Don't give up on Lexington, MO yet...
Hi, I guess I am kind of late coming to your post, but I'd like to say a few words in favor of Lexington, MO. I am a native Kansas Citian myself, at least during my adulthood (which has now been almost two decades long!); before that, I grew up in suburbs around it (Blue Springs & Raytown). However, since Fall 2007 I have been living in Lexington. I really like it. I know this is going to sound odd to many readers who understandably like the diversity of the urban experience (I have periodically felt its magnetism, too), but I really like what I've experienced out here.
It's true that Kansas City has some terrific historic neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, and the Waldo district has a wide variety from low-end to high-end historic houses, and Brookside is simply gorgeous (I hope I don't risk getting my message shut off by encouraging you to checkout realtor.com and putting in zip code 64113...I am not a real estate agent, I'm something else entirely, but I am looking for a house to own, as well). That being said about Kansas City, the high level of crime is something you can't afford to ignore if you do look at the Midwest. And, sadly, that crime extends even into trendy-artsy areas like the Plaza and Westport. That alone shouldn't rule them out of most people's consideration, but it is a factor.
But about Lexington...VERY uneventful---in a great way. For example, in the Friday, July 10, 2009 edition of the town's one newspaper, the front-page headlines are as follows: "City on Track for Stimulus Funds for Wastewater Project", and "Bikers Groups Stands REady to Support Abused Kids", and "Bratcher Honored for Work Rescuing Abandoned Animals", and "County Roof Bid Evaluation to Begin Soon". There are also promises to tell the stories, inside, of a local author who has crafted her second book, and the celebration of a softball team who has won a title. While the peacable spirit of this town might be greatly distressing for a professional journalist, it's nice for people who kind of want 'out' of the 'rat race', and simply to enjoy living.
Things to do? Obviously not hopping like Kansas City or any other urban location. However, for a town of its size (4400+) it is fairly diverse. There is the Cannonball Theater (movie theater) that has a few screens, and they show normal, mainstream movies, sell popcorn, etc. This in itself is quite an unusual feature, as far as small-town Missouri goes. Antique shops are a claim to fame of Lexington, as are the splendid historic houses. Since you asked specifically about them, you really should go to the publicly accessible site mentioned above (again, no personal investment except that there are actually some houses in the lower price brackets out here which I might actually afford!), but enter zip 64067, and while there are a few super-pricey houses, there are dozens of fabulously charming 19th and early 20th-century charmers at rates which (if you have lived in both New York and California) will probably seem jaw-droppingly affordable.
People are friendly here. Some aren't gregarious, they are more quiet, but more than once since my move here, I have been out walking (for both exercise & sightseeing) and someone has called out "Hello" from their front porch. Yes, truly from their front porch, I kid you not. Having lived my adult life in Kansas City, I was totally unprepared for this non-self-protective spirit of outreach. But I was delighted.
In a major city, when a car horn honks, you know somebody is, shall we say, irritated with another driver on the road. Here in Lexington, when someone honks, more often than not, they're waving hello out their car windows and trying to toss out a quick bit of conversation.
Another thing I like about living here is the observation that neighborhoods are much less divided up than in a big city. You get small houses next to big houses next to medium-size houses, next to a charming Italian eatery (which sadly went out of business this last winter), and just a few blocks from the dense cluster of restaurants, antique shops, library, pharmacy, more and more antiques, 2 banks (that I know of), the police department, the theater, and then more (usually historic) houses. It's not like the people who have money live in just one part of town, and those who don't live in another. I mean, there are a couple of streets where it obviously slants one way or another, and there are a few more modern-style 'country-club wannabe' neighborhoods...but if your passion is historic houses, you'll find a relaxed mix of humble to grand on almost every historic street.
You should know that employment is not a highly happening thing out here. Some lucky people get to work here in town, or very nearby in towns like Richmond, or Odessa, or Higginsville (all within 15 miles) but if a 40-50 mile drive doesn't bother you, Kansas City could definitely still be an option---or any of the more modest-sized cities along the way. But the texture of life in Lexington is something I welcome. You do have to adjust a bit to some small-town stuff, such as, the grocery store closes at 9 p.m. every night, the pharmacy closes at 5:30, and gas stations close at 11 pm - midnight.
Okay, about the tornadoes... Having been a Missourian for all of my life, I can tell you that the only frightening tornado experience I had was in the vicinity of Salina, Kansas (a good distance away). Yes, if you have a weather radio, if will buzz periodically in early Spring and Early Fall, talking about severe thunderstorms or a tornado watch. There does seem to be a kind of geographical corridor where the tornado destruction I've heard of seems to happen rather frequently, but Lexington has not, from all I can tell, been in that. In fact, over the last two years I've been here, we've had less extreme weather patterns than many surrounding areas. Maybe it is the proximity to the river (it runs through the northwest edge of the town). But in the summer, it's been less hot and less muggy than Kansas City (when I've traveled back there), and the winter has been less afflicted with ice. It's been a superbly green summer, which this part of Missouri is generally not blessed with. Admittedly I have never been to California, and I suppose anyone used to CA weather would find Missouri to be tumultuous, but really it's just four seasons whose duration varies from year to year. Springs are lovely, with flowering trees, and Autumns (especially after a somewhat rainy summer) are stunning with the color intensity. About the climate change issue, if that's of concern to you in general, I would actually encourage you to look at the Midwest, since I have heard from the science news my boyfriend regularly reads that the Midwest can expect to be impacted altogether less by overall climate change than much of the rest of the country. Four very distinct seasons and several storms a year (only some of which are tornadoes) is not very daunting when you get into the pattern of it.
A basement is a good idea in any house you might look at in the Midwest, but apart from simply going down to it when a tornado is reported on the radio station, I have never personally experienced a tornado coming through anywhere I resided.
About the political thing? Not to make a big deal, since many other people responded to it, but since I live in Lexington, now, it may be worth letting you know that on my way into the historic district's October arts & crafts festival last year, I passed a small group of people who were handing out fliers about why they supported the Republican ticket. Being a Democrat myself (used to think I was an Independent, but I've kept voting Democratic the last few years), I was just for a moment worried I might get lambasted or something----but it didn't happen. The lady who gave me a flier also gave me her enthusiastic impression about the Republicans, but she said nothing hateful about Democrats, or the Democratic candidate(s), and she didn't even ask me which party I belonged to, nor did she try to 'sign me up' to her cause; she just wanted a chance to tell me why she liked the Republicans. I greatly appreciated the enthusiasm minus any viciousness--which, having come from from an urban environment, I was kind of expecting to encounter.
It's a fairly gentle town, altogether. The periodic parades through the main historic streets (Main, Franklin & South---not counting Highland, which is somewhat separate, or 13th, which crosses the above trio but is pretty high traffic (by Lexington standards, that is)) by the students of the Wentworth Military Academy lends a bit of yang energy now and then, but it's kind of impressive to watch. There is some slightly odd person or group in town who, when there is no storm in sight, irregularly (always daytimes) likes to conduct a 'test' of some weather alert system, but this 'test' consists only of a single voice over a speakerphone, disrupting the peace for only about two minutes while it announces they're doing a test. Never heard sirens out here except for the ambulance out of the conveniently local hospital, which keeps pretty busy (but on a small-town scale that, if it occured to the same degree in Kansas City, would be a 'sleeper' of a day!). Collectively people just don't seem terribly stressed out, here. I like that.
If you ever should need all-night convenience stores in general, there's a Walmart in Richmond which is open all night. Again, a very small, inactive store by big-city standards, but I guess it's busy by Richmond's.
I would urge you not to give up on Lexington. When it looked for a time like my boyfriend might have to move back to KC (and I would prefer to stay with him), I was genuinely disappointed. To my relief, we are staying here. I like being able to walk (with no fear for my safety) to just about every basic stop on my 'to-do' list. When I want the zest of the urban experience, it only takes an hour, tops, to get there. But for just BEING, and being at home, and delightfully adjusting to not really even being concerned whether my back door is locked or not when I go to bed at night, and being on a first-name basis with at least one of my neighbors...well, it's what I'd call a rewarding experience.
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