Small town YOUR definition (Omaha, Lincoln: to live, farmers, metro)

[tduncan]

Andre,

I can totally understand your thoughts, about "K-Town" and those little towns in between Kearney and GI! I grew up in one of those small towns you pass through on Hwy 30 and while at the time of growing up, loved it! I really did. We had a real closeness among friends, as I am sure you did growing up in Lincoln!

As Dave said, it is all relative as to how you do grow up. Had you been raised in these towns, I am sure your perspective would have been different! But as one of those "small towners" growing up, I wouldn't change it for the world! Would I go back? I highly doubt it!! The decline of SOME small towns in Nebraska is evident as you pass through them after many years of living in a big town!

Kearney & GI while I was growing up, were BIG towns.

I guess you just have to know the feeling of growing up that way. In many ways, for me...it was priceless and I value that upbringing very very much.

But, I can appreciate and totally understand your feelings!

It certainly is all relative to how you grew up

[lisalynn]

Originally Posted by andre181

And another thing, people in Kearney drive SLOW AS HELL! It takes people like 15 minutes to drive across town, when I can do it in like 5. :O

first, please slow down.... It is because of a individual driving in hurry that we lost a young family member in a car/pedistrian accident in Kearney a few years back.

I am the exact opposite, I can not imagine living such a fast pace way of life, I enjoy the small towns, I enjoy jumping on my bike and being within a mile of riding in the country. I love sitting out in the country and hearing the irrigation pumps running, seeing the windmill next to the barn with the river running past it. Watching the combines working in the fields at dusk is beautiful. It is such a peaceful way of life, large cities are not for me or my family.

[ComputerUser000]

Originally Posted by lisalynn

first, please slow down.... It is because of a individual driving in hurry that we lost a young family member in a car/pedistrian accident in Kearney a few years back.

I am the exact opposite, I can not imagine living such a fast pace way of life, I enjoy the small towns, I enjoy jumping on my bike and being within a mile of riding in the country. I love sitting out in the country and hearing the irrigation pumps running, seeing the windmill next to the barn with the river running past it. Watching the combines working in the fields at dusk is beautiful. It is such a peaceful way of life, large cities are not for me or my family.

ME TOO!

I love hoping on my mountain bike and riding a mile into town, taking my leisurely time. I like things a bit slower and peaceful.

[ehenningsen]

I view GI, Kearney and Hastings as an up and coming area...

While it is small in comparison to Omaha/Lincoln, the area is seeing a continual population increase, and because the three cities are as close as they are, they are increasingly getting the amendities of a city like Sioux City and Sioux Falls... And as the population of the area keeps increasing, you are going to see more and more of the type of infrastructure and jobs and retail/entertainment/restaurants of a metro that size or bigger...

The tri-cities area takes a big chunk of the remaining 800,000 people outside of the Omaha/Lincoln metro areas.. (The state now has almost 1,800,000 people )

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by Alexva

* You can't walk for exercise because every driver that passes offers you a ride.

Exactly...happened to me a couple of years ago when I started trying to walk. Now, if I miss a couple of days for some reason, I have people from all over town asking if the arthritis in my knee is acting up again because they haven't seen me out.

You know you live in a small town when you are retired and your wife gets laid off due to company downsizing and you get a call from the local realtor asking what you are asking for your house because someone in town likes the look of it and the location and they figure you will probably be moving to be closer to your kids. All this before you even have a chance to tell anyone about the layoff.

[tduncan]

You know your in Nebraska when you FINALLY have to wear your sweat pants at night because it is going to FREEZE tonight!

You know your in Nebraska when everyone you know calls you to TELL YOU it is going to freezed tonight!

You know your in Nebraska when those that DO call you to tell you it is going to freeze tonight and you have to say..DUH...because we all know that it is going to freeze tonight!

[SCGranny]

You know you're in a Nebraska small town when -
The local school considers the day your dad's ranch brands cattle or loads the calves as an 'excused absence' for the kids.
you can walk to work, stand out in the yard, or be driving by, and every one you pass waves.
Everyone asks about your family, calls them by name.
The water and electric bills get changed over to your name AND mailed to your PO box without you ever having to make phone calls or contact anyone.
The bank folks call you by your nickname - and even put it on your account.
New friends call you from the local bar to invite you out with them.

When you are new everyone wants to know the answer to The Big Three questions -
1) How did you find us?
2) Where are you from and why did you move?
3) Are you from here or do you have family here?

Grin. Why is it that folks seem to think that no one can appreciate small town life enough to move there on purpose?

Seriously, I haven't met one rude person since I visited here in March and moved here in May. Curious, laws, yes!!! But rude? Not a one.

A small town is where everyone knows your name long before you can learn theirs...

We moved here from a town with a population of 3000. This town officially has 177 people. The whole county has 6000. It doesn't have a grocery store. It does have a beauty parlor and a restaurant/bar/grill, a hardware store (if you call the owner at home she'll come open it), an auto repair shop, a propane supplier, and a feed and seed. What more do you need?

[myblueheaven423]

damn sounds good..haha..im from new jersey and a small town is like 15000..and btw im from south jersey which is even more rural than north hahaha

[kallen101]

Originally Posted by myblueheaven423

damn sounds good..haha..im from new jersey and a small town is like 15000..and btw im from south jersey which is even more rural than north hahaha

I'm from eastern nebraska... and i think a city under 30,000 is small.... its all in perspective i guess

[itsMeFred]

Having moved to a number of small towns around Nebraska Granny, I have to agree with everything you've said. lol
But this:

Originally Posted by SCGranny

You know you're in a Nebraska small town when -
The local school considers the day your dad's ranch brands cattle or loads the calves as an 'excused absence' for the kids.

Made me chuckle.

Twelve years ago, when I first graduated college, I was teaching in a one room country school, out in the Sandhills, 30 miles from town. Not only were kids who were branding (or working) their own calves excused, it was considered a "field trip."
Because along with their folks, every kid in the school would be there. Might as well count it for hours.