Thinkin' bout Lincoln (Missoula, Polson, Dillon: fit in, lawyers, homes)

[flingreasewood]

Hello Linconlites,
My wife and I are nearing retirement age[which means very little in reality] and are looking for a mountainous place to finish out our days. We currently live in Gold Hill, CO just outside Boulder but it is too citified here even in the mountains for our liking. I am a gold miner at heart and have claims in Alaska that I mine but my wife doesn't want to live there. So we've been lookin at Lincoln as a possibility...not exactly in town but out near Stemple Pass.
Anyway my wife is concerned about "conservative provincialism" that she suspects she'll have to deal with in a small town like Lincoln. What I would like is to hear from some of you local folks on your ideas of the acceptance or intolerance of those with a more "liberal" political and social persuasion. Is there a good old western "live and let live" mentality or will we find it difficult to "fit in"? Thanks much for your input.

[AQHA]

Well I don't know what the hell "conservative provincialism" is, but if it means you are against guns, for higher taxes and support illegal immigration, then you might want to find another place.

[Rickers]

I've been to Lincoln many times and it didn't seem outwardly hick or redneck, but that being said, if you are very liberal politically you may not feel very comfortable there.
Put it this way; If you love hunting, fishing, riding 4 wheelers, and snowmobiling then you'll fit right in.
One thing I did notice the last time I was camping near Lincoln, it seemed to have only one grocery store and when we walked in, the stench of rotten meat hit me in the face. While walking through the store we discovered where the stink was coming from.
The green fuzzy packages in the meat case ! Holy cow I was shocked they would be trying to sell fully rotten meat like that. Well at our campsite on the Blackfoot River I tried tossing a lure into a deeper hole and ended up catching a 13 inch Rainbow Trout on my third cast !

[decembergirl]

You might want to check out Dillon or a sub of Missoula.

[mark6052]

I'd hate for your wife to have to "deal" with us rightwing politics. we did vote for a dem gov. but about 60% vote republcan in national elections wanna move somewhere, but already dont like the locals politics? and you wonder why some folks are alittle reserved about newbies? ok, good luck. but I agree, maybe missoula would be better. or seattle?

[Simple Living]

It's good that you're checking this information out in advance. It's never a good idea to move somewhere and try to bring your own politics and ways of life with you. Especially if you move somewhere where the folks do things differently than you do. Trying to change the way the town is, or does things, when you get there would be disrespectful and cause you nothing but grief. You'll conflict with the locals every time.

It sounds like your wife has strong opinions and my bet is that she won't be happy in a largely republican state. Minnesota is a very liberal state and they have beautiful country in the north. You may want to check out some of the country near Duluth, along Lake Superior.

[Timberwolf232]

Liberal? Why is it so hard to stay in Boulder? You live in an area with people like you in it already. Colorado used to be a great place until the liberals and Californian's came in. (OK the telecom boom in the 80's and 90's didn't help either.)

What happened back then in Colorado? Land prices skyrocketed, working people were forced to move and accept less then they deserved to sell their homes and land, and the developers, lawyers, and franchisers had a hay day. (or decade) Say goodbye to mom and pop shops and say hello to Wal-Mart and big chain stores. A really great place was almost completely ruined. (Unless you were rich enough to buy some land or lucky enough to have a family inheritance.)

This same trend is starting in Montana, and it makes most of us sick to our stomachs.

I grew up in Colorado, and my Wife and Son were born and raised in Montana. When I came up this way years ago I finally I thought I had found a good place, but lately (the last 10-15 years) here come the liberals and they want to make sure that every one else knows it.

Please don't move to Montana. (I'm not trying to be rude, just being honest.) Nobody cares what your political views are, and we are really tired of people moving in and trying to change everything. We don't care if you think we should be allowed to hunt, fish, ride horses, snowmobile or anything else. We don't want or need your money or your rules, and we definitely don't want your opinions about how we should live our lives.

However, if you are willing to put aside your politics and do some good old fashioned hard work, then you just might make it. If you can do that well you might even make some good friends.

Sorry if my rant went on, but I'm passionate about my home, and the quality of life for my family. I'm tired of people moving in putting on a friendly face and then raping the land and the people in it for money.

[waldomissy]

Originally Posted by flingreasewood

Hello Linconlites,
My wife and I are nearing retirement age[which means very little in reality] and are looking for a mountainous place to finish out our days. We currently live in Gold Hill, CO just outside Boulder but it is too citified here even in the mountains for our liking. I am a gold miner at heart and have claims in Alaska that I mine but my wife doesn't want to live there. So we've been lookin at Lincoln as a possibility...not exactly in town but out near Stemple Pass.
Anyway my wife is concerned about "conservative provincialism" that she suspects she'll have to deal with in a small town like Lincoln. What I would like is to hear from some of you local folks on your ideas of the acceptance or intolerance of those with a more "liberal" political and social persuasion. Is there a good old western "live and let live" mentality or will we find it difficult to "fit in"? Thanks much for your input.

Not sure what you exactly mean by ""liberal" political and social persuasion", but we like Montana just the way it is. Well, the way it was before all of you Californians moved up and tried to change it. Liberals stay away. If you are referring to race, there are NO people of color living in or near Lincoln. Think about it. Lincoln is a hard working hard playing small town and we would like to kep it that way.

[waldomissy]

Not sure what you mean by "liberal political and social persuasion", but we in Montana are a very conservative people. WE like Montana just the way it is or should I say the way it was before people like you from California and other liberal states moved here and changed it to their likeing. Not all efforts have been successful in those attempts. If your concerns are of an ethnic matter, Lincoln is made up of 99.99% europian decendents. So, find a place to move to that is as liberal as you.

[Clint Folden]

It has been sometime since I have lived in Lincoln, but I loved it and still do, though I don't get back there as I would like to, especially since I live just 100 miles west on the C.S. and K. Tribal Reservation. I have a very fond memory of Lincoln, and the Fleming family, that I worked for played Basketball with, and practically lived with while I was there. I was of course young enough that politics were nonexistant in my world, even though I am a Tribal member, I was never bothered with race issues there, Mr. Gerald Fleming called me Chief a lot, LOL. Now a days I would take it as compliment, though I am no comparison to the Chiefs of my ancstors, they carried a wisdom beyond my understanding, and were obviously strong men in battle as well as in governing their people. But back then I just took it is stride, as he would tease and joke with me all the time, I loved it, for my home life wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. When I had to leave Lincoln, I HUGE part of me stayed behind, I came back to Polson, and returned to racism, hatred, and evan in the 8th grade was subjec to drugs amoung my young friends. That of which I never had to worry about in Lincoln, it in my notion, though a tough community to make a living in was and probably still is "The Last Best Place", I always hoped to return there, but as always happens, families come along and responsibilities come along, thus we stay where we know we can provide for them the best, though I think my kids would have loved it there, and would have grown to be good young men as they have now, but with a sense of belonging that is given them from a sense of community, and not just from being raised in good homes. So, as long as You would like to go live among the people of Lincoln, I think You would do just fine, BUT, if You go in with the attitude that they are a bunch of backwoods Hicks, and try to educate them with Your thoughts and beliefs, and try to push it on them then You are going to hit head on with a Bull Buffalo on the fight, of which they have been compared many times to a locomotive at full speed, YOU WILL LOOSE. LOL. Lincoln is a beautiful community, in appearance and in its people, but just enjoy being there without trying to change them.