Good morning Meg!
Well, as my screenname indicates I'm a native of Lancaster, and I can't help but feel that Lancaster is a wonderful place to be!
It has the slower pace and friendly attitudes you'd expect in a small town, but still has amenities like a mall, a good hospital, and some nice restaurants that you'd expect in a city much larger.
Despite the relatively short distance of 30 miles, Lancaster is culturally
worlds apart from fast-paced, stressed-out and socially liberal Columbus. Lancaster has a more "Southern" feel to it than many other places in Ohio. Local folks aren't too concerned about what's politically correct or what's hip in Hollywood.
Since you mentioned schools not being important, common-sense Lancaster residents would agree with you. Unlike sheepish suburbanites who obediently say "how high?" whenever a school district says "jump/raise taxes!" Lancaster residents are much more likely to ask why, or just say No!
Lancaster folks are welcoming to outsiders as long as said outsiders respect the people there for who they are. Anyone who comes in and immediately tries to change everything will not be warmly received. But if you're adaptable and can adjust to the way things are in Lancaster, you'll feel like a part of the community in no time!
Things you'll find in Lancaster and nowhere else:
- The town's "pet rock" a/k/a Mount Pleasant, a 300-ft. sandstone cliff in Rising Park, from the top of which is a breathtaking view of half the county.
- The Fairfield Co. Fairgrounds, which served as a set in the filming of Green Grass of Wyoming. It annually hosts the oldest (1850s) and last (2nd week of October) county fair in Ohio.
- Square 13/Lancaster Historic District, a charming collection of early 19th-c. homes and churches. A few of the homes are open to the public now as museums. Annual tours are also given--houses usually in the summer, and the churches at Christmas.
- The Lancaster Festival, a 10-day annual summer blowout of music, arts, culture and socializing that rivals anything in Columbus.
The east side of town has always been the "nicer" side. The west side is more industrial, and has long been thought of as a little "rougher".
If you're into older homes, the best areas to live in Lancaster are up near Rising Park or down in the Historic District. If you'd prefer something newer, north and east sides are generally your best bet—specifically "Pill Hill" (Sycamore Dr. up the hill from Kanawha Rd.) and "Wacker Heights" (large area between Sheridan Dr. and Rte. 37, off Rainbow Dr. and other avenues).
Hope this helps!
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