McCook (Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island: environment, agriculture, military)

[dadbud]

I'm trying to find out information on McCook. Can anyone give a good perspective on life here? We have an opportunity to take a job here but I know nothing about this area. I'm married with a 13 year old and an 11 year old. They are into girls fastpitch, fishing, hunting, camping. Is housing cheap? Is there a hospital nearby with jobs for my wife to work as an RN?

Thank You

[kosnebbear]

First thing, welcome to Nebraska if you take the job.

I lived in the McCook area and still have family living there. So I can tell you about McCook.

McCook is the last major city in the south west corner of Nebraska. It is about 8500 in population which makes it a major sized city in Nebraska as there are not that many large cities outside of Omaha area, Lincoln, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney.

McCook is in the middle of farm land so the economy for McCook is based upon agriculture. The people living here are for the most part very friendly. You will find some that will have a attitude.

It is also a railroading town as it has AmTrak and is a major stop for the train crews who change over here for cross country traffic for BNSF. They have a small regional airport with limited flights that can get you to a major airport. The closest would be Denver International and they do have non-spot flights to Denver. They have a bus service that also stops in McCook.

They have the first Super Wal-Mart store that was build in Nebraska, but is not the biggest. It is on the west side of town along US Hwy 6&34. They have a small shopping center just north of Wal-Mart. The main shopping area is still in the downtown area which the people of McCook support. They do shop at Wal-Mart as well.

You have a school system that takes pride in itself and the sports program. They have a very strong girls fastpitch softball program that is always at the top in the State. The program begins with the younger girls that are in grade school and middle school grades. If your girls are good they will fit right into the program right away. It is very competive.

McCook does have a hospital that is very good for the area. There are several Doctors who have clinics as well where your wife might find work.

Housing is cheaper than it is in like Lincoln or Omaha. This is due to the fact that it is in western Nebraska where the housing market is not in that much of a demand. There is a house that is about 7 to 10 miles east of McCook. It is a new home that was build in the mid 1990's. It has been sold and sold again several times. I don't know if it is still for sale or not. It has a nice view of the Republican River valley. The one major problem is that when the contractor was digging the basement he hit a den of rattle snakes. He advised the owner who was building the home not to build here due the fact that the snakes always return to the den where they were born to sleep for the winter and come out in the summer. The owner build away tried to get rid of the snakes, lost the battle, moved out and sold the home. Maybe the snake problem has been cleared up and it may not have been cleared up. So if a realtor takes you east out of McCook to look at a home on the north side of the highway that is new ask about the snakes.

As for your last concern. Hunting is great in this area. You can hunt pheasants, deer, turkey, dove, rabbit or water fowl as it is all there. Fishing is also great as you have several lakes in the area that you can fish in. If you don't own a boat, buy one. You have Walleye, Striped Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Catfish, Crappie, Wipers, White Bass, and Trout fishing all in less than 45 minutes driving time from McCook. Big Mac is about 1 and half hours drive from McCook which is the largest lake in Nebraska.

Now I have given you my best information on McCook. If you want more information you can ask me in this forum or you can PM me. At this time we live southeast of Lincoln and at times we wish we were back west.

[dadbud]

Thanks for the information. A couple of questions...You said that some people still have an attitude - about what? Outsiders moving there...or something else? AND what is a wiper? This must be a nickname for some kind of fish I've heard of before. Thanks again.

[kosnebbear]

Yes some people will not like outsiders coming in, but you will find these individuals where you go in this world. I find them here where I am at right now working for the United Nations.

A Wiper is a hybrid fish that is a cross between a White Bass and a Striped Bass. It can not reproduce and is stocked as a sport fish and to help control other breeds of fish that might get out of control if left alone. It is a good sport fish that will put up a good fight if it has some size to it. You can read about the different hunting and fishing in Nebraska by going to the Nebraska Parks and Game Commission. I have provided you with two links the first one is about the Wiper and the second is for the Nebraska Parks and Game Commission.

Hybrid striped bass - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Homepage

Also you can go to the McCook Gazette which is the local newspaper and read about the local news of McCook as well.

McCook Daily Gazette

[dadbud]

WoW...from McCook to the United Nations; where do you live now? Well McCook sounds like a pretty nice area although the attitude towards outsiders does concern me somewhat. Does the McCook area have industry or anything that brings in any amount of outsiders? If not this would explain why their attitude is the way it is...they are just not used to seeing different people.

[kosnebbear]

There are only a few individuals in McCook with an attitude towards outsiders, for the most part you will be welcome in McCook. You will get to know the ones that have this attitude quickly.

Yes McCook does have several industies that bring in outsiders. They also have the State of Nebraska prison called the Work Camp on the north side of town, so there are several different things that bring individuals to McCook.

I am currently in the former Republic of Yugoslavia in the city called Prishtina. It is in the southern part that is called Kosovo. I work as a International Police Officer. At this time I am assigned to the Internal Investigation Section. I do investigations on other International Police Officers who violate the rules of the UN or break the law of Kosovo. I will be here until April 2008 when I return back to Nebraska. It is time that I give some time to my wife of 36 years as she has put up with me being in the military for over 26 years, a police officer in Nebraska for over 16 years and now with 4 years as a International Police Officer.

If you move to McCook let me know. Maybe in the spring we can do some fishing at Harlan County Lake by Alma. It is a great place to catch White Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye and Wipers. This lake is where I like to go and fish. I have been on the lakes close to McCook as well, but like Harlan County Lake. PM me and I will give you my personal email address.

[itsMeFred]

I live 80 miles west of McCook and do the bulk of my shopping there. I've always thought it a pleasant town. As mentioned, it *is* a major "city" for the area. Shopping, college (albeit, just a 2yr), etc. North Platte is only an hour or so north... I wouldn't hesitate to live there. (If it weren't for the fact I hate living in town. )

[dadbud]

Well I'm not much of a city person either. I've really never lived in the "city"...the biggest city I've lived in is about 10,000 people. Any bigger than that then I get edgy with the traffic and the way people treat each other.

Is the McCook area a clean place or is there a lot of unkept trashy homes like many rural areas across the south? Seems like people lack a respect for themselves sometimes, much less our earth, and trash the environment.

[kosnebbear]

For the most part the people in McCook take pride in their city. Just like in any city, town, village or township you will always find someone who has little or no pride in their home or property. There are these kind of people in McCook as well. Overall the city does keep on these individuals in an effort to keep the city looking as neat as possible.

My wife is from North Dakota and I check out what is going on there at times as well. I see that you are also looking at North Dakota as well.

[dadbud]

Yes - We've looked at Montana, North Dakota and Nebraska. Still narrowing down our choices but haven't definitely settled on a specific area yet.