NE in May - so excited! (Omaha, Lincoln: coop, motels, house)

[Darrow]

My hubby and I will get to spend 9 days in your fabulous state! We are looking at relocation. We'll spend time around Holdrege, Hastings, Kearney and then a few nights in Falls City. Hoping to look at a few other towns in the region. We are coming from Cody, WY and are hoping to get away from near constant wind (gusts in excess of 50 mph), very long winters (5 to 6 months), feeling of isolation being 1 1/2 hours from nearest metropolis - Billings, MT and a polarizing religious and very right wing culture.

We are looking for a city with walking/biking trails, parks/recreation, close proximity to airport - within 1 hour. We are interested in sustainable living, fishing, golf, knitting, museums and volunteering - Habitat for Humanity, food cupboards and Humane Society. My husband is a licensed electrician and I'm an administrative assistant. Our own children are raised, but we are certified foster parents and continue with that calling.

We've spent the 1st 25 years of our married life near my family in WY and would like to spend whatever time we have left near my husbands family in NE, MO & KS. Our moving goal is less than 5 years away.

Please share with us your experiences with this area. Smaller towns are ok, as long as they are within 15 to 20 minutes of a city. What town would you pick if you were looking for the items I mentioned? Thanks so much for your help. If you don't have time to explain in detail, please just list a town.

[roots'nbulbs]

Please look at Alma. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised considering your description.

It is, however, 24 mi. So. of Holdrege--subsequently, 55 mi. SW of Kearney, (micro city and airport).

Holdrege is very nice, but has an extremely conservative pop.--maybe you like that. It was settled by Swedish immigrants whose ghosts seem to watch for intruders :-) . Alma has lost its old German settlers to a summer lake crowd. It is smaller, but sets right on the lake, and has a pop. representing more diverse opinions about libation, God and taxes.

And, Alma would love you forever, if you could figure out a new business, in town. It has an interesting coffee shop, variety store and a great grocery store that also serves No. Kansas.
The city's pool, golf course and club, library, park and walking trail are beautiful and could compete, anywhere. Fishing and boating, RV and campgound, 3 motels, restaurants (include Little and Old Mexico, On the Lake), Tall Tales in Republican City and maybe an upcoming winery??

Take a look at Harlan Reservoir.........may even need an electrician around here......

The lake has several cabin areas and housing developements that are 'out there,' but very nice!

[Darrow]

Thank you Roots'nbulbs. We should be able to take a drive to Alma - it sounds nice. We are trying to get away from extreme conservatism, and welcome a more diverse population. Your answer about Holdrege weighs heavy - THANK you! Holdrege is a very beautiful town, we like to visit there, but don't feel at this stage in life we want to be welcomed as intruders. I'll do some research on Alma, I really appreciate your opinions.

[roots'nbulbs]

Don't misunderstand -- there are Republicans, about 12 to 1 Democrat. : -) But, the conversations at the coffee shop can be safely challenged when you can't stand it, anymore. Trust me, I know :-)

Oh yeah, and the editorial in the local newspaper is misleading about what the rest of us think. He gets lots of nasty letters about his Limbaugh guided messages.

[Omahahonors]

Originally Posted by roots'nbulbs

Don't misunderstand -- there are Republicans, about 12 to 1 Democrat. : -) But, the conversations at the coffee shop can be safely challenged when you can't stand it, anymore. Trust me, I know :-)

Oh yeah, and the editorial in the local newspaper is misleading about what the rest of us think. He gets lots of nasty letters about his Limbaugh guided messages.

Omaha and Lincoln have a higher democrat to republican ratio by a little, therefore diversity is much more accepted.

[Omahahonors]

BTW, I meant that as no slight to all the other areas of the state..
Most rural areas do not experience the many aspects of humanity that are called diverse, therefore it is hard for human nature to properly gauge something they don't know. It is human nature to assume the negative possibilities without first-hand experience of the minor sects of human nature and human kind.
This doesn't make rural people any different than city people. City people have experienced certain aspects of humans and nature, and they learn to respect them. But they too have experiences they never had to learn and develop negative attitudes until they learn to do so otherwise.
for instance, Omaha and Lincoln have a lot of gay people here and they are well-integrated into society. Conservatives in these cities embrace the people like any other (irreguardless of their opinion of whether or not they think they are wrong).
That said, remember that negativity is a normal initial trait to something new. It is until they 'experience' something that they can embrace it. I am sure that there are several smaller communities (like Kearney) that are considered 'liberal' because they too have wide-ranges of experience for many differening aspects of human-kind.
That said, because I understand this I can appreciate the 'why' small communities have a rougher attitude towards the minor sects of socity.

[TTWW55]

Find a cozy little town that is considered a "bedroom" community outside of a larger city....like Lincoln or Omaha. Now, don't get too close or you'll be ANNEXED! Ha!

I live 50 miles from Lincoln and about 100 from Omaha.....just perfect! I enjoy my village.....but still have the "amenities" I sometimes want just about an hour away.

Villages/small towns have cheap housing.....and nice people. I enjoy a couple of pubs, grocery store, a Casey's General Store (a chain operation for gas and sundries), a Farmer's Coop (employees people who store/sell/fertilize/market grain), a bank, post office, library, fire department, Legion Hall, three active churches, nice ball park, car dealership, plumber, electrician, car repair shops, new swimming pool, and other businesses....one that is a multi-million dollar enterprise that employs over 70 people!

Small towns and villages are little "gems" in most states......

[pcozad1]

We live in St Paul 20 minutes north of Grand Island. You can leave your car , house unlocked and not worry about it. Grand Island has everything you could want great biking trails , Fishing is only minutes away from st Paul, there are rivers and lakes within five miles. there is a golf coarse .
Great people. Grand Island has an airport with great deals to Arizona, Florida , Kansas city, vegas.All at fantastic prices and no parking fees at the airport, get there a half hour beforethe flight and its that quick.

[elkotronics]

I have a phone interview Thursday with an "in-person" interview hopefully to follow with a Manager from Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital. If I get the job my wife and I and our two dogs (one 2 y/o Chow Chow and one 6 y/o Pomeranian...the 20-lb. kind) and our orange tabby cat and our grey tabby cat and maybe our oldest son, too, will move to Hastings, NE, or a town not too far from Hastings and Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital. From what I've read about Nebraska it looks absolutely beautiful and I would view it a privilege to occupy a small spot of this beautiful state God made.

I will go where he puts me and where he wants me. I have already dedicated my life to him so I want to be where I will be used effectively by him while there is still time left in this system of things. People need to look to God and His Son and their Kingdom now. Time is quickly running out.

I would love to spend the rest of the time left in this system in beautiful Nebraska. I really would and I have expressed this desire to our Creator in prayer. I will let you all know how things work out.

[itsMeFred]

BTW, for anyone who doesn't want to actually live IN a city, but wants a little more diversity than small town Nebraska usually offers, I would also recommend the state college towns: Wayne, Chadron and Peru.
I know nothing about Peru, though it's in the more populated south east corner of NE, but I grew up in Wayne and went to school in Chadron. Both are towns of 5-6000 and have a far more educated/liberal population than most of small-town Nebraska.
Chadron is definitely more rural. And windy! lol Rapid City would be the nearest "big city" (40K or so) and it's about 100 miles away.

Wayne, OTOH, is only a half hour from Norfolk, NE (25K) or Sioux City, IA (100K+ if you include So. Sioux and No. Sioux) and 100 miles to Omaha.