the winery area of Missouri, and the town is very laid back. It is also full of historic buildings and the scenery is some of the best in the state. The schools are good in all these towns, but they also all have Catholic schools which tend to be a little better than the public schools.

Could you rent for a year or two to find out which city you like the best?