Waynesville? (St. Louis, Springfield, Rolla: crime rates, home, theater)

[snowwhite77]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum, glad I found it! I'm hoping to learn a little bit about Missouri before moving there. My husband and I currently live out of state and were talking about maybe moving to Waynesville soon. We're hoping it'll be a nice quiet area... I was wondering what the pros and cons are in Waynesville/area or Missouri in general.

What does Missouri have to offer? Why do you like it/dislike it?

I would really appreciate your input.

[ShadowCaver]

Welcome! Couple questions to help us answer your questions...

What kind of work do you your husband desire?
What interests and dislikes do you both have?
What made Waynesville & area attractive to ya guys?

If you've not had chance yet, recommend checking out the following threads:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...-missouri.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...-missouri.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/misso...bert-area.html
And of course:
Official site for Missouri's Pulaski County: Home of Fort Leonard Wood
City of Waynesville, Missouri : Information Resources for Waynesville Residents and Visitors.
Waynesville Daily Guide - Front

Indeed is a nice area - if you want a slower area, yet close to a few nearby towns [Rolla, Waynesville, Lebanon] and ~1.5-2 hours to either Springfield or St. Louis, and ~1 to the Lake of the Ozarks.

Good luck! What part of FL are yas? I've a bro in Jacksonville, loves it...

[jeanie missouri]

Missouri is a beautiful 4 full seasons. Amazingly clear rivers when you get down near the Salem Montauck area...Current River.
Waynesville is right at the fort so there is a lot of young men and porn area's there.

[mkraemer]

I lived in st. robert/waynesville and fort leoanrd wood for most of my life, since I was 4 years old. That place has most definatly grown. There are a lot of bars and the schools are ok. On another forum it said a lot of the kids there tested positve for aids and other stds, lots of pregnancies, and the "ghetto" scene. I dont know about the std part, but I know there are a lot of pregnancies in the high school, and there is the "ghetto" scene around there. I moved away a few years ago. I heard they just did a big drug bust like 35 people or so. They are cleaning up that town, and st. robert is a good place to live, better than waynesville. I am actually moving back to st. robert in a couple months because my husband joined the military. Anyway, I just though you would want to know things about this town, if you need to know anything else you may have heard or whatever you can e-mail me at mkraemer804@hotmail.com.

[anr_black]

I haven't lived in Waynesville myself, but just wanted to add that my uncle was in the military for 25 years and he and his wife had lived all over the world, and decided to retire in Waynesville with their kids (neither is originally from that area). They've been there 10 years and love it. HTH!

[Danilo-11]

I lived in Rolla (30 minutes from there) for a long time
and a girl that I knew grew up in Waynesville,
she told me that there's a lot of problems with kids in High School.

Personally, I believe this has to do with the military base that is there (Ft. Leonard Wood)
I guess I don't have to go in detail about it, since everybody knows the problems that militar bring to any town in the US.

Something positive,
is that the Lake of Ozarks is very close to it.

[OA 5599]

I went to college in Rolla from 03-07. Waynesville/St. Robert always seemed pretty ghetto to me, from the few times I visited. I believe I mentioned this in a thread a few months ago, but I went to a movie at the theater in Waynesville since it wasn't playing in Rolla, and the people in the theater were the rudest I've encountered in any theater, ever. They talked during the entire movie, yelled at the screen, and wouldn't be quiet. The area around is, however, very scenic. Even driving through on I-44 is beautiful, and taking old US 66 through Devil's Elbow or MO 28 up to Dixon is a beautiful drive.
IMO, if I was going to move to that area in general I'd choose Rolla over the Waynesville/St. Robert area, its only about half an hour away but is a much nicer town and doesn't have any of the negative influences that Ft. Wood seems to bring to the town, and has more of the positive influences that having a college in town brings.

[Silvermouse]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

.Waynesville/St. Robert always seemed pretty ghetto to me, from the few times I visited.

I second that.

[boilerman4u]

I use to live there, went to school there and I hated it there. When I had kids we move from there to St. james it was nice there. I would not want to live in Waynesville now, especially raising kids with all the bars and strip clubs etc. I personally don't think it is a good place to raise kids.

[MPwifey]

I too am trying to find information on Waynesville. We are moving there in a few months and I'm trying to find out about the area. I have been there once to see him graduate from basic, but know little about the area.

It would be great to know if there is any shopping, places to eat, types of churches and things to do. I have heard a lot about St. Roberts and Waynesville being built up and revitalized-so just trying to find out exactly what that means.

Since i am coming from ft. Hood, texas, and know about crime ridden schools, and negative ideals-I am trying to find out if this will be a different experience for my daughter in high school. More than it being a "ghetto" scene because folks talked during a movie or because of "what the military brings to an area". Amazing how folks talk about people who defend your freedom. Most of the time the military brings jobs and money to areas that would have few of either if they were not there. Most of the folks on Leonard Wood are recruits or students-and are only there for the time of their training, and are held on base for the bulk of this training-so if there are drugs and/or high crime rates, odds are the military aren't the ones perpetrating it.

i am hoping that because most of the folks that are at leaonard wood are not permanent party-that the issues are minimal-unlike here at Ft. Hood, where chaos and idiocy seems to rule.

I was looking on Great Schools and they rated the school as a 7 of 10(the school my daughter currently attends is a 4 of 10) and the parents seem to rate it high. I also looked around and they have a higher percentage of kids who graduate and go on to 4 year schools than the state average. So-If there are other issues-ie: high crime and violence and drugs, high dropout rates(actual dropouts-not kids who move because of PCS) it would be great to know.

Thanks!