Princeton (Kansas City, St. Joseph, Maryville: low income, home, unemployment)

[wsbart]

greetings. Can anyone tell me a little about Princeton? much thanks.

[Mo-Jo]

I just came across this website today, so sorry this is so late. I grew up in a town next to Princeton. My husband on the other side of Princeton. All I can say is, Yuck!! We left nearly 20 years ago, and have never regretted the move. Lots of Meth-labs, low incomes, unemployment, and a Giant Hog farm. If you want to hunt deer or turkey it's great for that. No movie theaters nearby, let alone stage theaters or any kind of culture. I believe they have a Dollar General, maybe 2 grocery stores & a Casey's convenience store. Lots of Amish relocating to the area, which is okay-they are very nice folks, but night driving is very hazardous with them on the blacktop roads. Deer are also an issue in that respect. But that is a prob. region wide. Would never tell anyone to move to Northern Mo or Iowa. The southern half of Missouri is the only place for me.

[jzim]

It's a very small and quiet town, about 30-45 minutes south of Iowa border (maybe closer)...

I lived in Trenton for 6 years, which is 20 miles of Princeton on hwy 65.

Been to Princeton alot. It's rural, farm country.

They hold Calamity Jane Days each year to celebrate her association with the town. Lots of western-related activities; a trail ride, re-enactments, etc.

I'd be inclined to move there, if I didnt like the ozarks so well. It's in what is known as The Green Hills region. A nine-county area in NorthCentral MO that does have lots of green rolling hills. Good deer hunting up there, too.

[RCL]

Originally Posted by Mo-Jo

I just came across this website today, so sorry this is so late. I grew up in a town next to Princeton. My husband on the other side of Princeton. All I can say is, Yuck!! We left nearly 20 years ago, and have never regretted the move. Lots of Meth-labs, low incomes, unemployment, and a Giant Hog farm. If you want to hunt deer or turkey it's great for that. No movie theaters nearby, let alone stage theaters or any kind of culture. I believe they have a Dollar General, maybe 2 grocery stores & a Casey's convenience store. Lots of Amish relocating to the area, which is okay-they are very nice folks, but night driving is very hazardous with them on the blacktop roads. Deer are also an issue in that respect. But that is a prob. region wide. Would never tell anyone to move to Northern Mo or Iowa. The southern half of Missouri is the only place for me.

Mo Jo, I'm curious as to why you would never tell anyone to move to the Northern MO or Iowa. Perhaps a few certain towns would be understandable, but why the broad generalization?

What are the negative aspects that make you say this?, ie: weather, economy, lack of diversity, extreme conservatism, lack of things to do, smell of livestock, meat/poultry/dairy processing plants, etc.

I'm not from Missouri but considering relocating there...and have even considered Iowa...so all opinions are interesting to me.

I realize no place is perfect but I have to say after several decades of California crime, smog, traffic high cost of living and overall diminished quality of life...even with any or all of the issues I mentioned above, Missouri would seem like a cakewalk to me and perhaps to many of the other people reading this board (though I can't speak for anyone else, just going by some of the other posts I've read).

Two places that have caught my eye, St. Joseph and Maryville, seem to look attractive at least from an outsider's point of view. If you (or anyone else) has anything to add, I would appreciate the viewpoints.

Thanks

[StJoeFanatic]

"Two places that have caught my eye, St. Joseph and Maryville, seem to look attractive at least from an outsider's point of view. If you (or anyone else) has anything to add, I would appreciate the viewpoints."

If you have any questions about St. Joe, I would be happy to help... just drop me a line!

[RCL]

Originally Posted by StJoeFanatic

"Two places that have caught my eye, St. Joseph and Maryville, seem to look attractive at least from an outsider's point of view. If you (or anyone else) has anything to add, I would appreciate the viewpoints."

If you have any questions about St. Joe, I would be happy to help... just drop me a line!

StJoeFanatic,

Great! Thanks much for the offer. I've also been in contact with another member here who sent me some wonderful pics of St. Joe.

Do you know much about Maryville and Nodaway county?

I would imagine it's a few degrees colder in the winter, but is the terrain there like St. Joseph or is it flatter?

If I moved to Maryville, I'd be heading to St Joseph for city services and even possibly commuting for employment, at least for a while. One of the things that attracts me to Nodaway county is it's proximity to St. Joseph, KC Metro Area, and Omaha to the north. And the smaller size is nice too.

Thanks so much for offering your perspectives!

[Fridsan]

What are the dates for the 2007 Calamity Jane Days in Princeton, MO?

fridsan@mchsi.com

[Versatile]

I had a buddy of mine that grew up in Princeton. He ran away at age 12 with another kid. They slept in a barn. Late in the night the barn caught on fire. My friend said they were blamed for it. He swore and i believed him that the fire was at the other end of the barn and they were not smoking because he knew the dangers of smoking in a barn. The farmer got a new barn out of it!

[ontheedgeoftime33]

Princeton is a great place to live if you want to be able to leave your doors unlocked and enjoy life is the slow lane. (If you're single or want to go out to fancy attractions every night, then maybe its not the place for you.) I grew up in the city and love what a city has to offer, but now that I'm raising a family, I'm very satisfied to live here. There's plenty to do if you know where to look and there are a lot of great people to meet.

[jpalmer]

I grew up in Princeton and I loved every second of it! Yes, it is a very small town that is at least 30 minutes away from a movie theatre or any shopping. Yes there is a large hog operation nearby (you really can't smell it-at least I didn't growing up) Princeton, MO is a great place to raise children.

I have lived in several places since my time in Princeton. Kansas City, Lawrence, Ks, Nashville, TN, Austin, TX and now Tampa, FL. Every city I move to I long for the great people, the fresh air, and the general security that the small town holds. When I go home to visit I can literally feel the stress leaving my body when I hit the city limit signs. You will not find better people than the ones that live in this town. I would move back in a heartbeat if there were a job opening that would allow me to provide for my family. If you are considering a move just go and spend a weekend there, get out and meet the people (They may be a little hard to get to know at first, that is where security plays a part) Be sure to go to Crossroads - great resteraunt with great food and a general hang out for everyone in the town. This city has a fantastic school system that will allow your kids to be involved in anything they are interested in. The teachers will end up being a part of your family. They have an olympic size indoor pool that allows a place to go year round. I don't remember being bored once as a teenager in this town. I would tell anyone with the opportunity to move to Princeton to do it. You won't regret it!