Seriously thinking of moving to Oklahoma...advice needed. (Ponca City: environment, relocation)

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by arkcitynative

Hi Blue Skies-

Congratulations! Currently, I live in New York City but I lived in the area that you are mentioning. I was born in Ponca City, grew up in Arkansas City and went to school in Stillwater, OK.

My husband and I are planning a move back to AC for basically the same reasons that you listed. My mother owns a building in downtown Ark City and we are planning on renovating and living there.

You might consider an arrangement like that if you are on a somewhat fixed income. I know of at least one building in downtown ark city that has a loft space with retail that you could rent out. It was at one point for sale but I am not sure if it still is. I also saw a couple of 2 unit apartment buildings for sale that might be perfect you.

They are planning to put in a hike and bike trail along the river and have recently done a several million dollar downtown renovation. It is really nice and only about a 5 minute drive from the Casino. I just read today that they will be hiring between 400 and 500 people for the new Casino they are building. My husband is going to apply there but that is down on his list of places to work.

Anyway, we are moving in September, too. If you need any advice I would be happy to help you out.

Arkansas City, Arkansas?

[arkcitynative]

Arkansas City, Kansas... it is 3 miles north of the Oklahoma border and about 20 miles north of Ponca City on highway 177.

If you ever go there make sure you pronounce it ArkanSAS not ArkanSAW....major no no with locals. Also, there it is the ArkanSAS river not the ArkanSAW river.

[shadow42]

I think moving to Edmond will be a good move for us as well....good schools, affordable living, beautiful homes. Where I live now in south orange county, things are very conveniently close to me...supermarkets, malls, post office...just about everything. I am not sure that Edmond will have all the conveniences I am used to, but it also did not seem like anything was more than 15 or 20 minutes away, which seems fine.
BTW....I am scared to death of earthquakes as well and they come on suddenly. I have only felt a couple since living here the past 10 yrs, and the epicenters have been quite a distance away. Still, they are very unsettling!

[peggydavis]

Originally Posted by shadow42

I think moving to Edmond will be a good move for us as well....good schools, affordable living, beautiful homes. Where I live now in south orange county, things are very conveniently close to me...supermarkets, malls, post office...just about everything. I am not sure that Edmond will have all the conveniences I am used to, but it also did not seem like anything was more than 15 or 20 minutes away, which seems fine.
BTW....I am scared to death of earthquakes as well and they come on suddenly. I have only felt a couple since living here the past 10 yrs, and the epicenters have been quite a distance away. Still, they are very unsettling!

The west part of Edmond is more convenient for shopping, if you are close to the Kilpatrick Turnpike. There will be a few things we don't have that you are used to, but you will enjoy the traffic here.

I would be scared of earthquakes too. I will take our weather in exchange.

[mkfarnam]

aaaw, a tiny witow earthquake?
Come on Peggy are you loosing country style tradition?

[peggydavis]

It's not the tiny ones I would be worried about. We have some tiny earthquakes in OK. Those don't scare me.

[Hazel Eyes]

I think most of us out here run scared over the thought of a tornado..You can see them coming, earthquakes hit fast and don't last long...It was told to me by a man in OK that they don't even think about them....And, he promised me I wouldn't be "hanging onto a mail box' if I moved back there...:>)

[mkfarnam]

It is a little strange at first to feel a slight rolling motion under your feet or house and without a sound. But the horses running the fence line next door and every dog in the neighborhood howling like a coyote just before it happened is what gave me advanced notice.
But after the first time, you just roll with the flow.
Unless your roof falls in on you of coares.

[Hazel Eyes]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

It is a little strange at first to feel a slight rolling motion under your feet or house and without a sound. But the horses running the fence line next door and every dog in the neighborhood howling like a coyote just before it happened is what gave me advanced notice.
But after the first time, you just roll with the flow.
Unless your roof falls in on you of coares.

It seems to take a bit for the brain to register that we're having an earthquake...Just hope we never have the BIG one they've been threatening us with for years.

[mkfarnam]

Originally Posted by Hazel Eyes

It seems to take a bit for the brain to register that we're having an earthquake...Just hope we never have the BIG one they've been threatening us with for years.

They say that it's just about time for the big. And when it hits it''s going take Ca, right off the map