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Many people move to Montana because of the nature all around us, yet once they are here, they want all of the conveniences they left behind. They move into the forest and then they want their roads paved or plowed, they want to see grizzly bears so they moved into their habitat, only to complain if the bear eats their dog, etc.
Long time residents have had to sell property that has been in their families for generations because the family can no longer afford the property taxes. Out-of-staters have inflated the property values and therefore, the taxes. In addition, some famous people move here and act like they are better than anyone else. They don't try to fit in and are clueless about being a good neighbor. Like Mary Hart and Burt Sugarman who bought a parcel of land next to state land in Whitefish and then wanted the @ 50 acre parcel of state land (which was open for public use) fenced to give them more privacy. They managed to lease it from the state by outbidding a logging contractor. I haven't heard if they've fenced it off. How would you feel if you were a Whitefish native accustomed to accessing that piece of state land all of your life only to be locked out of it? I could go on and on with similar situations that have happened here. Incidents like this are what make Montanans resent newcomers.It isn't just the wealthy either; the wealthy just have the means to make a bigger impact.
I am not saying all newcomers are all bad. David Letterman bought a ranch here and he appears to be a good neighbor so far. But he hasn't come in with a haughty attitude and tried to change things either.
People who grew up here and people that moved here before it was "discovered" accepted a certain lifestyle to be here, and it generally didn't include all the amenities of suburban life. Unfortunately, this is no longer true. It sickens me every day to see this change.
I think alot of locals agree with you a hundred percent. It's gut wrenching to watch everything you once loved get ruined and plowed up and turned into subdvisions. Ruining what was once a great place all in the name of money is very sad and then you have the people who say we have to accept it because it's good for the economy and it's all in the name of "progress". It seems most of our representaives and commissioners are more worried about the people who are going to move here then the ones who have been here for years and years.
It's a sad truth that took years to get to Montana. I was born and raised there and traveled quite a bit later on in life, realizing that Montana was one of the few places that had not really been "invaded". I moved to California after living in Montana 20 years. I sometimes wanted to have land there with horses next to forest service land, so I could ride in the mountains with water running through the property. That's what we had in Montana. In California, we couldn't afford it. I know of many families in California who had to sell their property because of property taxes skyrocketing. There was a mass influx of people there for years, which some native Californians really did not like. Now it's happening to places like Montana. The population in the US has really boomed, so people are bound to be building and moving. To all the Montanans and people from other areas who hate Califonians: Why don't you try to be decent? There are many decent Californians and they are such a diverse group of people that it is ignorant to stereotype and treat people badly. Try to grow up and take the growing pains in stride. I say this because I basically had to move to Colorado because my husband's son was taken here by his ex-wife (he needs his daddy). I thought it would be okay because I was from Montana and Colorado is kind of a cross between California and Montana (to me). Well, I can't tell you the rudeness I have had to deal with. Our car got vandalized before we changed the license plates and we get the cold shoulder and verbal bashing from many people who haven't even gotten the opportunity to get to know us. I wish I could move back to California where people were nice to me. We did not live in one of the "armpit" areas, but we did come from a Coastal town which is growing much more quickly than any area in Montana or Colorado. The town we lived in - in California probably won't be so beautiful and wonderful as it was a couple years, when we left. How do you think the people there feel? I have had Montanans be so mean to me until my best friend would tell them that I was born and raised there and went to high school with her, then they'd be nice. We all have challenges living in this changing world and blame to other human beings does not help us change what's dirty in ourselves.
... To all the Montanans and people from other areas who hate Califonians: Why don't you try to be decent? There are many decent Californians and they are such a diverse group of people that it is ignorant to stereotype and treat people badly. Try to grow up and take the growing pains in stride. ..... Well, I can't tell you the rudeness I have had to deal with. Our car got vandalized before we changed the license plates and we get the cold shoulder and verbal bashing from many people who haven't even gotten the opportunity to get to know us. ourselves.
Very good points. I remember in the 80's everyone was moving to California. At that time they must have been as upset as we are now. Many people in Montana just can't deal with change and progress. Its hard to see the place you love change; I just try to look for the good in it. Its all we can do; and being hateful to new folks does us no good at all.
I have yet to experience any hostility or attitude toward me since moving here. Everyone I meet that I happen to get into a conversation with, has been very warm or welcoming. Maybe I'm just lucky and running into happy accepting people?
I go out with a smile on my face, and I have noticed it makes a difference. I have been waved at by strangers. I love it!
I have NO desire to change what Montana is. In fact, I want to fight the subdivisions they are proposing to build in my area.
It's too bad Hamilton gave in and is allowing this and a wal mart.
Many people move to Montana because of the nature all around us, yet once they are here, they want all of the conveniences they left behind. They move into the forest and then they want their roads paved or plowed, they want to see grizzly bears so they moved into their habitat, only to complain if the bear eats their dog, etc.
Long time residents have had to sell property that has been in their families for generations because the family can no longer afford the property taxes. Out-of-staters have inflated the property values and therefore, the taxes. In addition, some famous people move here and act like they are better than anyone else. They don't try to fit in and are clueless about being a good neighbor. Like Mary Hart and Burt Sugarman who bought a parcel of land next to state land in Whitefish and then wanted the @ 50 acre parcel of state land (which was open for public use) fenced to give them more privacy. They managed to lease it from the state by outbidding a logging contractor. I haven't heard if they've fenced it off. How would you feel if you were a Whitefish native accustomed to accessing that piece of state land all of your life only to be locked out of it? I could go on and on with similar situations that have happened here. Incidents like this are what make Montanans resent newcomers.It isn't just the wealthy either; the wealthy just have the means to make a bigger impact.
I am not saying all newcomers are all bad. David Letterman bought a ranch here and he appears to be a good neighbor so far. But he hasn't come in with a haughty attitude and tried to change things either.
People who grew up here and people that moved here before it was "discovered" accepted a certain lifestyle to be here, and it generally didn't include all the amenities of suburban life. Unfortunately, this is no longer true. It sickens me every day to see this change.
I have to agree with you on all the change we have seen in our state and it is really hard to keep our homes due to the taxes sky high. My family homesteaded in Big Fork five generations ago. Most of my family still lives in Montana but it gets harder and harder as all the expenses go up. I have visited with alot of out of state people that have moved here that I really enjoy talking with them and they came here for what Montana is and don't mind slowing down a little.
That being said,we own a construction co. and have done work for people that have moved here and want to bring to montana all the things they were so happy to leave behind. ????
To all those people that get upset about the post's on here about out of state people moving here please try to understand that we love our state and if you are moving here,all we ask is that you come here and love it for what it is and don't try to change it. I want my kids to remember montana and beable to pass that on to their children as my family has tried to hold on to and pass down to all of us.
Many parts of the country (and the world) have been growing and changing for years. This isn't something unique to Montana. This isolationism is absurd. Most of us long for yesteryear, but it isn't going to happen. Started going to Florida in the 50's as a child. Talk about change! Not all change is good, but it is inevitable. We all need to stop fighting each other and work together for all of us and the environment. My husband was in the military during Vietnam, he didn't fight for one town or state.
Jenz has a point, people who come here should respect the way things are already done here (within limits) and the people here should realize that "most" of the people that come here are doing so for the same reasons that people came here 50 years ago. The population of the United States is growing, and if the government has it's way it will grow by 20-30 million soon. All of these people have to go somewhere and that will displace the people who already live where newcomers move.
I was born and raised in a smaller town in northern CA and my wife grew up in a town on the coast where you could ride your horse to school. These towns exploded so we moved farther north to rural Sonoma county. That was fine for 5 years or so then it too was "discovered" and we got subdivisions everywhere, gangs, graffitti etc. People are fleeing these areas and most of them are good people that have been driven out of their homes by the mass influx of people.
I now have friends that are 5th or 6th generation Big Forkians and they are sick about how many people have moved to that area, so sick they are pulling up roots and moving elsewhere. I don't blame them, that is their choice but in doing that they will add to the population of where they go.
What I do mind is the people who move to Iron Horse and talk about the people in Whitefish as "villagers", as they were heard to say "let's go down and visit the villagers today" like they are some sort of royalty or something. but I can't get too upset for the Whitefishians when I hear them talk about Columbia Falls like I heard at the penguin plunge, "oh, there's the Columbia Falls group, what are they doing here?" (dripping with venom).
I could almost feel sorry for the Columbia Falls group if I hadn't heard them (on multiple occasions) talk about the "canyon critters" and the lack of teeth, and the doubt of family trees forking much there.
The point is, everyone seems to be picking on everyone to make themselves feel better instead of looking at who is allowing this uncontroled growth and reigning them in. How does that make the locals look?
If everyone who is so concerned about rampant growth ran for office and kicked out the current crop things could change. The problem IMO is that we have had people from both ends of the spectrum influence things and nobody from the middle. You have the "plow it all under and build" group and the "stop all building at all costs" group. Neither one will win, and they both are wrong but while they squabble the mess just keeps growing because no one is really watching.
I see similar things happening in New England. Almost all of New Hampshire is either a tourist spot or suburb of Boston. The pace of life is overwhelming. My husband and I want a quieter more rural lifetstyle which is not possible anymore. We can barely pay our property taxes. All available land is posted, and there is no time to enjoy life. You're just supposed to work, work, work.
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Why we want to move West
