Would like to talk to someone who lives in Dillon (Bozeman: short sales, house)
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I'll volunteer a positive impression of Dillon as well but that is just from passing thru occasionally over the years and some research. It is a very small job market but unemployment is comparatively quite low. If one wanted to / was willing to live in the country and was willing to consider commuting, one could live near Melrose, commute into the much larger Butte job market (even if it were just for the early transition stage) but "affiliate" socially mainly with Dillon and maybe move closer to it later if you developed the right business / employment opportunity.
On trying to get more specific answers from locals, another thought might be to try dropping an e-mail to one or more of these newspaper folk: http://www.dillontribune.com/About_Us.html
News is their business and I'd think they'd have more willingness to talk about the good and the bad, perhaps in a neighborly way above and beyond their professional work. Or maybe they can give you other names and contact information.
Those same questions that Griz asked back at the beginning were pretty much the same questions that the state of Colorado used to ask when you applied for residency back in the '70's when I lived there. They required one year residency before you could get a drivers license. You showed proof from renting or owning property and having a job. States wanted to make sure you weren't a burden to their taxpayers before issuing you a drivers license. Other states in the west did this, too, like California, until the Feds forced the state legeslatures to change the law. The idea of getting a drivers license or residency right away after moving to a new state is relatively new. Like Frick, we're spoiled today, we think these questions are against our civil liberties or privacy laws.
We're a society that's more mobile now then we were back when, and having easier residency laws does help, but this is also part of the problem, too, like in Arizona where you can literally cross over the international border and claim it.
I was born in Dillon and raised my entire life in Beaverhead County over in the Big Hole Valley west of Dillon. I attended high school in Dillon and go home every chance I get. Though I attend law school out of the area, I am extremely familiar with what is going on and the details of the town because my family still lives in the Big Hole in the family ranch and are very active in the Beaverhead County community.
If there are any questions you would like to know specifics on, it would be a pleasure to answer them as best I can. If I am not sure I can get a direct answer from family for you. In general I loventhe county. Dillon has continued to show slight growth overntheblast decade in mainly retirement age individuals. The city is around 4150 people with about another 3000 living 15 miles in a radius. This does include the college of about 1150 . The community is very tight knit with many families having lived there for generations, but I have never known the town to be unfriendly to outsiders either.n with the high turnover in college students there and the college professors, and furthered my thebother major employers being the hospital and Forest Service, we experience a fair amount of turnover. The further you get from Dillon, the more conservative the attitudes become. Wisdom, Jackson, Wise River, Grant, Dell, Lima and Melrose (although it is just out of county lines it associates with Dillon) are all greatvtowns but rather remote. Weather in Dillon is more mild than manner parts of the state albeit the rurals areas are much colder because of higher elevations. The new hospital will be a great addition to the community. The town has alot of pride, especially in the local athletics. Job wise I think it will not present the opportunities the bitterroot or gallatin county will, but there are jobs to be had. Investment continue as evidenced by the buyout of the local stats bank by a regional bank out of Idaho looking for a stable investment market. 3 banks, one national and two regional, with two federal credit unions are in the city. There are about 18 different active denominations, although about 1/10 the population is Mormon and 1/6 catholic, the other denominations still have good numbers. There are a lot of bars, around 15 or 16. Housing prices are not as bad as many of the other areas of western montana, but still far above the north and east of the state. I hope this could be of help and not hesitate to ask any questions.
I went to four years of college in Dillon. Many of my close friends still live there. It's a small town and pretty close knit and kind of a live and let live place. Pretty healthy little town to raise kids though. It's like any small town in that there are going to be positive, healthy kids to associate with and other kids who are making poor choices. I would say that it's a pretty innocent town though, not a ton of bad influences and most of the families are good people. Lots of outdoor types of folks in Dillon. Golf, fishing, camping, hiking, ranching, farming, rodeo, basketball, football, hunting, these are the types of things that the Dillonites I know are in to.
Thank you, thank you , thank you, LUVSNOW, ghz and lv2hoop. I knew there were Dillonites out there. Just had to wait it out! Your posts really make me feel great about this life changer my family and I are about to make. I'm pretty sure God is directing this move. We got an accepted offer on the house after only one month on the market. We are scheduled to close Sept. 29th.
I'm communicating with a couple renting their home on 6 acres near Twin Bridges. I know it's Madison County, but Dillon's rentals have been taken by the construction crews for the hospital and schools, not to mention the students. I'll check again the first of September to see if anyone has given a 30 day notive to vacate.
I'll be there the first couple days in October with my 3 dogs and wife's nephew whose helping me move out there. My wife has an important procedure scheduled for Oct. 3rd, the she and our daughter will fly out. If you know anyone in the Dillon area that's interested in renting for a year, please let them know I need a place that can take dogs and we want to bring my daughters horse up next spring. We can board the horse, if necessary. We want to rent for a full year first before looking to buy. A small ranch or farm would be perfect. We really want our daughter in the Dillon school system. There is so much opportunity for her to be involved.
Also, I'll be looking for work. I have over 20 years in food and beverage and twelve years in real estate sales and property management. I currently manage and maintain an office complex with self storage here in Georgia. I'm also really good at home improvement, so I can work in that field, also. The wife cannot work, but we prefer she be at home for my very special daughter. Remember when Moms were always home? That's not common here, which probably contributes to the problems our young kids here are facing. The Southeast region is in for huge difficulty with the U.S. and world in the next generations.
I really appreciate the info you have given me. Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions with the info I've given you.
I may be able to assist as well....worked in Dillon, lived in Butte and currently stationed in NC for a few more days. Thus, I can appreciate the desire to leave the east coast and never look back.
I went to four years of college in Dillon. Many of my close friends still live there. It's a small town and pretty close knit and kind of a live and let live place. Pretty healthy little town to raise kids though. It's like any small town in that there are going to be positive, healthy kids to associate with and other kids who are making poor choices. I would say that it's a pretty innocent town though, not a ton of bad influences and most of the families are good people. Lots of outdoor types of folks in Dillon. Golf, fishing, camping, hiking, ranching, farming, rodeo, basketball, football, hunting, these are the types of things that the Dillonites I know are in to.
My two cents...
I would agree. Dillon is as about as close to Mayberry as you can get these days. I really miss it there.
Griz's original response with all the questions reminds me of the very straightforward and blunt, but not rude, way that a lot of Montanans are. Just my two cents.
Also, there's a lot of folks moving to the state and trying to change it and I don't blame them for having a defensive attitude against newcomers. The last thing I'd ever want to see is Montana turn into Colorado
I've only passed through Dillon, though I can say the location is fantastic. Close enough to Missoula and Butte without being anywhere near a "city." Best of luck to you and your family
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